Cam or headers?

[joey0480]

Up in the air right now. I have the ADM race intake and the borla s axlebacks for a tad change in sound.

Got my price on getting the LT headers, midpipe, and tune done.

Other option I was considering was the VVT cam and maybe some hi flow cats and possibly shorty headers, but not sure what the cost would be on them.

Always so much to read on here with so many options.

After this I would focus on suspension of the car.

[05mbm]

If I had to choose between the 2 I would go with the Long tubes and tune. If later you do a cam you will get a lot better results then doing a short tubes.

[nycoupe11]

Hey joey! I just got a cam headers exhaust intake and tune from East Coast Supercharging out in jersey. you should def look them up. Great customer service, nice laid back guys and are reallly cool. They know their stuff too! I am 1000% happy with my stuff from them, and they have experience working with VVT cams

[Juiced1]

Originally Posted by joey0480

Up in the air right now. I have the ADM race intake and the borla s axlebacks for a tad change in sound.

Got my price on getting the LT headers, midpipe, and tune done.

Other option I was considering was the VVT cam and maybe some hi flow cats and possibly shorty headers, but not sure what the cost would be on them.

Always so much to read on here with so many options.

After this I would focus on suspension of the car.

We would go with long tube headers first. Adding a cam without headers would produce nice gains but you wouldn't tap nearly the potential of the cam with the stock manifolds. We carry several brands of headers and have plenty of cam selections as well if you're interested.

[csjcsj]

You can get some types of LT's for 3-400$! A guy in our club got a cam and kept his stock headers on and his car ran like crap!

[dshep214]

Need longtube headers before a cam. So I would do that first. Or do it all at the same time. Best of both worlds. Ur gonna need a tune after a cam install and for best gains your gonna need one after the long tubes. So if u do them at separate times your gonna need two different tunes. Just something to think about

[PQ]

I guess I'll have to disagree with everyone.

I get that air flow with the cam is quite important but if the choice is between a cam and headers I'm going to go cam all day long. Headers can be bought and thrown on any time easily.

Now if the decision is what to do first MONEY wise, then, same reasoning goes but with the headers first because you can have a little gain and much better sound while you save for the cam.

It all depends on the exact situation.

[nycoupe11]

Originally Posted by PQ

I guess I'll have to disagree with everyone.

I get that air flow with the cam is quite important but if the choice is between a cam and headers I'm going to go cam all day long. Headers can be bought and thrown on any time easily.

Now if the decision is what to do first MONEY wise, then, same reasoning goes but with the headers first because you can have a little gain and much better sound while you save for the cam.

It all depends on the exact situation.

I myslef would go cam all day long also. Your car already has some sound while driving. i see hundreds of cars with modified exhausts. But honestly...in person, my car is the only cam ive heard around me. Cams make your car origional. If you have the money do both at the same time and save yourself the money on two tunes, do it

[BLACK10]

A cam wont make any good power without long tubes

[PQ]

Originally Posted by BLACK10

A cam wont make any good power without long tubes

That's fine. But if the question is what to do first if you have the ability to do only one of them right now I'd go cam while you have the money. Headers are cheap and easy to put on. And a tune can be done pretty easily too.

[Bad70supreme]

Headers... these cars sound like a beast with headers and makes a solid power gain, wait on the tune till you get the cam. I did headers, built my own cold air and been running no tune since last march, but doing a cam this march. The headers will throw a code but the car runs great without a tune, just a bit on the rich side. My car runs very strong as is... it would destroy a stock SS as of right now.

For me...
Headers and intake
then cam and tune

[Anthony @ LG Motorsports]

You need to have the supporting modifications done first.

Sure a cam is going to pick up the HP on the car but not so much on the torque side of things.....remember we are dealing with a 3800-4100 lb car here, torque is important.

A cam is going to impact drivablity so there is going to be some trade offs when you pick the right cam that is correct for you.

Sounds like you have an automatic car? Again, something else to think about. What are you wanting to do with the torque converter? Not all cams are going to work good with a factory converter, so think about if you want to change that. If it is an L99 car, then many cams are going to have you remove that and go to the traditional LS3 style setup, so there are some additional costs to think about.


When you look at a good quality header system on the car you can kind of have your cake and eat it too. A long tube header will pick up peak HP, peak TQ, and also power all along the RPM range (something else to think about...cams are going to be RPM dependent, again depending on how big of a cam you go with). Also headers are going to remove some weight from the car...so a double hit as far as perrformance gains go.


Before making the choice I would do this....think about how you drive the car, what RPM range you want to gain power in, and were you spend most of your time. If you spend most of your time from idle to 4000 RPM, it doesn't make since to get a cam for 3500-7000 RPM, on top of not giving it the added air flow to support that kind of cam.





Ease of Install
We learned a long time ago to make the system work, it needs to be easy for the user to install. So like our Corvette systems we made this as simple of a bolt on as you can get. All of our kits come complete from engine to mufflers or with mufflers and tips included so all you have to do is bolt it onto the car. Fittings slip together for the smoothest connection between pipes. This also makes our cats replaceable in the event of damage or you want to swap to an off-road setup for track use. The only cutting you would have to do, would be removing the stock mufflers if you want to use them with our kit as GM welded the OE system together complete from the manifolds back.

