Welcome to the Corvette Forums at the Corvette Action Center!

who use headers on his vette?

J

johnny

Guest
I have installed to day the new TPIS 1 3/4" headers on my vette, also do I have the B&B triflow 2,5" catback system. I have no cats, only a replace pipe.

I think I am driving a TANK. The sound in the car is no good. Much to loud. Especialy wen I drive in a low rpm range. It like a feel every cumbustion on each cilinder.

Is that normal, I never drive a car with headers.

People, help me out, what have you done? Should I mount a replace muffeler on the place of the cat?

Thanks, John.
 
Johnny,
I'm running headers with no cats as well. Personally, I love the sound. It's very deep and throaty when I drive at normal RPM's......but I jump on the throttle, it really sounds mean. You're getting a normal sound from a car with headers and no cats. Keep the free flowing aggressive system you have now. I wouldn't put any more restrictive items on the car :)

Jay
 
Jay,

The sound outside the car is exactly what I was looking for, meanmachine! But the resonance inside the car at low rpm's is much to load, I gives me a headdeck. Should I mount the exhaust better?

How did you do that?


John.
 
Johnny, I think it's your B&B's. I have heard other people with those mufflers have the same problem. A friend of mine also has them on his ZR-1 and gets the same resonance you have at the same RPM's. My Flowmasters don't really get any resonance at all...

The resonance doesn't bother me a bit, so if you want to get rid of them some day, let me know :)
I'm looking for a set of used B&B mufflers for my Z:D

Jay
 
Johnny,

I think the design of the coupe has something to do with the noise. It is like the rear window makes a sound funnel and pipes the low tones right into the seating area.

My 85 with the automatic, headers (Headman or hooker, can't remember) had the same problem in traffic at low speeds.

Nikki has started complaining about her Flowmasters now with stock manifolds. Same problem, low speed noise that droans on and on.

I like it, cause it makes it feel more aggressive. In other words, you don't have to break the speed limit to have that raw race feel. But I agree it is a pain on the ears.

You might experiement with some different resonator tips.

At one time I had Super Traps on the 85 with Headers and no cats. I could tune them where I wanted them. Plus they looked cool.
 
Thanks for the responce, maby it worth a trie to wrap the headers and Y-pipe with than special headtape?
 
Johnny,

I have TPIS headers on my 84 Xfire. They are great. Loud but a great sound. More like a purr at cruise. Its not until I hit accelerator that they really scream. Mine are coated and I am using a Random Technology Cat. Also using Walker rear Y-pipe with X-over. I think you can get CAT's that do not hinder performance but help muffle the sound somewhat. My car was still able to run a 13.8 @ 101.4mph with stock tires and 3.07 rear.
And yes, it still uses the Xfire induction system.
 
if the sound is bothering you, you should put a Hi-Flow Cat in to take a little of the resonance away. Other than that, there isnt much you can do about it besides changing your mufflers to something like Borla. I would recommend Corsa but they dont make something for the 86's.
 
Thanks everybody.

I have ordered a special muffeler as replacement for the cat. One with no loss of power. It as a venturi and it's ajustible.

Also I have tested my car on the dyno yesterday, and under 2000 rpm it has a little less fuel, so thats also the reason why it runs so strange at low rpm's.

I did wanted a corsa, but the couldend make it.

I acn give you the numbers of the dynorun, but I am not sure if you understand the numbers, I, myself, can't convert them. Sorry. But here they are:

in 3e gear mesurement till 6000 rpm. On the rearwheels;
max.power = 252,8 hp at 5.100 rpm
max. torque = 414,1 Nm at 4.000 rpm

powerloss is a minimum at 6.000, still 215 hp

max speed in 3e gear 180 km/h

edelbrock performer heads for tpi corvette
accel superram
52mm trothle body
adjustible fuelregulator
tpis headers 1 3/4"
2,5 tri-flow system
no cats

In a few weeks a get my DTA computer, roller rockers and the muffler.

I wil inform you.

John
 
I dont know if this will help your problem. Some people who get an extreme amount of resonance can reduce it by installing a crossover pipe as close to the mufflers as possible without blocking access to the spare tire. This has helped othere reduce the resonance. Any good muffler shop should be able to weld in a crossover.
Hope that helps??
 
