TPIS Headers

[Vettefan87]

Ok, now that Christmas has come and gone and with tax returns coming up, I am thinking about getting headers for my vette. What is the difference between the coated headers with emissions and the coated headers without emmisions, they are the same price so I am not sure. And since I have an 87 it says that I have to buy a EGR feed tube (37 dollars), and a lock ring (3 dollars). Any input is appreciated.


After I get the headers, the car will be just off road use, so I won't be using any Cats, so I am not sure what I am going to do with all the plumbing from the air pump. Thanks for any input


Justin

 

[WhalePirot]

tax returns coming up

Gee, thanks for the reminder.

What is the difference between the coated headers with emissions and the coated headers without emmisions

the emissions headers have the fittings to attach your A.I.R. injection plumbing to.

 

[Vettefan87]

Will the one without emissions still have the fitting for the O2 sensor?

 

[Edmond]

Hey,

MadMic actually got a set of TPIS headers for, IIRC, less than $300 from someone he found out by him. Cheapest I've seen them was for $600 on eBay. They have a good reputation but I've seen a set that had some rust on them; not something that I would accept from a pair of $750 coated headers. :ugh But headers are a definite improvement over the wimpy exhaust manifolds.

I hear that Hooker makes pretty good headers for our L98's. Check out www.jegs.com and also www.summitracing.com They both stock the Hookers for our L98's. Hookers are cheaper as well.

Actually, the car will still pass emissions as long as it is properly tuned and if the main cat is still functioning like it should. TPIS also sells their high flow cat for $220. It has 3" diameter inlets and outlets! It meets EPA and California ARB requirements.

 

[Vettefan87]

My brother just had a good thought, if I got the one with emissions couldn't I just take a fitting and plug the whole for the air pump in case I had to put cats on it and make it street legal I could just take it out and put it back on, instead of going back to the stock exhaust or buying new headers?

I have heard that TPIS are one of the best so I just started there. I will have to check Hookers out too, is there any noticable HP difference between the two? Thanks

 

[Edmond]

I don't know if there is much of a difference between TPIS and Hooker. But from what I've seen, TPIS stuff is pricey stuff. Take their Big Mouth intake manifold for the L98 for example, it's the same intake as the Edelbrock (probably even made by the same company) But the TPIS one costs $80 more.

 

[WhalePirot]

The bung for the O2 sensor should be on both types of headers. A quick call to TPIS would be wise.

plug the hole for the air pump in

I don't know what you expect to gain by eliminating this very minor power drainer. In the early/mid 70's, the SMOG gear really drained power, but that is not true today. I ran my mildly modified car for a short while with a test pipe and found no discernable power difference.

Spin the A.I.R. pump with your fingers and you will see how little energy it takes. I would be very wary of running a CAT without the air injection it is designed to use. I feel that if you're going to un ofroad, build it that way, which is usually all-out. If you're running on the street, keep it legal for your own peace of mind and most likely you will also have less trouble with plugged CATS and the like.

I am satisfied with the fitment and quality of the TPIS headers. I have not heard great things about Hookers, but have no direct knowledge. Typically, you get the quality you pay for, but I don't know who makes the headers for TPIS. I know Lingenfelter did not make theirs; nor did they make their SuperRam.

 

[Vettefan87]

This is to anyone who has put headers on themselves, how hard of a job is it? How long did it take to remove the old system and install the headers?

 

[Edmond]

This is to anyone who has put headers on themselves, how hard of a job is it? How long did it take to remove the old system and install the headers?

Again, I will have to reference Mad Mic because I asked him this question. He said he did it in less than 3 hours with jackstands with Rich (Rrubel).

But a lift would make it so much easier. Know anyone with a lift?

 

[Vettefan87]

Spin the A.I.R. pump with your fingers and you will see how little energy it takes. I would be very wary of running a CAT without the air injection it is designed to use. I feel that if you're going to un ofroad, build it that way, which is usually all-out. If you're running on the street, keep it legal for your own peace of mind and most likely you will also have less trouble with plugged CATS and the like.

Yea, the only reason I thought of getting rid of it, is since the motor is fairly new I might put a supercharger or something on it, but I doubt I will ever have that much money saved....:cry

 

[Vettefan87]

Again, I will have to reference Mad Mic because I asked him this question. He said he did it in less than 3 hours with jackstands with Rich (Rrubel).

But a lift would make it so much easier. Know anyone with a lift?

