S4 stock exhaust manifold VS headers
#1
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Hello fellow owners & enthusiasts. I've always been fascinated by headers since the age I started loving cars & espacialy performance cars like Porsches. I think they look beautiful with all their mixed-up converging tubings, that makes an engine look like a powerful roaring monster.
So, when I bought my 928, I was swearing to my self that I would eventualy put a pair of headers on the stallion & I started searching very consciously about the subject, in the optics of convincing my self to gather up the budget to satisfy my craving.
Unfortunatly, after all my readings & gathering infos, I realized that I'm still undecided about this mod, even if I found pretty solid professionnal articles about it:
http://performance928.com/cgi-bin/pa...ss_parent=1128
There seems to be alot of pros & cons about this conversion. At the end, is it really a 'that good' of thing or should I just add an X-pipe & FF muffler and forget about it?
Thank's you all!
So, when I bought my 928, I was swearing to my self that I would eventualy put a pair of headers on the stallion & I started searching very consciously about the subject, in the optics of convincing my self to gather up the budget to satisfy my craving.
Unfortunatly, after all my readings & gathering infos, I realized that I'm still undecided about this mod, even if I found pretty solid professionnal articles about it:
http://performance928.com/cgi-bin/pa...ss_parent=1128
There seems to be alot of pros & cons about this conversion. At the end, is it really a 'that good' of thing or should I just add an X-pipe & FF muffler and forget about it?
Thank's you all!
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#3
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Ahhh you do realize that on a 928 you or anyone else for that matter will never actually see them, that is unless you run them over w/ the car ![Wink](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif)
".... I think they look beautiful with all their mixed-up converging tubings, that makes an engine look like a powerful roaring monster. ..."
![Wink](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif)
".... I think they look beautiful with all their mixed-up converging tubings, that makes an engine look like a powerful roaring monster. ..."
#4
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I'll just leave this here:
![](https://webfiles.uci.edu/redwards/public/SS%20headers%20on%20stroker%20engine%204-10-12.jpg)
#5
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Does it sleep in the same bed as you....?!!!...the rest of the car sleeps in the closet...![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Seroiously, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!! Where did you get these? If you say Walmart I don't believe you...
![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Seroiously, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!! Where did you get these? If you say Walmart I don't believe you...
#6
Three Wheelin'
#7
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Headers make some sense when they are the limiting factor in the engine's performance. Too many butt-dyno cliams, based more on the increased sound pressuer than any increase is seat-back pressure. When you've done more to improve the breathing, headers make sense from the performance point of view, but come with other issues that need to be considered. Unless well made and stress-relieved after welding, most headers are more prone to cracking from heat-cycling. Note how your S4 exhaust has little bellows in some of the pipes to allow for the differential expansion. You'll need to fit some heat shields in places where there may not be a lot of room. Some substitute wrapped insulation, but insulation only slows the transfer of heat wheere well-placed shields can actually block that transfer. Steering and plumbing seem to suffer from unmanaged heat. Access to other engine areas for service can be limited.
That said...
Some headers, like the GB pieces shown in Rob's engine picture, are certainly works of engineering art. I beleieve I could manage regularly retorquing exhaust manifold bolts for those. Installed in the car, they are virtually invisible, enough so that Rob's car easily passes California's visual inspections (as well as the tailpipe tests). For Rob's car with the uprated internals, no question that they were needed to allow the other mods to breathe adequately. I rode in it before the headers, and it was brutal even then. Now even better with the headers, per folks who have taken the quick shuttle ride in the GTS.
That said...
Some headers, like the GB pieces shown in Rob's engine picture, are certainly works of engineering art. I beleieve I could manage regularly retorquing exhaust manifold bolts for those. Installed in the car, they are virtually invisible, enough so that Rob's car easily passes California's visual inspections (as well as the tailpipe tests). For Rob's car with the uprated internals, no question that they were needed to allow the other mods to breathe adequately. I rode in it before the headers, and it was brutal even then. Now even better with the headers, per folks who have taken the quick shuttle ride in the GTS.
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#8
Nordschleife Master
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The 4-1 headers help with the 180-degree exhaust interference at low rpms. I believe that this is the main reason why they help the low end torque. At high rpms, they may or may not help with the 90-degree exhaust interference. That's all they do if they do anything with a motor that has stock S4 cams. With bigger cams that have much more overlap, it'll get more interesting. In my opinion, if you aren't going to change the cams, then it's probably not a cost effective modification. But if you want headers, wanting headers is perfectly adequate reason to get headers. It's a hobby and "bounded rationality" is perfectly fine.
#9
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They look great, but the sound is amazing!
The MSDS headers are better that the stock manifolds.
The Devek L2 headers, if you can find them (I have 2 sets... maybe 3) are way better than MSDS.
GB headers... not sure, but I assume they are every bit as good as the DL2s, if not better.
The MSDS headers are better that the stock manifolds.
The Devek L2 headers, if you can find them (I have 2 sets... maybe 3) are way better than MSDS.
GB headers... not sure, but I assume they are every bit as good as the DL2s, if not better.
#10
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Rob, stop being coy. What is this going in?
#11
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These new Gen-2 32v MSDS headers with merged collectors are a great bang for your buck. 928 Motorsports now has in stock; also has the new Gen-2 16v MSDS headers available.
These are shown here with X-pipe, prior to metallic ceramic coating.
These are shown here with X-pipe, prior to metallic ceramic coating.
#12
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or should I just add an X-pipe & FF muffler and forget about it?
The 16V engines had terrible exhaust manifolds and benefit from headers.
Unless your doing other major motor modifications the x-pipe will give you a nice boost in HP.
#15
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From what I've read, 'standard' headers won't do much, except for soud & heat. The best ones for maximum range or band of power are crossovers & Y-flanged for top end hp, but I suppose their for racing purposes?