"shorty" headers

[smittyM98]

I've been looking on Turnermotorsport at these "shorty" headers, and there are also some listed on Bavauto (slight difference in price, Bavauto seems to be the cheapest). But the quick question is...
What in the heck is the difference between these short headers and the longer headers (such as the supersprint header system)? Difference in power or sound?

I've been lookin around for a while at these, just trying to solidify a decision before a fairly poor college student drops $500+

Thanks again

[LeMansGTS]

You will not gain any power by adding these headers. Even if you buy decent longtube headers, the power gain will be minimal unless you have some serious modifications under the hood.

[XanDer]

Save the money for maintenance. Especially, being a poor college student. That's coming from the same place.

[GG///M3]

You will not gain any power by adding these headers. Even if you buy decent longtube headers, the power gain will be minimal unless you have some serious modifications under the hood.

+1 total waste of money.

[Hugo]

Agreed. I have the shortys, no real gain.

[whitecord]

i did the those headers as on of my first mods. i did notice a difference. there was some mid range gain. and it did pull a little harder at top. i cleared adaptations when i installed the headers so the you could feel more of a gain from the start then the people that install parts that improve flow with out doing that.

cost to power... not really worth it. they cost to much for a small gain. a m50 would yeild a larger gain for much less money.

i did them because i got them for free..other wise i would prob still have stock headers.

there is a gain but not as much as you think you would get from a 800 dollar header.

[smittyM98]

Yeah, so I guess the best thing is to save em for last... They just look so sexy though! its appealing to the eye... But if the cost to power isnt that great then screw it...

and hooray for us poor college students haha

thanks for the input guys..

[smittyM98]

and btw, with power put aside... is there even a change in the sound of your exhaust (mine is stock)??

[whitecord]

i have the bav toys exhaust and it got rid of a lot of the drone and changed the tone of the exhaust a little.

[TH3 Shifty]

M50 manifold conversion will benifit you 10x's more than the shorty headers.

[smittyM98]

yeah, i've heard so much about that... but it still seems iffy. I did a search and found pages of controversy about the M50. So I dont think ill do either till way later on... appreciate the info though

[e30'd much?]

M50 is one of the best mods you can do...especially early on cuz its cheap and effective and proven

[dbbmwm3]

You will not gain any power by adding these headers. Even if you buy decent longtube headers, the power gain will be minimal unless you have some serious modifications under the hood.

Shorty header and no power gains - agreed. Other headers - DO NOT agree.

I added AA Race Headers to my '99 M3 and picked up significant HP verified on a Dynojet dyno (and no, I will not post my graphs). Bimmerworld sells them and I'd highly recommend them if you're debating headers b/c they work.

[GG///M3]

Shorty header and no power gains - agreed. Other headers - DO NOT agree.

I added AA Race Headers to my '99 M3 and picked up significant HP verified on a Dynojet dyno (and no, I will not post my graphs). Bimmerworld sells them and I'd highly recommend them if you're debating headers b/c they work.

I agree that with the right mods long tubes like AA headers can make more power (man do i wish i had AA headers:az).....

[GG///M3]

thats not very free thinkerish of you:stickoutt

Its very thinkerish (if i would have found a great deal on them I would have set of them waiting to be installed like my 3.38lsd thats on its way:D)..:cool

[GG///M3]

but you have long tube reps right

That I do, but if i would have found the right deal on AA headers i would have had those...:D

[GG///M3]

anything to substantiate you favoring aa's over the other products that are available to us. im just curious.

They make more power then the regular ss headers, and they mate right up to a AA trackpipe which i already have on my car.:cool

[GG///M3]

touche

Not in the least:)...

[M III Pilot]

Shorty header and no power gains - agreed. Other headers - DO NOT agree.

I added AA Race Headers to my '99 M3 and picked up significant HP verified on a Dynojet dyno (and no, I will not post my graphs). Bimmerworld sells them and I'd highly recommend them if you're debating headers b/c they work.
So what are the headers matched up to the rest of the way?
AA Track pipe & muffler section?

[ptldM3]

Shorty headers are only good for low end power, i wouldn't expect much from them though.
They make more power then the regular ss headers, and they mate right up to a AA trackpipe which i already have on my car.:cool

Is there a tread comparing the two? I thought aa headers killed low end to mid range power? I could be totally wrong but i could have sworn reading this in a thread.

[dbbmwm3]

So what are the headers matched up to the rest of the way?
AA Track pipe & muffler section?

AA track pipe and Borla cat-back. At some point, I'll probably get rid of those and go with a full AA race exhaust system.

An alternative to the AA race headers are the SS Euro headers, but for my car with my mods the AA race header seems to work best.

[dbbmwm3]

I thought aa headers killed low end to mid range power? I could be totally wrong but i could have sworn reading this in a thread.

I have a race car so I'm not worried about losing low end or even lower mid range torque, since I keep the revs above 4.5K, I tune to get the most power from that point on. I'm not sure if the lower RPM band loss is due to the headers, but I know that the M50 intake manifold definitely contributed to a lose in torque in the that range.

[Dejo325i]

I thought that long tube headers improve torque more than anything? any1 with the SS reps have any feedback on how they feel at low and mid range?

[whitecord]

the shorty headers arent really shortys. the runners a almost as long as the long tubes.. the only difference is they bolt up to the stock mid section.

[smittyM98]

Shorty header and no power gains - agreed. Other headers - DO NOT agree.

I added AA Race Headers to my '99 M3 and picked up significant HP verified on a Dynojet dyno (and no, I will not post my graphs). Bimmerworld sells them and I'd highly recommend them if you're debating headers b/c they work.


Bam, there ya go. You've convinced me. hmmm and 1200 bucks eh? they must be good... have to start saving up for that one... or quite possibly raid bimmerworlds warehouse