My brother has a 2007 4.0 v6 with an AEM brute force CAI, FRPP ford racing x pipe and gta axelbacks, predator tune, 8mm high performance ignition wires. What type of headers would be best for performance? He has looked at pypes, bbk, jba... but can't decide which would be the best for the money.

 

I would go JBA.

 

Best performance are long tubes hands down if you can get them legally. I have them on my vette but they aren't legal hehehe.

You will see minimal gains with shorties and for the price there are a ton of better mods you can do. Only really benefit you if you go with some type of F/I. I had JBA shorties on my 4.0 and the performance didn't out weigh the costs. I even had a vortech on her and didn't see the gains I was expecting.

So I would go with mac longtubes or any other longtubes.

 

How much of a horsepower difference would you see for the long tubes over the shorty headers? The long tubes are a bit more expensive, would it still be worth it? Also, do the long tubes replace the down pipe or will that need to be cut?

 

I am not sure about the down pipe but I know you will probably either have to relocate or remove the cats. I don't have cats on mine. I am not sure about long tubes on a 4.0 because I had shorties but the difference in my vette was about 30rwhp so I am guessin for a 4.0 it will be around 14-20 for long tubes and for the shorties it was like 5-10hp.

Not sure if either would be persay worth it but the long tubes will net you better gains for the money imo.

A negative for the LTs is you must tune them.
Shorties don't need to be tuned. But if you want to get the most out of either a tune is a must.

I dunno someone might here might give you some more accurate numbers.

 

stock manifold are already a tubular shorty style, so they will be minimal, on my 02 i knocked a full second and gained 4 mph in my trap speed by putting LTs on, yes you need to replace the mid pipe with a shorty style one, i had an Off road Mid pipe and had a local shop weld High flow cats into it.

i have MAC LTs and mid pipe on my car, and i hit the headers with a coat of high temp duplicolor? header paint

 

Chad, checkout Stainless Works long tube setups and dual exhaust for your stang. Expensive but very worth it. I just finished putting a setup on my 07. Jack

 

The stock headers flow surprisingly well so throwing on some aftermarket shorties will probably not get you what you want performance wise.

Jwilhelm: You got a sound clip with them longtubes on? I'm anxious to hear what that sounds like

 

+1 man i saw your post a while back and those looked fresh and do, and probably sound beast
please post a sound clip, that looks like a potential candidate for updated exhaust

 

Long tube headers WITHOUT cats do not sound good IMO on the 4.0L engine. If you are deadset about installing headers, try to get them to work with cats (stock or hi-flo aftermarket).

And Jack, will you PLEASE take that silver-sleeper of yours to the track for some ET's? :-)