Headers

How many people here run headers? What is the good and bad about them? Was thinking of redoing the exhaust and wasn't sure about the headers. Any help is great. Thanks

 

i'm pretty sure everybody has headers........



















j/k

 

I don't personally have headers. But I would have to think that adding them would definetly help your motor breathe and sound good too. Just make sure when and if you do they get installed right. I work at a car dealership in the used car dept and we got this taco with aftermarket headers and they had the cats installed so far downstream that they would never get hot enough to light and the truck failed emissions. We had to wholesale it ( I was sad, the truck was pretty nice!). That's the only advice I have on headers. If you do it, post some pics please.

 

Basically two types available for the V6 second gens:

Long Tube - Delete the forward cats, bolt on, require o2 sim or your truck will throw a CEL during regular driving and inspection. Offer more high end HP but you lose some low end torque due to decreased backpressure in the exhaust system.

Short Tube - Require welding, cats stay on, so is emissions legal. Preserves low end torque but does not give nearly the HP boost that long tubes do, so pick your sacrifice.

Personally, to my mind, torque is way more important for a truck, so I'm going with the shorties. Most people opt for the long tubes.

Either way may add a little rasp to the exhaust (so I've heard), with the long tubes being worse about it.