Headers open up the path of exhaust with less restriction, giving your engine a more responsive feel. They also compliment the performance of a cat change and can help you achieve higher horsepower numbers if you choose to add an aftermarket tune.
A header is a set of pipes that individually connect to each of your engine’s cylinders and then to one larger pipe called the collector. The type of material your headers are made from will impact your vehicle’s sound.
Tube Diameter and Length
exhaust headers are aftermarket upgrades that improve the flow of exhaust gases and lower back pressure. They are designed to improve performance and make the engine sound more powerful and aggressive.
Header pipes are typically made from either stainless steel or mild steel and can resonate differently, producing different sounds for car enthusiasts to enjoy. While stainless steel is favored for its durability and smooth, quiet sound, mild steel can produce a rougher tone.
Unlike traditional exhaust manifolds that combine the gases from each cylinder into one pipe, headers have separate tubes for each of the cylinders. As the pulse of gas leaves each header tube into a collector, it creates a negative wave of pressure that travels back up during valve overlap. This process is called scavenging and can free up additional horsepower for your engine.
Shorty headers are smaller than full-length headers and can fit more easily into crowded engine compartments or lowered cars with less clearance. They are ideal for everyday driving and can give your car a boost in horsepower and torque in the mid-RPM range.
Material
Headers are aftermarket exhaust upgrades. They replace the exhaust manifold and change how your engine sounds.
Unlike the exhaust manifold, which collects all your cylinders’ burnt gasses and funnels them into one pipe, headers have individual pipes that connect to each cylinder. Then the pipes meet into a larger collector to eliminate back pressure. Performance headers are shaped to have equal lengths so that each cylinder’s exhaust gasses arrive at the collector equally spaced. This reduces back pressure and improves flow dynamics.
The material that headers are made of also impacts how loud your car’s engine will sound. Traditional steel can rust, but high-performance headers are typically made from stainless steel. This metal is corrosion-resistant and has a high-temperature tolerance.
Adding a set of performance headers is an affordable way to increase the power and tone of your vehicle. However, it’s best to install them after you add a cat-back exhaust system to take advantage of your newfound horsepower and torque.
Muffler Placement
What are headers on a car? Headers are the first part of your vehicle’s exhaust system and are the first to connect to the individual cylinder exhaust ports. They scavenge the old exhaust from the cylinders and draw in fresh air and fuel for combustion.
The headers may have dual or single exhaust pipes. A set of headers may also be paired with a muffler to alter the tone of your engine’s sound. The muffler is placed either after the headers or before the catalytic converter and resonator.
Ideally, the muffler is closer to the headers to provide a more even exhaust sound throughout the RPM range. This is because the sound pressure decreases as the pipe length increases.
Headers can deliver a powerful boost in torque and horsepower when combined with a resonator or catalytic converter. Typically, these upgrades are found on souped-up high-performance engines, but can also be added to daily drivers for an impressive power increase and more distinctive exhaust tone.
Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter is arguably the most crucial part of your exhaust system. This little metal implement is in charge of altering engine-exhaust pollutants to make them less harmful to the environment through chemical reactions. It turns hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into more environmentally benign gasses such as water vapor and oxygen.
It uses oxidation and reduction reactions to accomplish this, with the precious metals mentioned earlier promoting the transfer of electrons to convert the toxic fumes. These catalysts became commonplace in cars by the mid-’70s because they helped manufacturers meet strict new emissions guidelines.
Some gearheads want to replace their catalytic converter to boost horsepower and improve fuel efficiency, but it’s a mistake. It’s illegal, and it can also harm your engine. Plus, it will likely damage your muffler and cause the check-engine light to come on. The best thing to do is call Loper’s Performance Center for help! We can get you a direct-fit catalytic converter that bolts right into your original exhaust pipe.
