Should I Change to longtubes?

Rynb15 · Mar 1, 2006

My 5.0 came with shorty headers when i bought it. They seem to be in ok condition but the just dont look like to good of a design. The guy who sold it to me said they were flowmaster brand headers. I was just wondering if it would be worth it to change it over to longtubes. But if it would only be a few more hp i dont think it would be worth it. Should i just throw a off road h pipe on the shortys and call it a day?

IntenseBlue · Mar 1, 2006

They're probably stock. I'm pretty sure Flowmaster doesn't do mufflers. Do you have any way of posting a pic?

Rynb15 · Mar 1, 2006

ill try to get a pic later, but this is what they look like
http://www.1aautomotive.com/pics/plp/PLP1390118.jpg

NRM90GT · Mar 1, 2006

longtubes are well worth the xtra cost, might not gain as much hp, the the torque is awesome, IMHO

Mavrick · Mar 1, 2006

IntenseBlue said:
I'm pretty sure Flowmaster doesn't do mufflers.

This is backwards.. they DO make mufflers, but i've never heard of them making headers.

The headers in the above picture are stock headers. Going to longtubes is a bit of a job, but well worth the work.

bill302 · Mar 1, 2006

Rynb15 said:
ill try to get a pic later, but this is what they look like
http://www.1aautomotive.com/pics/plp/PLP1390118.jpg

the headers in the link are factory installed headers, i have a 95GT and i love my shorty headers and there very easy to install....and i believe a x-pipe is the way to go...

luckythirteen13 · Mar 1, 2006

thats the stock exhaust manifold you have pictured. you can tell by the pinched bends instead of smooth bends. long tubes would make a huge difference. even shorties will make a big difference compared to the stock ones

Mavrick · Mar 1, 2006

luckythirteen13 said:
even shorties will make a big difference compared to the stock ones

I wouldn't get my hopes up on a relatively stock motor.

5spd GT · Mar 1, 2006

Those due appear to be stockers. Now my Mac's had "pinches" and so do my BBK longtubes. They have "pinches".

Longtubes create less ground clearance, possible starter heatsoak problems, harder to work around (clutch installs for one). More expensive. The inability to use your stock h pipe. Less emissions legally possible, which is crucial to states that give smog checks. Steering clearance problems. Harder to install for sure, usually requiring the engine to be lifted or tilted. Clutch cables are more likely to be weakened by exhaust heat. 02 extensions are possibly needed. I have heard of more interior heat...

Or shorties without these problems for about $400 dollars cheaper. Or you can spend $400 dollars more (if not more) to go .05 tenths faster at the drag strip. It's all in what you want and what you willing to give up.

I am getting longtubes by the way...almost on. I have different reasons for that. My old shorties were rusty and my offroad H pipe had a big dent in it...so I figured I would replace it.

Midrange is the only real longtube advantage. It looks better on paper than it shows at the track from what I have seen. The upper rpm range is very very similar in longtube vs. shorty comparisons.

Shorty's usually make it louder compared to longtubes of the same primary diameter.

IntenseBlue · Mar 2, 2006

Mavrick, I meant to say Flowmaster doesn't make headers.

Rynb15, those are 100% factory. You'll pick up about 8hp at the flywheel on a stock motor with aftermarket shortys and probably the same with longtubes, but you'll get more torque with the l/t's.

5speedGT, were your Mac and BBK tubes dented and crimped like stock 5.0 headers?

vikingpower · Mar 2, 2006

Get the long tubes, they are worth the extra $$ and installation time

BaXTeR3221 · Mar 2, 2006

Agreed, i went from stock to longtubes last year, made a nice different. Install isn't easy, but there are a lot of things harder to do.

lxwants12's · Mar 2, 2006

i have had the bbk shorties for a while and then went to longtubes,nice difference in torque,lot more labor involved..if you plan on doin heads and cam later might as well go with the 1 3/4...i made the mistake of 1 5/8

1SLO306 · Mar 2, 2006

the LT's will net u even nicer low end torque.

Curse · Mar 2, 2006

I wish I would have gone LTs, now I will have to do the same mod twice.

ninety15.0 · Mar 2, 2006

Definately get rid of the stockers, and go with longtubes. BBK has their basic set that can be had for fairly short money, but remember you must buy a short h pipe and possibly O2 extensions with the new setup. Hp and Tq difference will be very noticable with a good setup.

5spd GT · Mar 2, 2006

Longtubes don't help that much guys...over shorties that is. Over stock, yes they can help.

thegabrielles · Mar 2, 2006

I believe a few of you above are wrong, long tube headers do not increase torque by that much, in fact on some motors they reduce torque over shorties. Most people install longtubes with an x-pipe/ h-pipe, muffers and that combination will definitely increase HP, but not necessarily torque over shorties.

If you have a stock motor, and given the fact that you have stock headers thats probably a good assumtion, the shorties will net you greater torque/ HP gains than longtubes.

If you plan on future HP increases such as Heads, cam, intake, then go with the longtubes, but if you plan on staying with a near stock motor, go with the shorties. Get a high flow cat set up or off road pipe while you are there. THROW AWAY the stock "headers" whatever you do!!!

25thmustang · Mar 2, 2006

I gained a LOT more than .05 from my long tubes... actually gained a lot more than .5 from them... Sure it was coupled with a mid pipe change but then again I already had shorties and an aftermarket H-pipe! I also spent less than what I did on the shorties and H-pipe before!!!

thegabrielles · Mar 2, 2006

25thmustang said:
I gained a LOT more than .05 from my long tubes... actually gained a lot more than .5 from them... Sure it was coupled with a mid pipe change but then again I already had shorties and an aftermarket H-pipe! I also spent less than what I did on the shorties and H-pipe before!!!

It looks like you have a pretty quick car, its hard to believe you made up over 1/2 a second in the quarter going from shorties and a pipe to long tubes and a pipe. I could see a drastic change if it were a high HP car. But who am I to argue, as I stated before, shorties are the way to go with a virtually stock motor ( even a 300hp motor), if you are planning on more than that go ahead and jump to the long tubes, it will benifit you later.

Should I Change to longtubes?

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