Aftermarket headers for our cars?

[jojogoya88]

Just wondering if theres any aftermarket headers for our cars....cus many times people have asked me if i have headers on my car and im like no, i just dont have a cat.

[TSlice]

Headers are not for turbocharged cars. Turbocharged cars have exhaust manifolds with a flange for the turbo to bolt to, except for our car which has the hot side of the turbo cast as a single piece with the exhaust manifold. So in short, not possible nor beneficial. I would delete this thread before someone not as nice as me flames you, or don the flame suit.

[jojogoya88]

haha this is true, there prob will be someone to criticize my mistake....anyways, never knew that actually......just learned something, sweet.

[INTEGRATION]

And also "headers" is plural. You mean "header" in this case but you don't have one. But you do have an exhaust manifold that is integrated into the...yeah we're kinda screwed here.

[4-tified]

And also "headers" is plural. You mean "header" in this case but you don't have one. But you do have an exhaust manifold that is integrated into the...yeah we're kinda screwed here.

Well...actually, it is individual "headers". In a 4 cylinder there would be 4 headers, once for each cylinder.

This question brought an interesting thought to my head.
I haven't thought it through yet, but I'll post my initial though.

Yes, an "exhaust manifold" is designed to allow a path for exhaust gases to flow out of the engine. The manifold is typically a cast singular unit for each or only one side of the engine. The gas paths for each cylinder are more "collected" rather than individually routed like in header design.
Thus, the gas flow in a manifold is not optimized for each cylinder, as the path lengths are different and the exhaust gas/pulses can negatively affect another cylinder, thus there is less efficiency with a manifold compared to a header design. A header design strives for equal exhaust path lengths, that allows each cylinder to work it's best.

And, granted that most turbo engines do use manifolds that then route the exhaust gas to spin the hot side of the turbo.
However, why not a header exhaust design that then drives a turbo?
There have to be some designs out there.
Unless one designs the headers to flow individually out of the car, like in a race car setup, most street setups still use "collectors" to then combine the headers flow into one flow into the muffler/s.
The actual header design is what allows for the greater efficiency and power increase in the engine.
So, it would be possible to increase a turbo engines engine performance by using a header that then flows to a collector where the turbo will be powered.
In essence, a manifold is a poorly designed header setup, or a header setup is an optimized manifold, in terms of function.
Is there any greater benefit to driving a turbo from exhaust gases coming from a manifold compared to the gases coming from a header collector?

A header setup allows each cylinders exhaust gas a clear path without affecting combustion in the other cylinders. The exhaust gas, in a header, then flows out to collector where the turbo resides and will then be powered with that collective exhaust pressure.
This way, the engines performance is maximized, and the turbo is powered in the same way just in a different location.

I'll have to do some research and see who has done this or tried.
I'm sure someone has tried it.

[LAS]

has anybody seen that video where some dude at car show has a mustang with japanese writing decals all on the windows? guy taking the video ask the owner about his mods like if he had headers with a turbo kit and some other stuff that doesn't really make sense and the owner acknowledges...yeah, yes, oh i got that...

LOL

[Six Speed Turbo]

What a douche bag , sounds like he has a fast car and knows nothing about it. This thread is totally getting off topic.

[BenGieCruz]

What a douche bag , sounds like he has a fast car and knows nothing about it. This thread is totally getting off topic.

not at all, i talked to my mechanic which is a friend of mine, and he said he could do such a thing with my 2.0, build a custom header with dual exits, mount 2 BT and redo the exhaust all the way to the back.... i'll probably have to get better internals but the idea of a 2.0 TT is driving me crazy (in a good way) he said he'll do the job for free, and cost for the parts would be around 5g'z.........

just looking forward to this header/BT conversion.....

[4-tified]

has anybody seen that video where some dude at car show has a mustang with japanese writing decals all on the windows? guy taking the video ask the owner about his mods like if he had headers with a turbo kit and some other stuff that doesn't really make sense and the owner acknowledges...yeah, yes, oh i got that...

LOL

Are you saying that headers in a turbo application don't make sense?
If so, please explain why you think that.

[TSlice]

It makes since, and there definitely are turbocharged cars with tubular exhaust manifolds. It doesn't make sense on our cars however, since the hot side of the turbo is cast as one piece with the exhaust manifold. You would have to change out the turbo as well. If you were going BT, then a one-off manifold might be something to consider, but it is not a possible upgrade for someone with a car with a stock turbo looking for a few HP.

