Vortec 5.7 350 Headers? Do it, or naw??

Ok I'm sitting home today, so I'm busting out a few threads and surfing the internet for parts.
As you all know im after a few more horsepower and performance upgrades. I have the Volant CAI coming in the mail, so now I turn to the exhaust.
If you do the whole nut, headers all the way back, is it worth it? for horsepower?
I am concerned with O2 sensors etc and header installation costing an arm...


I want to get HP, better flow and a little more musclecar-like sound from the vehicle. its a 99 Denali. Maybe hi flow cat, h-pipe and true duals of some sort?
My budget (before this header thing) is about 500$.

Your thoughts are appriciated.

After I get this ironed out, I'll be posting the computer programmer thread. So if your reply is all-emcompasing, please tell me what worked for you with that combination.

I need to pass emissions btw... unless I title this thing up north, which I'm nervous to do.LMK,
THanks,Pete :skep:

youll blow the $500 budget on the hiflow cats almost

ok crap.... well lemme hear what you think anyway with my imaginary 1000$ budget.

although I only have the 5.3 i want the same setup youre talking about.Not too many people on here that i have seen even go with true duals.
You will def get hp gains out of it.Quite a few actually but with headers,hiflow cats and the rest of the exhaust with labor youre looking at prob close to 2500 round about.It will sound awesome.

$2500? your local shop must be killing you price wise......

-my gibson headers ran me $340 for chrome coated.
-depending on mufflers you looking at $50-$150 a piece
-your cats are going to vary in price, but you should be able to get a good quote on them from your local shop on what your really looking for. high flows are going to KILL you price wise.

around here an exhaust system from the cats back (without mufflers) with installation runs around $200-$250

i highly doubt your going to get what your looking for, for $500 though, but you can do it for less than $2500....


I still need to put my headers on and get the exhaust done, i plan on running true duals with flowmaster or gibson mufflers. no emmision tests here yet so i may or may not run cats depending on what i can find price wise on high flow's. still need to pick up the 4 oxygen sensors. (need to improve that 10.6MGP)

cats suck

catalytic converters are useless, unless your a tree hugger.

i say cut em off for better sound and flow.

if u don't get headers, u can get the exhaust done custom from the manifolds back for about $350 from the right guy. it isn't rocket science to bend a few pipes and weld em up with a mig.

$350 is more than enough to buy 2 mufflers and run all the pipes for true duals

if u got $600 u could probably get them to install headers too

summit shorty headers are $153 + shipping


just my opinion based on experience.



p.s.

meineke can install flowmaster mufflers in place of your stock ones if u just want little more sound and don't want your check engine light to stay on b/c u cut off your cats. this will cost u less than $200

you cant get it inspected w/o cats in most states

o yea, i live in south carolina where we don't have vehicle inspection.

also, summit racing has hi flo cats for $170 each. u can choose either 2.25, 2.5, or 3". just don't put in your vehicle info and type in catalytic converters in the search box. these are universal so they are much cheaper. they also flow better than the ones that come in vehicle specific kits. most aftermarket cats flow just the same as stock, don't waste your money.

i have the summit shorty headers, i got the black painted thinkin it would look awsome with the black tahoe, but it flaked off, so if anything try the ceramic covered ones, it cost the same, about $150, i could tell a difference in tone, but make sure u get the fitting between the headers and y-pipes tight cause mine leak sometimes, and all i have to do is crawl underneath and tighten them up, preformace wise, little bit better low end, but then again my trans is starting to go to craps, and is going in to be rebuilt, but with k&N intake, pacesetter headers from sumit and flowermaster single outlet exuast i was runnin 16.8s at the track with 33 inch tires, and my spare tire in the back with two 15inch subs and the box in there, i will see if i have pics to put up on here to show u mine, sence the paint flaked off i polish mine with mothers aluminum polish, and a polish i use to polish my silver trumpet

OK then, I'm going to start looking into this more seriously, now that the intake is done. I hope I can make the right selection at summit for my engine type.. I need to still be emissions legal is the problem. Thanks for the advice on the black headers, Ill look for the coated ones. Ill post more questions if I have them in this thread. Thanks again,
Pete

I think I foud them, you guys familiar with this brand?

OK guys, attached is a word doc with the headers I thought might work on my 99 denali. I will take these headers over to my muffler guy and see what he can do for me as far as the rest of the stuff goes. He gets kinda pissy if I take him ALL the parts and ask for labor only. he needs to make a little money I guess.

I hope shortys are the way to go.

Ig you please, tell me what you guys think or if you have other ideas. thanks again for your help.

that will doo!

basicly what i have on my truck

OK yeah, I ordered the headers from summit.
I'll let you dudes know how it goes.

Pete