V6 mustang headers?

I know there are those that know for sure. But everything I have read and heard aftermarket headers are not going to gain you much, if anything. The stock ones are pretty good.

V6WBlue05 said:

I know there are those that know for sure. But everything I have read and heard aftermarket headers are not going to gain you much, if anything. The stock ones are pretty good.

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+1 correct. However considering the original posters ? - I will vote for the JBA, so long as the exhaust has been modified to compensate for the mid-upper RPM range sound which naturally occurs during the exhaust stroke. In other words, with the design of the original exhaust system we do not hear the inherent mid-high range sound amplification of the exhaust stroke. When we add headers to this 4.0L we free up these inherent sounds. If you go with headers, you will want to look at an exhaust system with a muffler design that shields mid-high range tones and pulls in a deeper sound or "drone". If not, you may end out with a Mustang that sounds like an Acura Integra with a deep sounding fart pipe.

JBA has made headers for years and in my modest opinion makes good quality equal length ceramic headers with well fit gaskets. Gasket warping is nearly unheard of so long as the installation if quality.

Yeppers. Just expect a reasonable gain to be 18-20 HP. That will sound sweet. If you end out doing this, make sure you post a sound clip in the exhaust thread.

Jenns01TA said:

+1 correct. However considering the original posters ? - I will vote for the JBA, so long as the exhaust has been modified to compensate for the mid-upper RPM range sound which naturally occurs during the exhaust stroke. In other words, with the design of the original exhaust system we do not hear the inherent mid-high range sound amplification of the exhaust stroke. When we add headers to this 4.0L we free up these inherent sounds. If you go with headers, you will want to look at an exhaust system with a muffler design that shields mid-high range tones and pulls in a deeper sound or "drone". If not, you may end out with a Mustang that sounds like an Acura Integra with a deep sounding fart pipe.

JBA has made headers for years and in my modest opinion makes good quality equal length ceramic headers with well fit gaskets. Gasket warping is nearly unheard of so long as the installation if quality.

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So that's why my car sounds like crap at 3000 RPM without cats... hmmm...

scrming said:

So that's why my car sounds like crap at 3000 RPM without cats... hmmm...

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Hey John. How does your six sound? Been a while my friend. Nice to see you around. Still have love for ya' my Brother, irregardless.

Do you have any advice for this gentlman? We can all use good advice from a trusted member!!

Jenn, I would imagine that JBAs axle-back exhaust would sound good with their own headers. Or is that too much to ask for?

Jenns01TA said:

Hey John. How does your six sound? Been a while my friend. Nice to see you around. Still have love for ya' my Brother, irregardless.

Do you have any advice for this gentlman? We can all use good advice from a trusted member!!

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well... without the cats, my car sound incredible at startup, idle and cruising at 2500 RPM... but if I get on it, it sounds good until about 3000 RPM... then the sound turns to this absolutely NASTY RASPY BUZZ!! The only way I've found to eliminate the nasty buzz was to put the stock V6 muffler back on.. and that of course is like putting a cork in your tail pipe! LOL! It looks like it's time to put some cats back in...

My writeup and video clips of my latest exhaust adventure (converting to duals) is here: http://www.v6john.com/Main/Performance/MRT_Muffler/new_muffler.htm

Now back on the subject of headers... added headers will change the tone... i believe it makes the sound a bit deeper and louder... Performance gain from going to headers is propably in the 7 RWHP range... so not a lot of HP for the $$$... Paul's High Performance did a complete JBA system, headers, h-pipe and mufflers and picked up 17RWHP... 10 of which is just going to be the mufflers... Does sound good though... Just don't remove your cats... LOL!

I have not seen the Steedas... but I've heard of no problems with the JBAs... as matter of fact I've been thinking about a set of JBA's myself... the manifolds on the Mistress are still stock... and I just can have that! LOL!

