Headers

[aurilius_maximus]

Now that the semester is drawing to an end I would like to put on headers, and an off road H-Pipe/X-Pipe on my 96 Cobra. I have some questions, has anyone installed headers on the 4.6, and if so how hard is it, can I do it myself? Second, with headers should I go with an H-Pipe or an X-Pipe? Thanks

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96 Cobra, Basically stock...

[Hammer]

As far as I have been told, headers are a PITA to deal with on mod motors, and unless the engine has been at least moderately modded, the gains are minimal...

H-pipe or x-pipe is your choice.
The gains are similar:
with the x giving you a slight edge in the top end and the h giving you a slight edge in low end torque...

The sound of the system will be the biggest noticable difference. Listen to both setups and pick the one you like best!

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"The Yellowjacket"
Ricer 1: What the heck was that!?
Ricer 2: I don't know. It looked kind of like a yellow SN95 Mustang.
Ricer 1: Nah, fast SN95 Mustangs don't exist... Must have been a mirage or something...

[T_Bone]

The mod Cobra's react best to Long tube Headers. BBK makes a great LT+H-pipe combo.

From what I hear, you have to drop the K-member to install the drivers side Header, which means supporting the engine w/ a cherry picker.



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T-Bones 1997 Cobra#6342 born 6-11-97

Wht/blk, Pro 5.0,FRPP 4.56's, aluminum driveshaft, FRPP throttle body, C&L 80mm MAF, K&N, Steeda U/D pulleys, Steeda timing adjuster, Flowmasters, s/f connectors, FRPP pro springs, BBK caster/cambers.
My old 96GT

[97snakedriver]

Originally posted by aurilius_maximus:
I have some questions, has anyone installed headers on the 4.6, and if so how hard is it, can I do it myself?

Yes. And its a "religious experience", although you will feel much more in tune with your car when your done. You'll need two jack stands, a good jack , the usuall suspects of hand tools (nothing exotic, just the sockets, extentions and what not), three cases of beer, several days worth of food, and no where to go and nothing to do, IE the American Dream.

But with the stock cats headers make very little difference, but with a descent set of cats or no cats at all, headers do make a worthwhile difference, and a very much so after other modifications especially with forced induction.

There are a couple of big questions:

1. Are you planning on going further then just the bolt ons?

If so, gotta do the headers sometime!

2. What are emissions like in your location? CA? Bad...

JBA and FRPP headers will fit the stock H-pipe and are CARB legal. BBK long tubes are not. If you anwsered question 1 "yes" but need to have the car pass stritch emissions tests then no biggy the stock H-pipe will bolt right up and is no big deal to install.

If not then the BBK long tubes will make more of a gain and believe it or not, aren't much harder to install.

3. But seeing that you are in CA, I would just get a good H or X pipe (see Hammer's post) and do the work yourself for a good gain. Its not hard, and you can just swap it out every two years for emissions. This would be the best cost/(gain + head ache) option.

[aurilius_maximus]

Thanks for the reply's... Anyone know what kind of horsepower increase there will be with shorty headers and an H-Pipe? Thanks...