Edelbrock Headers?

[REDSLED]

How can this thread still continue? Unless you drive with your dyno sheets pasted to your windows there will be no "noticable" difference while you are driving. Plain and simple: Any header is better than stock. Knowing that you are a few HP ahead on paper is great for bragging rights but that is it. If you want a greater sensation of speed and acceleration then forget the headers and get 3.55 or 3.73 gears. The car will pull harder and make 6th gear useable for highway use. Remember this, there are few people who will admit to spending "bad" money on much hyped, mods.
Have had non-smog legal headers on all 3 generations of Vipers and have no issues with CA Smog.

 

[01GTS]

I had the Edelbrock Headers, Random tech cat's, random tech catback and edelbrock heat shields installed last week and it threw a check engine light a couple of days and 20miles later. They're on a 2001. I haven't had a chance to bring it back to the shop to have it diagnosed yet but any ideas??

 

[Racer Robbie]

My guess is that the O2 sensor wires may have got burnt if they were not protected from the header heat or perhaps the connectors were not completely snapped together.

To Redsled: I could not agree anymore! You are right on the money but I bet you that no one will admit it.

 

[01GTS]

The 02 sensor wires were heatshrink wrapped etc so shouldn't have gotten burnt. We reset the ECU and I've driven about 30 miles without a check engine light so far. The code came up as both 02 sensors heat coil bad. Hopefully it was a fluke from the smoke caused by the oils etc burning off from the install.

 

[Racer Robbie]

Oil will mess O2 sensors so I would disconnect the battery cable at the fuse box so as to reset the ECM. make sure you have your keys in your hand before you do this as the car will go into theft mode and you will need the key to unlock the car.

 

[Daniel Cragin/DC Performance Inc]

I worked directly with Edelbrock on these headers years ago. We did all the
testing on a rear wheel dyno and an engine dyno. Hp gains were about 20hp peak
with the stock exhaust on the production engine. SVS, Caldwell and Bellanger
headers all made more peak power (but not smog legal). What was very interesting is that Edelbrock headers made about the same power as all the rest
when a cam and ported heads were added (probably due to the large primary tubes). On a stock engine, the SVS 1 1/2 primary tube headers made the most average power of all. Bigger is not always better on a stock engine.

On the track smaller primary tube headers pulled better out of the corners but not as well on the straight aways.

The best headers for average power on a modified engine were the Caldwell 1/58ths to 1 3/4 stepped headers with 29 inch primary tubes and Burns stepped
collectors.

On the Edelbrocks, always torque the lower flanges evenly, use production header to head gaskets and use the heat shields.


Just my 2 cents.

 

[Racer Robbie]

Hey Dan,

Great information. I have been preaching "Bigger is not always better on a stock engine" to the choir for years when it comes to exhaust systems.