Are shorties worth it?

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

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Texas City TX

Mar 2, 2009

#1

• Mar 2, 2009

• #1

Hey guys, I have been out of the 5.0 world for a while now since selling my old 91gt and buying my 99. My question is are shorties worth much on the 5.0's? I know on the modular motors they aren't worth much of a gain, so what kind of gains can i expect with a pair of shorties on my otherwise stock 94 with say an o/r mid-pipe and catback?

 

KamiKaziDK

Member

May 16, 2005

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Mesa, Az

Mar 2, 2009

#2

• Mar 2, 2009

• #2

Not much gain on a stock car, biggest gain will be from o/r X or H pipe...as far as exhaust is concerned at least

 

Mustank

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Sep 11, 2001

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Germany

Mar 2, 2009

#3

• Mar 2, 2009

• #3

deftsound said:

Hey guys, I have been out of the 5.0 world for a while now since selling my old 91gt and buying my 99. My question is are shorties worth it on these motors? I know on the modular motors they arent so what kind of gains can i expect with a pair of shortioes?

Click to expand...

It depends on what else you've done to your car. I wouldn't suggest it as a first mod - they won't really make that much of a difference on their own (other than sound)...but if you also plan on doing the rest of your exhaust and a new intake manifold/throttle body/mass air meter, it will be worth it.

You may also want to consider long tubes instead....shorties are normally better suited to high RPM power and long tubes are more suited for low RPM power.

So, unless you plan on changing your heads and cam also, you'd probably be better off with long tubes....but you can't buy those without also buying a new h-pipe and O2 sensor extensions....

I think the biggest bottleneck on a stock 5.0 is the heads themselves...once you upgrade those, the headers will make a much bigger difference.

Isn't modding fun? lol

Anybody have $20k lying around that they don't need?

 

bubba-dough

Active Member

Dec 28, 2004

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Indiana

Mar 2, 2009

#4

• Mar 2, 2009

• #4

Yesterday was a rerun of Horsepower TV and they did a bunch of bolt ons to a bone stock 5.0 notch. When full exhaust was added (BBK equal length shorty headers, BBK x-pipe, Flowmaster Amercan Thunder Catback) it netted 14 rwhp.

Mustank said:

Isn't modding fun? lol
Anybody have $20k lying around that they don't need?

Click to expand...

Yes I do. Look in my sig for what I am gonna do with it.

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

945

1

39

Texas City TX

Mar 2, 2009

#5

• Mar 2, 2009

• #5

Hmm well the way i figure it, if im going to do headers i mine-as well go all the way and go with long-tubes...plus longtubes sound better....

Thanks for the advice guys!

 

foxmustangman

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Jun 20, 2007

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Idaho

Mar 2, 2009

#6

• Mar 2, 2009

• #6

I personally think they're worth it if you go equal length shorties. Of course thats just my opinion.

 

matador91

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Feb 1, 2007

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Bothell

Mar 2, 2009

#7

• Mar 2, 2009

• #7

Has anyone heard of the Bassini Big Tube Shorty Headers. http://www.andersonfordmotorsport.com/

 

fiveohwblow

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Jul 21, 2005

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#8

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I may be reading this wrong, but is it on a 99 or a 94 GT?? If its on the 99 I wouldnt suggest it. Changing the headers on a 99+ car is a real PITA compared to our 5.0's and dont generally net gains worthy of the work put in. Just my .02

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

945

1

39

Texas City TX

Mar 2, 2009

#9

• Mar 2, 2009

• #9

fiveohwblow said:

I may be reading this wrong, but is it on a 99 or a 94 GT?? If its on the 99 I wouldnt suggest it. Changing the headers on a 99+ car is a real PITA compared to our 5.0's and dont generally net gains worthy of the work put in. Just my .02

Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion, I was asking about my 94 5.0 not the 99...

 

mob

the guy who hits on his mom

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Oct 3, 2003

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Mar 2, 2009

#10

• Mar 2, 2009

• #10

They may make a small gain but nothing noticble, only reason I got headers was cause I needed them for my pheads. Other than that Id still be using stock ones because I would have spent the money else where. I'd go with longtubes but you still probably wont notice much, maybe some low end torque if you even feel it. If you are building a motor though, say you have decent HCI, and stock headers I would say finish the job and get a full exhaust, other wise I wouldnt spend the money there for a bolt on.

 

kpack5982

Yeah, it was pretty stiff, but eventually a buddy

Jul 13, 2005

325

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Granger, IA

Mar 2, 2009

#11

• Mar 2, 2009

• #11

i'd definitely put the money elsewhere, but if you're set on headers, they definitely chance the exhaust note, but don't do much else on a fairly stock engine. Go with a single flange type if you do go that route tho.

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

945

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39

Texas City TX

Mar 2, 2009

#12

• Mar 2, 2009

• #12

Cool thanks guys...hmm i guess an or/x pipe and a catback are in store first...maybe 3.73's and an intake...:SNSign:

 

RUNINAGT

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Oct 3, 2005

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CHARLESTON S.C.

Mar 2, 2009

#13

• Mar 2, 2009

• #13

I noticed a difference with mine, both noise and performance. Maybe just because it was louder it felt faster????? IDK But I did notice a difference and like it.

 

ShortThrow50

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Oct 22, 2006

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Mar 2, 2009

#14

• Mar 2, 2009

• #14

deftsound said:

Cool thanks guys...hmm i guess an or/x pipe and a catback are in store first...maybe 3.73's and an intake...:SNSign:

Click to expand...

Hey man, how much did your supercharger cost

 

S

Sicarius428

Active Member

Jan 6, 2004

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Mar 2, 2009

#15

• Mar 2, 2009

• #15

Your best bet for a close to stock motor would to change out the H pipe and ditch the 4 cat system for an off road or high flow cat system. The stock headers should flow fairly well to almost 300 fwhp.
Kevin

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

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39

Texas City TX

Mar 3, 2009

#16

• Mar 3, 2009

• #16

Sicarius428 said:

Your best bet for a close to stock motor would to change out the H pipe and ditch the 4 cat system for an off road or high flow cat system. The stock headers should flow fairly well to almost 300 fwhp.
Kevin

Click to expand...

hmm strange, mine only has 2 cats...and i could swear its a stock mid-pipe...

 

bubba-dough

Active Member

Dec 28, 2004

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Mar 3, 2009

#17

• Mar 3, 2009

• #17

It has either been hacked up or its not stock then. The aftermarket street legal high flow h-pipes have 2 cats.

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

945

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39

Texas City TX

Mar 3, 2009

#18

• Mar 3, 2009

• #18

bubba-dough said:

It has either been hacked up or its not stock then. The aftermarket street legal high flow h-pipes have 2 cats.

Click to expand...

Hmm ill have to take a second look at it when i get back from being offshore...It looked like stock piping but i guess i could be wrong...It did seem kinda loud to me with just weld in maglaflows...

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

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39

Texas City TX

Mar 3, 2009

#19

• Mar 3, 2009

• #19

ShortThrow50 said:

Hey man, how much did your supercharger cost

Click to expand...

haha too damn much!

 

93tealstang

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Jan 24, 2002

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Mar 4, 2009

#20

• Mar 4, 2009

• #20

If I could do it over again, I wouldn't have swapped out stockers for shorty headers. As stated, the stockers will support up to 300 hp. Besides making the exhaust louder, they will basically do nothing for a fairly stock motor. They may even cost you some power in the low end. I know I felt a big difference when switching, and it wasn't for the better. Low end seemed to really drop off.