Header AND Y pipe?
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Homer, Alaska
Header AND Y pipe?
I bought some gibson headers for my 2003 F150 5.4L. I also have a Borla dual rear exit exhaust. My question is...
Do I need a new Y pipe to take advantage of the headers? Or will it be ok with the stock Y pipe on?
Right now I go from gibson headers to stock Y pipe, stock catalytic converter, then into the dual exhausts... If changing out the Y pipe for a higher flow Y pipe (do they make those?) would make a large difference, say at least 8-10 more horsepower, I'd do it. But if it would only add 1-3 horsepower difference, it isn't worth it in my opinion.
Thanks for your replies!
Do I need a new Y pipe to take advantage of the headers? Or will it be ok with the stock Y pipe on?
Right now I go from gibson headers to stock Y pipe, stock catalytic converter, then into the dual exhausts... If changing out the Y pipe for a higher flow Y pipe (do they make those?) would make a large difference, say at least 8-10 more horsepower, I'd do it. But if it would only add 1-3 horsepower difference, it isn't worth it in my opinion.
Thanks for your replies!
Why would you go from headers to a y pipe ?........kinda defeats the purpose..........
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 245
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From: Homer, Alaska
Well, I guess it depends what you think headers do... as I understand it, they control the way the air flows directly out of the exhaust manifold, giving less backpressure than stock exhaust does, which translates into more horsepower since your engine isn't spending as much power pushing the air out. Same principal as exhaust. Correct me, please, if I am wrong, I'm somewhat new to this.
I figured this way later down the road, I can take out the Y pipe and go straight back to my exhausts, maybe throw a high flow cat in each side so its legal. Right now I just dont have the cash to do it. And by the way, I've never even heard of an H pipe, I didn't know they existed, but I can imagine how it would work if it was shaped like an H. Is there a catalytic converter in the middle bar of the H?
I didn't really want to replace my Y pipe or my catalytic converter because I dont wanna throw off my O2 sensors and cause the annoying service engine codes to come on.
I figured this way later down the road, I can take out the Y pipe and go straight back to my exhausts, maybe throw a high flow cat in each side so its legal. Right now I just dont have the cash to do it. And by the way, I've never even heard of an H pipe, I didn't know they existed, but I can imagine how it would work if it was shaped like an H. Is there a catalytic converter in the middle bar of the H?
I didn't really want to replace my Y pipe or my catalytic converter because I dont wanna throw off my O2 sensors and cause the annoying service engine codes to come on.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: MA
I say yes, get a high flow Y pipe. I purchased one for my bronco, along with headers and a catback, and I love it. The stock Y pipes on our trucks are definate kink points in the system. To fully utilize the upgrade to headers, you really need to either get a new Y pipe, or remove the stock cats, and replace with a sufficient number of high flow units (if 4 stock, i would assume 2 would do it. I had a precat, and then cat on my bronco, and the Bassani unit I have only uses 1 high flow unit). I have yet to get a code from running this system, and I passed the sniffer test perfectly last year. MA emissions testing is rivaling CA in strictness.
Rich
Rich