Ken,

at first a bought the LPE headers, but they did not have a good pair, only two leftsides. So I bought the TPIS 1 3/4 headers. They were 750 $ and come with the Y-pipe. They did not fit so well, I had to drill out the holes for the mountingbolts and the the tubes are to big for the bolts so I hade to use a hammer to make so enough space for the bolts.

I a lot further right now, there was a exhaustclamp who was turned, so it came at the body, also do the muffelers came at the bodyrearpanel. Now a only have to make a new exhaustclamp in the middele and than it's everything okay.

A also had my car on the dyno and it had a little less fuel from 0 till 2000 rpm.


John.
 
I know it is a long shot....

but have you double checked the exhaust for rubbing? My exhaust was rubbing in a couple places, and that made the resonating go off the scale, and gave some headaches. Just a thought.

I have a 3" system, so there is less room down there.
-Mike
 
johnny said:
at first a bought the LPE headers, but they did not have a good pair, only two leftsides. So I bought the TPIS 1 3/4 headers. They were 750 $ and come with the Y-pipe. They did not fit so well, I had to drill out the holes for the mountingbolts and the the tubes are to big for the bolts so I hade to use a hammer to make so enough space for the bolts.

John.


John,

I have never installed a set of small block chevy headers that did not need some kind of "tuning" with a hammer around the bolting flange to get them on. This is the one down side to getting headers that have already been plated or coated in shinny or protective material as some of it may get smashed off during the install.

I usually have to not only hammer in one of the inside curves of the pipe next to the flange, but also modify at least one mounting bolt to a shorter length and smaller diameter on the head. Plus, it takes at least one ground down thin wall socket to get to a couple of the bolts. The real trick is to put the bolts in the holes with the header back away from the head, push the gasket on over the bolt threads. Now, if you tilt the header up to the head and one by one start the bolts a thread or two each at a time, they will all eventually pull it up together. This is all trickey with aluminum heads because you sure don't want to bind it up and strip out a thread.

You mentioned you lost fuel at the 2,000 RPM level. Are you saying it lost some horse power at 2,000 or less? If so, that can be pretty typical as the real benefit of the free flowing exhaust kicks in as the RPM gets higher.

The last set of headers I put on a small block chevy were on the 1936 Ford with the 1995 style LT1 engine. They were shorty headers and had a beautiful ceramic coating. They rubbed the motor mount and frame bad. So, a little torch, a little hammer, a little torch and more hammer and they finally fit.


Can you scan the entire Dyno test and post it here? I love looking at those things.


Chris
 
Thanks guys,

I will go for the bigger engine this summer, so I wanted the bigger tubes.

I have given my dynotest away, because they are all stored at the computer at the dynotestbech. When I have a new one I will scan it.

John.
 
tpis 1 3/4" headers

I have a 1986 Corvette, I want to bump up the HP and am interested in the TPIS headers, from reading the forum. Can anyone give me advice on Headers purchase? Where can I find these TPIS headers? Should I, can I also install Dynomax mufflers with the headers? Thanks for advice!
 
This is a old post. But I can tell you what I know. If you use a 350 Cid, you should buy 1 5/8" headers, if you build yourself a bigger engine, you should buy 1 3/4". I had the aluminum coated headers, but after 2 years they oxidited too :(. I think you do not know, but I crashed my 1986 vette :( My first choice where the Lingenfelter headers, but those days they could not deliver them.

For a few week a go a had seen the new stainless steel headers from LPE, awsome!! You should buy those, very very good.
 
I have the stock motor so I assume thats what you mean by 350 Cid. That sucks that you crashed you 86, I guess that means one less out on the street. I am planning on sticking with the stock engine for now. So your telling me stainless steel headers from LPE 1 5/8" ? Do you have a link?


Thanks for the response. Yea this is a old post.
 

Corvette Forums

Not a member of the Corvette Action Center?  Join now!  It's free!

Help support the Corvette Action Center!

Supporting Vendors

Dealers:

MacMulkin Chevrolet - The Second Largest Corvette Dealer in the Country!

Advertise with the Corvette Action Center!

Double Your Chances!

Our Partners

Back
Top Bottom