Well I initially asked my brother for help and now he is whining and his response was "Well we have one who knows what they are doing, and another handing wrenches..."

Now my question is, by the time I order those, and install them, get custom pipes bent or an exhaust system to go back to mufflers, will the mod even be worth all of the work and the money?

 

[Edmond]

Well I initially asked my brother for help and now he is whining and his response was "Well we have one who knows what they are doing, and another handing wrenches..."

Now my question is, by the time I order those, and install them, get custom pipes bent or an exhaust system to go back to mufflers, will the mod even be worth all of the work and the money?

I swear the TPIS system comes with the front y-pipe. You could get a high flow cat and then a nice catback system, if you don't have one already. I think you could gain some nice low end power with a complete exhaust overhaul.

 

[vetteboy86]

All I know is that changing out headers on that car up on jackstands is not going to be a walk in the park. I will help like I always do, or is that i will get stuck doing the majority of the work. Anyhow this quest for a faster car is getting expensive for my bro :L


Craig

 

[Edmond]

All I know is that changing out headers on that car up on jackstands is not going to be a walk in the park. I will help like I always do, or is that i will get stuck doing the majority of the work. Anyhow this quest for a faster car is getting expensive for my bro :L


Craig

No, it won't be a walk in the park but it'll be a good time for some brotherly bonding over manly stuff.:L:L:L

Yeah, you need $$$ to get a faster car! Horsepower sure doesn't come cheap. Me personally, I'm just going to maintain the 88' and save money for something LT4 or LS fast.

 

[Vettefan87]

Yea I would too, but I just love the way my 87 feels, I don't think ill be able to part with it, unless I got a offer I couldn't refuse.

 

[Edmond]

Yea I would too, but I just love the way my 87 feels, I don't think ill be able to part with it, unless I got a offer I couldn't refuse.

No, you're not supposed to part with it. You're supposed to get more! :L

 

[vetteboy86]

No, you're not supposed to part with it. You're supposed to get more! :L

Exactly what we should all do. I think that in a few years, hopefully I will be
LS-2 ish fast.

Craig

 

[Mad-Mic]

No, it won't be a walk in the park but it'll be a good time for some brotherly bonding over manly stuff.:L:L:L

Yeah, you need $$$ to get a faster car! Horsepower sure doesn't come cheap. Me personally, I'm just going to maintain the 88' and save money for something LT4 or LS fast.

LT4's are a waste of money unless you keep it bone stock. IMO i'd buy an LT1 if i was going to mod because we change heads and cams anyway so why spend the money twice? the LT1 and LT4 intakes aren't that much different and again if you change cam and heads why not get the stock intake ported and matched?

nothing wrong with L98 power and can run just as fast as any other GM motor out there with alittle work. we already know what it makes for SB1 FI cars to go fast. when it comes to the LS based cars they are still doing ALOT of R&D and besides C4's are the sexiest out of all the vettes

Justin, BTW you have a PM

Why does it make sense to go with LTH's? this picture will show you why!

after measuring the primaries from both we know TPiS comes with 1 3/4 primaries and our stockers are 1 1/8" only! i picked up over 4 mph by going with LTH's as the only mod.

best bang for the buck when it comes to bolt on's for L98's is Long Tube Headers. people say gears but why change gears if your going to mod and then the D36 because obsolete and have to spend more money updating to the D44 when you can put the funds into some other part of the car and wait to do the D44? no offense to anyone but people that add gears to D36's and wonder why they break after doing some mods are just wasting money.

*OFF Rant*

 

[Vettefan87]

Mic, if I put on the Headers and the Y with the old cat then the old rear Y pipe with mufflers for one will it fit, since the long tube headers are longer then the manifolds we have now. And what kind of gains am I looking at? Or should I just run 3 inch pipes back to mufflers and not have any cats?

 

[Mad-Mic]

Mic, if I put on the Headers and the Y with the old cat then the old rear Y pipe with mufflers for one will it fit, since the long tube headers are longer then the manifolds we have now. And what kind of gains am I looking at? Or should I just run 3 inch pipes back to mufflers and not have any cats?

everything fits in the stock location with stock equipment with the TPiS setup

here you can sorta see the fit. the cat is in the same stock location.

stock gains from stock manifolds to TPiS are in the 30+ rwhp range. 50+ rwhp w/ gutted cats and muffler eliminators. these are max #'s but very reachable. this is what i've managed to get out of my exhaust mods alone.