Here is a picture of the APR K04 so you can see what I'm talking about with the turbo/exhaust manifold:

[4-tified]

It makes since, and there definitely are turbocharged cars with tubular exhaust manifolds. It doesn't make sense on our cars however, since the hot side of the turbo is cast as one piece with the exhaust manifold. You would have to change out the turbo as well. If you were going BT, then a one-off manifold might be something to consider, but it is not a possible upgrade for someone with a car with a stock turbo looking for a few HP.

Here is a picture of the APR K04 so you can see what I'm talking about with the turbo/exhaust manifold:

I was responding to your original comment where you commented about turbo setups in general.
Headers and turbo's can mix and it would be beneficial due to how headers are beneficial.

In our cars a header setup could easily be beneficial. Yes, you probably wouldn't want to modify a collector to use the stock turbo, but why bother with the stock turbo when there are plenty of better turbo's for much lower cost.
If one wants a header setup then having more turbo choice is the better route.

Anyone flaming the guy for asking the question makes no sense as it's a good question.

[fD3S]

IMO when speaking about turbo applications you dont use the term header.. just turbo manifold/exhaust manifold whether it is tubular/separated collector or not. When I hear about headers I automatically know its relating to N/A setups.

[BenGieCruz]

who would want to keep them stock KO3'z anyway? they aint worth fo' scheisse!!!

[Lt. Lawton]

2.0TT??? Man the amopunt of time spent in the shop and on the dyno would be retarded.

[BenGieCruz]

2.0TT??? Man the amopunt of time spent in the shop and on the dyno would be retarded.

so retarted that you are going to love it!!

[back2boost]

[QUOTE=jojogoya88;1893051]haha this is true, there prob will be someone to criticize my mistake....anyways, never knew that actually......just learned something, sweet.[/QUOTE

[quattshot]

I have seen turbos mounted towards the REAR of the car, also just underneath the front axle beneath the car. Would this be an example of maybe a 4 into 1 header bolted to the turbo?? I cant speak intelligently about this topic, sorry.

I have seen tubular turbo manifolds that twist and turn in all directions to keep individual equal lenghts but I guess it all "Collects" right at the turbo. How else would you do it? Throw a Turbo on for each cylinder??

[4-tified]

I have seen turbos mounted towards the REAR of the car, also just underneath the front axle beneath the car. Would this be an example of maybe a 4 into 1 header bolted to the turbo?? I cant speak intelligently about this topic, sorry.

I have seen tubular turbo manifolds that twist and turn in all directions to keep individual equal lenghts but I guess it all "Collects" right at the turbo. How else would you do it? Throw a Turbo on for each cylinder??

Don't be confused.

By definition a "header" is not a "manifold". However, in function they are doing a similar thing; providing a patch for exhaust gas to flow out.

Headers a individual exhaust tubes that are made the same length.
The reason why this is better gets into combustion process in a 4 stroke engine. Let's just say that a header makes that process "better" and allows the engine to develop more of it's potential power.
A "manifold" is designed to come to one point for sake of connection to say a cat. converter, a turbo inlet, or a straight exhaust pipe to muffler, etc...

A header design can lead each header tube to exit out of the car individually as in many race cars, or it can lead to a "collector" to then connect to a cat. converter, a turbo inlet, or a pipe to a muffler.

A turbo simply needs exhaust pressure to drive it.
If the engine has a manifold exhaust the turbo will be driven where the connections of each cylinder meet. If an engine has headers, then the turbo can be driven from the point where all those headers meet by way of a "collector".
So for a turbo setup, basically, a manifold combines unequal length exhaust paths to one collection point. By contrast, a header setup combines equal length exhaust paths to one collection point.

Some people it seems have a problem with calling a header to collector to turbo design a "header" setup. But, if the design is using individual, equal length exhaust paths into a collector to then drive a turbo, by definition it's still a "header" design. But, it becomes then a semantics discussion.
The OP simply asked if headers were available for our cars.
I don't think anyone makes headers for our turbo cars, but it is possible.

Your comment on putting a turbo at the end of each header would be really COOL.
Imagine each header with a small turbo on each one.
It has the potential to have 0 lag.
The plumbing would be pretty intense though.