Let's see....
(1) Better Exhaust Gas Scavenging - More Power
(2) Better Flow Characteristics - More Power
(3) Tuneable (Depending on Tube Size and collector length) - More Power
where you want it
Just because they dump into a single cat instead of duals (or none at all)
doesn't mean that you'll loose a whole bunch of horsepower (if any at all -
and 5HP isn't anything noticeable anyway). There are alternatives to the
stock cats now-a-days so that myth can be put to rest. Old School "Dual
Exhaust" = Headers, Two Mufflers, Two separate pipes, and sometimes a "H"
Pipe (Balance Tube) to equal out the pressure between both sides.
Flowmaster, Borla, and Gibson all carry either a SINGLE or DUAL
configuration for most vehicles. If you look at the pipe sizes, you'll
notice that the DUAL's are (most of the time) smaller than the SINGLE. Why?
To be able to accommodate the buyer with a choice of custom exhaust systems
that both flow as good as the other. (Dual = 2" Pipes and Single = 2.5" -
3" Pipe.)
But...on a smaller engines, you DON'T want a big exhaust system because
you'll loose bottom end torque. (Which is what you need to get moving in
the first place.) Example: Stock Honda with a Header, 3" pipe, and 4"
muffler....dumb dumb dumb. Lot's of noise...but no power.
On any engine, you can tune your power band with the exhaust system.
Example:
(1) Big-Tube Long Collector Headers = Top End Horsepower
(2) Small Tube Short Collector Headers = Bottom End Torque (But still more
HP than stock)
(3) "Shorty" Headers = Better Mid/Top End Horsepower
There are a lot of different configurations that aren't listed (Tri-Y
Headers, Stepped Collectors, etc.) but they all serve a purpose: To be able
to tune your powerband where you want it.
Hope this helps you....
- Bernd
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: DML: headers-help me out here!
I was discussing the fact that I could now buy headers for my 6er with a guy
from work, and he thought you need dual exhaust with headers. I was trying
to explain that you don't want to open up the exhaust too much, and he
didn't believe me, ok, but then he stymied me by saying the headers are
there for exhaust (yeah), and what good are they if they dump back together
into the cat? I don't really know. Will someone explain this to me please?
I am ignorant.
Flip
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:19:11 EDT