i want to get some long tube headers and an offroad x pipe but someboy told me that it would actually take power away from my car i have the upper n lower typhoon intake, cold air intake, pulleys, flowmasters, throttlebody and i think thats it. will it help or hurt?
The off road X pipe will help if you are running a stock cat pipe. I don't think the long tubes will help. They would be better suited for a better flowing head / larger cam combo. Some equal length shorties would be better with a stock head 302.
Long tube headers have four problems
1.) They are harder to install than shorty headers and some long tubes will rub against the steering shaft.
2.) You will need a new H pipe since the long tubes place the collector flange farther back from the front of the car.
3.) Some long tube headers will not fit in AOD (auto trans) cars.
4.) The O2 sensors may not work as well because they are farther away from the exhaust valves . The O2 sensors don't get as hot as they should for best sensor accuracy. Because they don't work as good, gas mileage may decrease.
Other than that, they are a good thing for most cars. You will get a boost in mid RPM range power, but no more power at max RPM than shorty headers.
I like FMS stainless steel shorty headers because they don't have any of the above problems.
You cant go wrong with the unequal length (shorty) headers, the equals can burn up the plug wires and they are harder to install.
A lot of people like the BBK headers, they have the one peice flange thats less likely to warp, but if you have the money get the FMS stainless shortys.
Another negitive to allot of the main brand name long tube headers is ground clearance.. allot of them hang real low and tend to make contact especially on lowered cars and on a stock motor looking at the initial price of the long tubes plus the more trouble they are to install against the shorty headers i'd go shorty. It's not worth what little gains if any you would see and i'd go unequal lenghts because the equal lenghts don't give you any more power and make plug changes allot more stressful
Whoever told you that long tubes will take power from your car should be kicked in the head... Hard. Performance wise, LTs can only help your car. Make sure to match the system with a quality 2.5" mid-pipe (X or H, I prefer X) and some 2.5" tails with quality chambered mufflers (Flowmaster, Bassani, Magnaflow, etc). Spend the extra green on stainless ceramic coated headers, as cheap chrome or painted ones tend to chip, peel and rust.
I have BBK longtube headers and all u got to do is take the two motor mount nuts off and jack up the motor . Buy the matching mid pipe H or X its your choice and you do need 02 extenders BBk sells them . I got chrome but wish i got ceramic they turned blue soon as i started it !!!!