Configurations and Options
We offer our system in one of four different setups.
1. Full system with out cats, without mufflers
2. Full system w/cats and without mufflers
3. Full system w/o cats and w/mufflers
4. Full system w/cats and with mufflers
All systems will come with off-road pipes included at no charge even for cat'd systems. All systems come with clamps, hardware, extensions, and now GM gaskets as well.


Features

• 1 7/8" Primary size
• 3" merge collector with fire cone
• Full 3" mid section
• 3" high flow Siamese X pipe design
• Connects to OE or OE replacment mufflers with included 2.5" adapter
• All wires, hardware, extensions and GM gaskets now included
• High flow optional 200 cell metal matrix catalytic converters
• Off-road pipes included no charge on cat'd systems
• 35+ RWHP GAIN!
• LifeTime Warranty for original owner

Also a new feature on the Super Pro line is our merge collector with fire cone.




All LG Motorsports header kits are covered for the lifetime to the orginial owner against any defect or issue. Of course damage by accident is not covered.

MUFFLERS
Our LG designed mufflers are fully polished stainless steel. These also a full 3" throughout and end with a 4" double walled slash cut tip. Lightweight and combined with a straight through design give you little back pressure with a deep American V8 sound!


TAKE A LISTEN!





2010 A6 L99 Camaro before and after full LG System and Dyno tune STOCK AIR BOX AND FILTER!


2010 M6 LS3 Camaro before and after full LG System and Dyno Tune








As always, please feel free to ask any questions or comments.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Anthony @ LG Motorsports

You need to have the supporting modifications done first.

Sure a cam is going to pick up the HP on the car but not so much on the torque side of things.....remember we are dealing with a 3800-4100 lb car here, torque is important.

A cam is going to impact drivablity so there is going to be some trade offs when you pick the right cam that is correct for you.

Sounds like you have an automatic car? Again, something else to think about. What are you wanting to do with the torque converter? Not all cams are going to work good with a factory converter, so think about if you want to change that. If it is an L99 car, then many cams are going to have you remove that and go to the traditional LS3 style setup, so there are some additional costs to think about.


When you look at a good quality header system on the car you can kind of have your cake and eat it too. A long tube header will pick up peak HP, peak TQ, and also power all along the RPM range (something else to think about...cams are going to be RPM dependent, again depending on how big of a cam you go with). Also headers are going to remove some weight from the car...so a double hit as far as perrformance gains go.


Before making the choice I would do this....think about how you drive the car, what RPM range you want to gain power in, and were you spend most of your time. If you spend most of your time from idle to 4000 RPM, it doesn't make since to get a cam for 3500-7000 RPM, on top of not giving it the added air flow to support that kind of cam.





Ease of Install
We learned a long time ago to make the system work, it needs to be easy for the user to install. So like our Corvette systems we made this as simple of a bolt on as you can get. All of our kits come complete from engine to mufflers or with mufflers and tips included so all you have to do is bolt it onto the car. Fittings slip together for the smoothest connection between pipes. This also makes our cats replaceable in the event of damage or you want to swap to an off-road setup for track use. The only cutting you would have to do, would be removing the stock mufflers if you want to use them with our kit as GM welded the OE system together complete from the manifolds back.

Configurations and Options
We offer our system in one of four different setups.
1. Full system with out cats, without mufflers
2. Full system w/cats and without mufflers
3. Full system w/o cats and w/mufflers
4. Full system w/cats and with mufflers
All systems will come with off-road pipes included at no charge even for cat'd systems. All systems come with clamps, hardware, extensions, and now GM gaskets as well.


Features

• 1 7/8" Primary size
• 3" merge collector with fire cone
• Full 3" mid section
• 3" high flow Siamese X pipe design
• Connects to OE or OE replacment mufflers with included 2.5" adapter
• All wires, hardware, extensions and GM gaskets now included
• High flow optional 200 cell metal matrix catalytic converters
• Off-road pipes included no charge on cat'd systems
• 35+ RWHP GAIN!
• LifeTime Warranty for original owner

Also a new feature on the Super Pro line is our merge collector with fire cone.




All LG Motorsports header kits are covered for the lifetime to the orginial owner against any defect or issue. Of course damage by accident is not covered.

MUFFLERS
Our LG designed mufflers are fully polished stainless steel. These also a full 3" throughout and end with a 4" double walled slash cut tip. Lightweight and combined with a straight through design give you little back pressure with a deep American V8 sound!


TAKE A LISTEN!





2010 A6 L99 Camaro before and after full LG System and Dyno tune STOCK AIR BOX AND FILTER!


2010 M6 LS3 Camaro before and after full LG System and Dyno Tune








As always, please feel free to ask any questions or comments.

Good info.

Let me ask you this, just out of curiosity. If you could only do one what would it be?

[66olds442]

Originally Posted by PQ

Good info.

Let me ask you this, just out of curiosity. If you could only do one what would it be?

I know you're not asking me, but I'd do headers all day long. The sound you get alone makes them worth it.

My personal belief is that the two most important things to gain power on a motor is intake first, exhaust second, engine last. If the cars struggling for air, no mods after will be as effective, if it can't effectively expel exhaust it'll hold the engine back.

I have Doug Thorley LTs on my car and I'm always asked if my car is cammed. Thats how good they sound.