full length or shorties?

montyd · Aug 28, 2006

i just bought a 100% stock 93 lx hatch. it has 55,000 miles on it and i wanna start the go fast process . i already did a strut tower bar for handleing (got it cheap from the local dealer). i want to order my headers for this weekend and i dunno if i should order long tube(full length) or the shorties. i want to run 3 inch all the way out the back and plan to do some serious engine work this winter. so if i can only buy them once it would be nice. thanks guys
dan

srothfuss · Aug 28, 2006

Long Tubes if you want to go through the trouble of installing them. They simply don't "drop in" as a shorty header would, but will make better overall power.

Bassani is the way to go.

MustangGT95 · Aug 28, 2006

I didn't notice any performance difference on my old camaro between shorties and long tubes.

You probably won't either unless you build a real powerful motor.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Aug 28, 2006

Full lengths. One of the coolest things about full lengths is that if you're like me and you get bored with your mid pipe (not sure if you want an X/H or whatever?) then you can literally swap it out without jacking the car up unless your car is slammed. My car sits on Eibach Prokit springs and i can change my X to an H from the ground just by reaching under and unbolting everything. With shorties you really need to get up under the car to do the flanges. Other than that, they do make overall better power and torque, and the more mods you have the better you'll see the gains.

montyd · Aug 28, 2006

thanks for the help guys going to order them right now. going with the long tubes. thanks alot. dan

Flavadave4 · Aug 28, 2006

srothfuss said:
Long Tubes if you want to go through the trouble of installing them. They simply don't "drop in" as a shorty header would, but will make better overall power.

Bassani is the way to go.

I dissagree a little......I have put in BBK longtubes and MAC equal length and both installs involved unbolting the motor mounts to drop the headers in.

I would recomend a single flange piece wether it you get shorties or long tubes

Speeds8erM-1 · Sep 1, 2006

3 inch exhuast? You dont need it unless you are doing some SERIOUS stuff to the car later.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 2, 2006

Speeds8erM-1 said:
3 inch exhuast? You dont need it unless you are doing some SERIOUS stuff to the car later.

I used to have 2.5 exhaust all the way to the mufflers and then i had 2 chamber Flows in 3 inch...i had the inlets tapered down to fit the 2.5 inch H i was using. You really won't lose anything noticable doing that, and it sounds pretty badass. It gives it a deeper, more hollow sound.

El_CUCUY · Sep 2, 2006

I would go will long tubes due to the fact that i have shorties and the spark plug boots get toasted just about every 4 months and thats with DEI boot covers. I had to heat up the header and beat the **** out of it so that helped the issue.

Speeds8erM-1 · Sep 2, 2006

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
I used to have 2.5 exhaust all the way to the mufflers and then i had 2 chamber Flows in 3 inch...i had the inlets tapered down to fit the 2.5 inch H i was using. You really won't lose anything noticable doing that, and it sounds pretty badass. It gives it a deeper, more hollow sound.

3 inch catback is a waste until high power but the real loss would be from a 3 inch h pipe.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 2, 2006

Speeds8erM-1 said:
3 inch catback is a waste until high power but the real loss would be from a 3 inch h pipe.

Right...as long as the headers and mid pipe are 2.5, the mufflers won't make a difference, and if they do you won't see it unless you dyno it.

5spd GT · Sep 2, 2006

Very little difference between longtubes and shorties in terms of power.

Shorties are easier to put in, they are cheaper, emission's legal, and don't have cable burning problems or ground clearance problems.

It takes me very close to the same amount of time to do the midpipe when I have had shorties and longtubes.

I have had both, no noticeable difference.

JChalfan · Sep 2, 2006

El_CUCUY said:
I would go will long tubes due to the fact that i have shorties and the spark plug boots get toasted just about every 4 months and thats with DEI boot covers. I had to heat up the header and beat the **** out of it so that helped the issue.

Do you have equal length shorties, or GT40-P heads? I have never had a problem burning boots with my shorties, except a pair of equal lengths I had a few years ago.

I'm a big fan of shorties because they're easy to install, and you don't have to buy the whole exhaust system at once if $$$ is tight. I've never put longtubes on a 5.0, but I've put them on plenty of '60's stangs and old muscle cars. They're almost always a pain in the ass.

Jeff

85_SS_302_Coupe · Sep 2, 2006

I'm not busting anyone's balls here but why does everyone make a big deal about installing full lengths? How often are you guys taking your headers off anyways? Mine have been on for 3 years, so once they're on, what's the big deal? Unbolt the motor mounts and jack the engine up some and they slip right in. The only hastle is removing the steering shaft but even that isn't a huge deal. Are you guys really screwing with your headers so much that you have to install them more than once?

gcwh02 · Sep 2, 2006

I wouldnt go equal length, i had them and its nothing but a PITA when you have to change spark plugs or you melt a wire on them. I dont think they are worth the 2-3 hp gain. Might just be me though

Dayzed50 · Sep 2, 2006

I am a fan of the shorties. Long tube headers will yield a small gain in power but I can't say their worth the extra installation hassle, ground clearance loss and wire/cable burning opportunities. If you plan on modifying your engine setup all at once then go long tube, but with all the work I constantly put into mine I'm thankful for the room and ease of shorties. Also, if you plan on going with a supercharger I'd go shorties, as the first two years w/my supercharger I went thru several head gaskets until I got the setup tuned correctly and reliable. With how many times I pulled the heads off I would have hated life removing long tubes each time. I have bbk equals and they drop right in and out as long as your smog system is removed, but yes, I do replace spark plug wires every couple years, mostly cylinder #6.

18mustangs · Sep 2, 2006

montyd said:
i just bought a 100% stock 93 lx hatch. it has 55,000 miles on it and i wanna start the go fast process . i already did a strut tower bar for handleing (got it cheap from the local dealer). i want to order my headers for this weekend and i dunno if i should order long tube(full length) or the shorties. i want to run 3 inch all the way out the back and plan to do some serious engine work this winter. so if i can only buy them once it would be nice. thanks guys
dan

I've run them both and the long tubes are the way to go my friend!
Tim

El_CUCUY · Sep 2, 2006

JChalfan said:
Do you have equal length shorties, or GT40-P heads? I have never had a problem burning boots with my shorties, except a pair of equal lengths I had a few years ago.

I'm a big fan of shorties because they're easy to install, and you don't have to buy the whole exhaust system at once if $$$ is tight. I've never put longtubes on a 5.0, but I've put them on plenty of '60's stangs and old muscle cars. They're almost always a pain in the ass.

Jeff

Yeah there equal length headers(came with the car 8 yrs ago) and the heads that i have are the world victor Jr heads

R2D2 · Sep 2, 2006

longtubes and stepped long tubes better yet.

JChalfan · Sep 3, 2006

El_CUCUY said:
Yeah there equal length headers(came with the car 8 yrs ago) and the heads that i have are the world victor Jr heads

Equal lengths are notorious for burning through plug wires. If you ever get tired of it, a set of regular shorties will fix that problem without having to go to longtubes.

Jeff

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