Has anyone here actually installed those wonderful-looking PPE headers in their SC400? If so, please share the installation details- difficulty, removing any components to facilitate, total time, fitment issues, using stock Cats or not, problems, etc., etc... TIA! (BTW- searched the exhaust upgrade "sticky" thread- very few actual details found)

 

Wouldn't it lose low end torque and power in favor of top end torque and power. I do believe there is a sticky exhaust thread with a long read on here. I do believe they touch on this from the few that have installed it, but I didn't read through the whole thing, so don't quote me on that... stock cats ain't gonna happen, although some have swapped in GS400 cats that are relocate the cats to the midpipe, if I remember correctly.. I'm sure someone else will correct me on this.

 

Tallyhoe- thanks for the reply. One thing I do know, generally speaking, is that headers can increase both H/power AND torque. It's the downstream treatment with too little backpressure and/or reversions that screw up low-end torque. I've read the whole Exhaust "Sticky" thread (whew!) and am just looking for some more recent actual DIY experiences, LOL.

 

@Brownd3max you got me looking at these headers too, lol... I've been researching power adders and options for future use..

 

You would think that, but from what I've read everyone who's bought the Figs/PPE 1UZ manifolds and deleted cats have said there's an improvement across the board, with more up top. PPE seems to have engineered a design that doesn't hurt low end and allows for more flow up top.

I think what setup people go with after the manifolds probably affects power more. Obviously if you have a Y pipe that's similar to stock, with 2 cats, you won't see the gains you'd get from a Y pipe that only has 1 cat on it. Or no cats at all. And you would want the piping after the merge to be as wide as your catback.

 

You’re not gonna lose power installing better flowing headers. Even if you installed ones with primaries too big, you’re not gonna lose power either. Just shift the powerband slightly.

the whole back pressure thing is not really 100% true. Putting a 2.5 or 3 inch exhaust won’t make you lose power, it just shifts it higher up in the rev range, most likely to an unusable part by the ECU. But you’ll still gain.