V6 header question.. looking for help picking a brand

[bee sting]

I'm looking to buy either the Doug Thorley or the JBA shorty headers . my questions are..
1-Is one brand better than the other - power gains - fit.. etc ?
2- do you have to weld on the Doug Thorley headers at the collector ?
3- the JBA look like they bolt on at the collector ?

any help would be great ..thanks

[usa1camaro1969]

I looked at the shorties before I ended up going with the long tubes. This is what I've read. The JBA's do just bolt up while the Doug Thorleys need to be welded making the install easier. The JBA's seem to be hit and miss on the collector though. A lot have installed without any issues and some have collector sealing issues that have caused check engine lights. Do your investigating as I believe some have been able to get a better seal than others. They may be able to give you some pointers.

[todrules]

Originally Posted by usa1camaro1969

I looked at the shorties before I ended up going with the long tubes. This is what I've read. The JBA's do just bolt up while the Doug Thorleys need to be welded making the install easier. The JBA's seem to be hit and miss on the collector though. A lot have installed without any issues and some have collector sealing issues that have caused check engine lights. Do your investigating as I believe some have been able to get a better seal than others. They may be able to give you some pointers.

What long tubes you end up going with?

[usa1camaro1969]

I went with BBK's. When Jeg's originally added them to their online catalog they had a screw up and listed the ceramic-coated at the same price as the chrome(I want to say they were around $690 shipped). They come with hi-flow cats, O2 sensor extensions, gaskets, mounting hardware and do include the check-engine light that will come on within 50-miles at no extra charge. It was a bit of a pain to see that light in the dash until I decided to get the tune.

To the OP- If I were to make the decision I'd probably have gone with the DT's, but there are some fast v6'ers using the JBA's without issue.

[bee sting]

i like the DT's myself but wanted to the install at home .i don't have a mig welder and so far all i have seen or heard you have to weld them on :( . I'll have to look into that issue of the JBA's not sealing up and be there was a run at the factory that was just a bad batch. maybe a part # to look out for . So if anyone else can give me input that would be great.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by bee sting

i like the DT's myself but wanted to the install at home .i don't have a mig welder and so far all i have seen or heard you have to weld them on :( . I'll have to look into that issue of the JBA's not sealing up and be there was a run at the factory that was just a bad batch. maybe a part # to look out for . So if anyone else can give me input that would be great.

I have the D/T's and like them. Had my long time muffler shop install so welding was no issue. They are the better looking of the two, ceramic coated. Power I'd say is about the same on top but On the only two dyno graphs I've seen the D/T's are much better in the low to mid range. Sound about the same if you have an exhaust already, more low end bass sound after breaking in and a bit more growl up top.

[Mankind]

It doesnt matter which of the two you choose, you will have to have welding done. Knowing now what i do i would have gone with the DT's. They are solid welds to the cats. JBA's have a stacker flage that has to be welded to the cats and then clamped to the header. Mine have been a pain at first and then a constant wait for the light to reappear. Took 4 or 5 tries at solutions before i got any milage without it. I dont recall seeing anyone with the DT's throwing a cel.

[CamaroDreams07]

Another vote for DTs. You do have to get somebody to weld them on, but no CELs and they work and sound great. Nobody has had any problems with the headers themselves.

I did have an issue after installing them, the passenger side exhaust pipe was hitting the tunnel brace slightly causing a rattle, so I did have to replace that with the elite engineering one. I'm not sure if that was an install problem or what, but take it for what it's worth.

[bee sting]

Thanks for the info... Sure wish there was a true bolt on shorty header for the V6 but it doesn't look that way. May still go with the DT's , Does the DT's tell you why the cut the factory cat pipes? maybe i can pull every thing off and take it to a shop and save a few $$. Also to the people that do have the DT shorties , did it hurt the coating on the header when it was welded to the cat?

[KMPrenger]

From what I've ready, you need to remove the ceramic coating where the welding will take place.

[devildoc]

I would say screw the shorties and just save up for longs.

[esfkotaro]

For those of you with LT's and MRTv2, does the in-cabin noise get obnoxious with regular daily driving? I figure getting shorties or LT's, either way, will cost me the same...since shortines require welding and I don't have the equipment\facilities for that anymore, I'd have to have the work done for me. LTs I could likely do myself...so cost of labor + cost of shorties ~= cost of LTs. Just have a hard time telling from recordings what the MRTv2 + LTs really sounds like.

[muscle]

Originally Posted by usa1camaro1969

I went with BBK's. When Jeg's originally added them to their online catalog they had a screw up and listed the ceramic-coated at the same price as the chrome(I want to say they were around $690 shipped). They come with hi-flow cats, O2 sensor extensions, gaskets, mounting hardware and do include the check-engine light that will come on within 50-miles at no extra charge. It was a bit of a pain to see that light in the dash until I decided to get the tune.

To the OP- If I were to make the decision I'd probably have gone with the DT's, but there are some fast v6'ers using the JBA's without issue.

What was your check engine light looks like and sounds like.

[devildoc]

Originally Posted by esfkotaro

For those of you with LT's and MRTv2, does the in-cabin noise get obnoxious with regular daily driving? I figure getting shorties or LT's, either way, will cost me the same...since shortines require welding and I don't have the equipment\facilities for that anymore, I'd have to have the work done for me. LTs I could likely do myself...so cost of labor + cost of shorties ~= cost of LTs. Just have a hard time telling from recordings what the MRTv2 + LTs really sounds like.

For me, in-cabin noise only exists when I want it to I keep my music on and I don't hear any drone at all. Of course it sounds nice and throaty when you punch the peddle.

Originally Posted by muscle

What was your check engine light looks like and sounds like.

It will do an in-cabin chime noise, and show up on both your speedo/tach and the info center. So you would probably have to hit clear all the time when you start the car. I have only had it happen to me once (not when I put my headers on)