Ok fellas, so my brother in law and I finally put my headers on this past weekend. I'll try to answer as many questions before the questions come because I know so many of you want know... "are headers worth it?" I purchased ceramic coated pacesetter mid-tubes for approx. 400 bones. My brother in law and I put the headers on in about 4 hours. It probably would have taken less ifwe didn't have to weld the turn downs to the stock cats and Y-pipe and I could have just bolted the whole thing. But up here in Maryland we have some pretty strict emissions laws... basically we tookthe stock pieceofffirst (which is a hell of a lot easier with 2 people I might add), then cut the stock pipe just before the cats. (see pic) We then bolted the new header on, going from corner bolt back to corner bolt and so on. 11mm for those with '05's.... The next step was to weld the turn downs the the stock cat. (see pic) Neither of us are welders but my bro in law did a pretty kick *** job considering... Next, we bolted the already weldedturn down to the header outlet and then repeated the process on the other side. After reconnecting the battery and taking her fora spin, I gave the bolts one last tighten. No check engine light - no codes. I can honestly say that my performance gains were well worth the effort. I noticed a slight shift in the powerband as my horses kicked in a bit later in my rpm escalation. I feel the gains the most after about 3700 rpms, whereit ismuch more responsive now. All in all I would say headers are worth it if you're not a broke-*** college kid that didn't buy your own truck. And, to install the headers yourself is a reward in itself. I hope this helps someone out.

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Good Job, nice pics, and nice write up as well....

 

its amazing that the hemi can have 345 hp with those stock headers....

 

Very nice job! Thanks for the pics!!!


^True... very true...

 

ha well, rated at 345 .. had a buddy engine dyno his and it showed 321.44 on that .. installed a small cam and headers then at the wheels he only had 298.32 .. not quite 345

 

I have not had an engine dyno yet but with the Flashpaq and the T-stat along with the headers I hope I can at least beat one of those new Tundras - damn those things are fast.

 

Hell 298 is pretty good!! That translates to prolly about 365 ponies at the flywheel!

 

Thanks a lot for the write up. I would like to add those to my truck as well. Not so many options for the MegaCab yet.

 

Saw a '05 QC Hemi 4x2 at local performance shop, had the following done while there: 4.56 gears, Cat back exhaust, LT headers, CAI, e-fan, 180 t-stat, KRC218 cam, springs, retainers, damper, custom tune.
Dyno'd at 450 flywheel, 370 rear wheel.

I already had gears, cat back, CAI & Superchips. So based on seeing that dyno, I decided to put in e-fan, t-stat (already done) LT headers (at ceramic shop now, will go in next monday), KRC 210 cam, springs, retainers, etc. (having them done in early-mid Sept. The shop is doing that job, I'm too chicken to try a cam) -- The 210 will work with the Superchips where the 218 needs the custom tune, plus the 210 is a better low end torque cam where the 218 shines higher in the power band.

As I have a Superchips, we are going to use a fuel controller in conjunction with that, so I won't need the custom tune and I won't have to e-bay the Superchips.
I'm anxious to see where I'll be with my '04 QC 4x4...

 

If you didn't have to do the Y pipe like that, how would it have been done? Is there a kit that lets you add headers to the stock cat-back parts or does it always require a custom pipe to join the headers to the stock muffler?