Headers for a 2v 5.4 - Which ones?

[CertusExpo]

I'm comparing headers right now. There is a pretty good selection available but that also makes it more difficult to decide what to go with.

Summit Racing brand, Headman, Gibson, JBA, Flowmaster (I feel Flowmaster is kinda gimmicky), and PaceSetter are the brands I've found so far.

Does anyone have any experience? Has anyone installed headers on their 2v 5.4?

I also want to have the entire exhaust pipe replaced to a larger diameter to further allow better removal of the waste gasses.
I ran Doug Thorley's on my race truck but I haven't found that they make any for the 5.4

On the PLUS SIDE! My HiPo COPs came in today so after I post this I'm off to install

 

[Habbibie]

Wait wait hold up, I thought tanks are powered by turbine engines? You know jet engines and what's not... Tanks don't need headers... Hell you should be looking for wings, make your tank fly man, make it fly.

 

[CertusExpo]

Haha... good one Habbibie. I've actually thought about having an exo-cage built. In case of the worst-case scenario accident and she rolls. My occupants and myself just walk away without injury.
As far as flying goes. I'd like to have some custom upper/lower extended length control arms fabricated to give her long-travel suspension. I think that 18" in the front and 12 in the rear should do.

The HiPo COPs are in. She's running better. Acceleration is improved. We'll see what the Torque app has to say and the MPG/Trip gains for this first tank of gas are.

Hopefully, I'll be back up to the 14MPG level again. This 10.4 shit has gotta go.

If these HiPo COPs don't work out, I'm stepping up to the WeaponX COPs.

 

[Habbibie]

Haha alright bro don't take the joke seriously but it's all in good humor. Be honest with you cleaning the injectors (direct injection cleaning not through the gas tank or vacuum line) and replacing cats give back the highest MPG returns

Don't feel bad 10mpg is 6 more than mine currently.

 

[CertusExpo]

Don't feel bad 10mpg is 6 more than mine currently.

Your Expo is only giving 4MPG?!?

And what if I gut the Cats?

 

[1955moose]

He's getting 4 mpg because his cam tensioners are shot. His cams are advancing and retarding all over the place. Changing to the hottest coils out there are not going to do anything for mileage. As far as power gains, ignition upgrades are the smallest gains. Bore and compression increase, better flowing heads, and higher lift, longer duration cams show the biggest seat of the pants, and dyno improvements. Habbibie is right about mileage and power going away, with clogged cats, a real common problem on these vehicles.


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[Habbibie]

Your Expo is only giving 4MPG?!?

And what if I gut the Cats?

Your 02 sensors past the cats will set off an CEL

 

[ExplorerTom]

So back in my sport compact days, a trick to keeping the O2 sensor happy if the cat was removed was to use a spark plug non-fouler which spaced the sensor out of direct exhaust flow. Seemed like a long shot, but it worked.

As far as headers though, I have no clue.

 

[Habbibie]

So back in my sport compact days, a trick to keeping the O2 sensor happy if the cat was removed was to use a spark plug non-fouler which spaced the sensor out of direct exhaust flow. Seemed like a long shot, but it worked.

As far as headers though, I have no clue.

True, but gutting the cats severely reduces low end torque so if you go that route add 2 more seconds to your 0-60 time

 

[CertusExpo]

True, but gutting the cats severely reduces low end torque so if you go that route add 2 more seconds to your 0-60 time

Why? Reduces back pressure?

 

[ExplorerTom]

True, but gutting the cats severely reduces low end torque so if you go that route add 2 more seconds to your 0-60 time

Removing the cat sure seemed to uncork my old 4 cylinder.

 

[1955moose]

It's like switching from a 2 inch to a 3 inch pipe. You get more flow on the top end, but most engines need the restriction for the low to mid range power. Same thing happened on my 86 mustang 5.0l. I installed a k&N cone filter on. I gained top end, but lost my low end torque.


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[CertusExpo]

On my race truck . I compensated for that with a SuperTrapp tube muffler.

 

[1955moose]

I had just put on flow master mufflers two weeks earlier.


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