header help

[Sublime782]

Hey all, I was wondering how good the stock headers in a 99+ V6 are compared to toerh after market headers? Shorites? LT's? With these mods, what would the pro's and con's be with both SHorties and LT's be and would either be work it? What performance gains would I see and would I have to modify my current exhaust setup or would the factory Y pipe still bolt up to new headers?

Current mods: Magnaflow exhaust setuo(bolts up to the factory Y pipe), 3.73 gears and an auburn posi unit for the 7.5 rear-end, Ebay CAI, short throw shifter.

Also, I'm currently throwing the idea around about getting an intake, heads, and cam package...would new headers (either shorty or LT's) help this setup if I went down that path? How much would either style of headers work with my current set-up??? Would I lose any power with my current set-up if I purchased new headers of either style?

[slvr2000stang]

Right now they are not a restriction, but when you advance to the "intake, heads, and cam package" then you need to consider making a change.

[Danger Dude]

If you decised on headers and you are not going to supercharge I would suggest getting 96-98 stock headers. They can be found for cheap on the forums, Ebay or at a local salvage yard. The shorty and the stock 96-98 are about the same and flow much better than the 99+ stock manifold. But as slvr2000stang said on a stock engine it is kind of a waste

[I_luv_HP&trq]

yea what they said....but if you do get the LT's they don't just bolt up perfectly with no hassle. and you'd need to get an extension for the o2 sensors if u didn't already know. From a test i've seen the LT's were good for a few HP up in the 4000 RPM range. but again that was info i read in a magazine so i don't know how accurate it was...

[Sublime782]

What If I got a cam/head/intake package? Would LT's help me out then??? Would I be able to keep my Y pip dual exhaust, or would I need to get a new mid pipe?

[slvr2000stang]

You will want to remove the Y-pipe. It will be a restriction.

[I_luv_HP&trq]

your stock headers are suppose to be able to hold up to 300 HP. I don't know this for a fact but i research stuff like this all the time... If you want to supercharge later on down the road i would go with the LT's to help that exhaust escape. If for intake you got P&P heads and intakes then i would go with the shorties to get all that low end hp and trq. It won't be much but it's something.

But don't feel like it's necessary to get new headers right away. If i were you i and you got the P&P heads/intake i would save up for suspension and put the headers off for a while. You'll feel the difference from either type of headers more, after you get your intake package then you would if it were stock.