Bottom line... you should get a better sound... a bit of a performance gain and no other problems... you just have to decide if it's worth the $$$... personally i would go with JBA...

sleeperstang06 said:

So i put in my C&L cold air intake kit and Diablo sport tuner last week now i'm wanting even more power and can't wait. i was leaning towards the JBA shorty headers but now i see Steeda has a set out too. what ones do you guys suggest? for power, sound, and reliablility?

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for the stock manifold and the stock heads, headers won't give you much, if anything unless you've supercharged or turbocharged it. They may sound a little different. But until you can increase the amount of air flow through the heads, getting it out will not bring any benefit. Most of the Mustang guru's say they aren't swapping out the stock cast iron exhaust, it does work very well. I would suggest a good set of locking header bolts if you do decide to go forward with headers. Nothing worse than having to re-torque header bolts every month. Or worse yet having an exhaust leak.

glewis - You are correct. The JBA system with the headers would be the optimal set-up (as John has discovered so long as the catalytic converters remain in place ). But, sleeper has indicated he is pinched at the pocket and his GT designed muffler and cat-back system/pipe size should decrease the rasp/buzz and increase the deeper tones.

Unfortunatley, Ford signed onto the sound engineering/psychoacoustics bandwagon about a decade ago. In this they started to use customized sound quality software to design an engine and exhaust system on a computer as a cohesive unit before they ever build it.

Now, throw in a couple dozen after market companys competing for our business that have little thought put into the truncation or addition of a cohesive component, like a header or a muffler, and you have havoc.

As long winded and nerdy as the post below was in August 2006, it stands as a benchmark to my continual harping on people to design a complete aftermarket exhaust system in lieu of ad hoc modification. Most of us (myself included) do not have the cash to outlay on an entire system, but in the end it will pay off.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showpost.php?p=6383859&postcount=2

John - I read the website blog last night. You have done a lot to Mistress. Since we do not drive around town in the mid-range band, I am sure some of the sound amplifications and rasp was something that was not noticible to many, except you and a few other Stangers. Most other folks probably just thought - That's Badazs!

It's nice to see the work you have done on the 6. You, Afixer and Rygen are always at the top of my list for props on your progressive modifications. My hat off to all you fellas! Keep modifying and always fight the good fight. I miss some of the other old-timers.

As for the material - I am a tech nerd/engineering fruit cake. I could write a novel. Instead, I will simply link this article up and say - If not ceramic coated - go with a high grade (at least the 409) stainless steel for performance. Chrome plating is for show.

http://66.223.106.208/TechArticles/Stainless_article/stainless_article.html

Jenns01TA said:

John - I read the website blog last night. You have done a lot to Mistress. Since we do not drive around town in the mid-range band, I am sure some of the sound amplifications and rasp was something that was not noticible to many, except you and a few other Stangers. Most other folks probably just thought - That's Badazs!

It's nice to see the work you have done on the 6. You, Afixer and Rygen are always at the top of my list for props on your progressive modifications. My hat off to all you fellas! Keep modifying and always fight the good fight. I miss some of the other old-timers.

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you are absolutely correct... around town, even with a spirited bit of driving the car shifts at about 2900...

thanks for taking the time to read up on my website... I'm in the middle of my latest mod... Project Can Opener!!! Cutting out the roof and having CDC put in their Glassback! Pick the Mistress up tomorrow!!

But yes, eventually i'll put some high flow cats back in... and will probably due some JBA shorties... LOL

JBA coated headers are definately the way to go I have a friend of mine that just picked some up for his 06

sleeperstang06 said:

alright so i got the JBA headers and JBA ignition wires installed on friday just in time for the big mustang cruise in my city . they broke in great and sound amazing. really made the car deeper espeshally in the higher RPM's i'll get a sound clip up sometime this week. thanks for the great advice everyone

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Good Deal, sleeper. Delighted to hear the setup worked to your expectations.

(my compliments to your advanced thought and research before executing the plan. Nice Job!!!)

nice to hear it made it sound better. a plan on getting jba headers in the next couple months. i know they dont add much power but i want the sound. so im gonna get them and a real x pipe.