brett06

I have an 06 GT. I just wanted to know what you all thought about what I would like to do to it next.

I have a K&N CAI and I was told by someone at Brenspeed to just buy the SCT II tuner and forget about buying the C&L Intake package.

I would like to install the Stage 3 Comp Cams. I heard the stock lifters were fine.

Now here are a fewthings im not too sure about. I would like to put JBA long tube headers in. What size? They offer a 3" collector now. Do I go with Stainless steel? Will those eliminate my Cats? Also, would I need to swap my mid pipes out? I'm looking for the most HP gain I can get out of my headers.

Now gears. 3.73's or 4.10's? Just wondering how much of a difference the driving will be, especially with the new cams.

thanks for the help.

CrazyAl

The C&L intake is better than the K&N, but not by enough to warrant replacing it. I'd agree with Brenspeed and go ahead and keep it.

The stock lifters are fine for the cams, which is a good thing becasue the aftermarket ones are over $100 EACH.

As for the cams, if you want to upgrade them, be prepared to spend some serious $$$. The cam install is 12-15 hours. Also, you need to have a lot of parts for the cams to be worthwhile. Remember that Brenspeed saw 37 HP only AFTER they installed a C&L Racer CAI, and a larger throttle body...and that was on a car which already had longtubes and a CAI to start with!

As for the headers, you definatley want long tubes. The collector diameter isn't really important. Your headers will come with a new midpipe (typically an X-pipe) which bolts right up to your factory pipes. You need to have both the headers and the midpipe from the same company. You can't mix-and-match. If you get new headers you must get a new midpipe. They might or might not eliminate your cats. Usually you have a choice of buying an off-road version (no cats) or a catted version. Your choice.

As for stainless steel, that's your choice too. The cheapest headers are plain steel, such as the Hookers. These will rust faster than scrap iron left outside. JBA uses 409 stainless, which is a cheap grade of stainless. It will rust, but not that bad. The best headers are made of 304 stainless. The best brands who use this are American Racing, Kooks, and Dynatech. These are all better than the JBAs, but it all comes down to how much you want to spend.

As for the gears, if you have an auto I'd get the 3.73s. If you have a manual, get the 4.10s.

Kaldar142

hey crazy al, why do you say you must get a new midpipe and you can't mix and match?

CrazyAl

With longtubes, the parts don't fit. In other words, different makers of longtubes all have slightly different dimensions--nothing is standardized. The junction between the header collector and the midpipe might be further forward or further back in the chassis. They are also different widths apart, and different heights above or below the frame. And finally, the different brands use different methods of joining the header to the midpipe--different diameters of fittings, different bolt patterns, and so on. So, if you buy Kooks LT headers but a Bassaini midpipe, they just won't fit together because the two different brands use different dimensions of parts. The only thing that is "standard" with longtubes is the flanges where the headers bolt to the engine, and the location of the midpipe OUTLET, where it bolts to your overaxle pipes. Everything in the middle will vary from brand to brand.

So, if you get Kooks longtubes, you need a Kooks midpipe. If you have JBA longtubes, you need a JBA midpipe, etc.

Of course things can be MADE to fit if you have a sufficiently skilled fabricator, but what's the point. You certainly aren't saving any money by going that route.


Note that in the world of the STOCK type exhaust you can mix and match shorties/manifolds and stock-style midpipes, becasuse this also standardizes the fitting were the manifolds meet the midpipe. But this is totally differentthan a longtube setup. (And a stock-style midpipe is a totally different shape than a longtube midpipe).

Kaldar142

well see the hooker LTs i got have the slip on design for 2.5" which is what the stock exhaust is, so i figured i would jsut fabricate something to fit (and i'm a pretty good fabricater in my opinion, i had to fabricate alot of stuff for my 240sx)

CrazyAl

There you go...the Hookers are slip-fit, the ARH use a bolt-on flange, the Dynatechs use a conical gasket, etc.... you can see that these aren't interchangeable.

You could make your own X-pipe or H-pipeif you access to bending equipment,some pipe, O2 sensor bungs,and a welder. Given the right tools, it shouldn't be difficult, assuming you can weld. Personally I'd just buy the Hooker midpipe...a lot less hassle, and it's not very expensive.

Kaldar142

well im gonna see how things look once i get the LTs on and go from there, i know a couple of other people who did exactly what i want to do.

plus i want an h-pipe lol