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Headers Comparison - Pipes for Power

Not All Headers Are Created Equal

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Test 5: A mild 355ci small-block with Hedman 151/48-inch, 34-inch long-tube headers with a 211/42-inch exhaust system and a pair of Flowmaster mufflers.

Test 6: Same as above except with a set of Hedman 151/48-inch intermediate-length headers.

Test 5 Test 6 Difference

Test 5 Test 6 Difference
RPM TQ HP TQ HP HP TQ
2,600 430 213 422 209 -8 -4
2,800 434 231 420 224 -14 -7
3,000 439 251 427 244 -12 -7
3,200 438 267 431 262 -7 -5
3,400 434 281 433 280 -1 -1
3,600 431 295 432 296 +1 +1
3,800 424 307 432 312 +8 +5
4,000 415 316 422 321 +7 +5
4,200 402 321 411 328 +9 +7
4,400 389 326 398 333 +9 +7
4,600 374 327 386 338 +12 +11
4,800 355 324 369 337 +14 +13
5,000 334 318 351 334 +17 +16
5,200 314 311 337 333 +23 +22
5,400 294 302 316 325 +22 +23

The Big Tube TestThis is a great example of how larger headers affect the power curve. The larger 171/48-inch headers lost a tremendous 47 lb-ft of torque at the bottom of the curve. By 3,400 rpm, the big headers were actually making a little more than the smaller 151/48-inch headers. This may be a hiccup with the smaller header power curve that could be addressed with jetting or timing had we spent more time on tuning. By 4,400 rpm, the smaller headers were making as much as 33 lb-ft more torque than the larger headers. Then by 5,600 up through 6,600, the larger headers took over and made as much as 26 more horsepower at 6,600 rpm.

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