The Benefits of Upgrading Your Car with High Performance Headers

Are you disappointed by your car’s overall performance and look for ways to give it a boost? If that’s the case, one of the best solutions is to make an upgrade to its exhaust system. Why? Well, simply because the exhaust system has the biggest effect on how the engine functions. And the engine is basically the heart of your car.

To understand how a car’s engine works, think of it as one big air pump. When it’s on, it creates a series of precisely-timed explosions. These explosions produce fumes and pull in and push out air. So, in order for the engine to perform at its best, it needs to find ways to move more air in and out of it, and do so as fast as possible. And that’s the job of the exhaust system.

However, most stock exhaust systems aren’t very efficient in pushing out fumes and letting air in, as car manufacturers tend to skimp on them in order to spend more on the flashier and more noticeable parts. For that reason, car owners who want a leaner and meaner machine often opt for replacing their exhaust system. But in reality, there’s no need to go through the effort of replacing the entire exhaust kit. Sometimes, only upgrading one of its components can make a huge difference. And investing in high-performance vehicle headers is perhaps the most effective way to make your exhaust system more efficient.

The better the vehicle headers, the easier the exhaust fumes can flow out of the engine’s cylinders. Both long-tube and short-tube headers can do this efficiently. However, long-tube vehicle headers work best when paired with engines that have mid-range to top-end RPMs, whereas short-tubes are e better choice for engines in the lower RPM range. In any, case, by upgrading your exhaust with high-performance vehicle headers you can expect significant benefits, such as the following.

Boost in Engine Performance

Let’s start with the biggest benefit of quality aftermarket vehicle headers – a boost in engine performance. While it may not make a drastic difference such as installing a turbo or supercharger, investing in high-performance headers can increase the engine’s torque, and subsequently the car’s horsepower. Depending on the type of car you have and exhaust system, upgrading the headers can result in a 5% increase in horsepower. And this isn’t a small improvement. It can be even more pronounced in racing cars and cars that have engines that are already powerful.

Well-designed vehicle headers can produce a so-called “scavenging” effect. In other words, when an exhaust gas pulse flows out of the header tube and into the collector, it creates a negative pressure wave that travels back up the header tube to the exhaust port during valve overlap. As a result, this helps remove any remaining exhaust gas from the cylinder and also helps draw the incoming intake charge. And this is very beneficial for the engine’s performance as the back pressure is reduced and doesn’t stifle its work.

Improved Fuel Economy

Although it may not be obvious, the exhaust system can also affect how much fuel the engine consumes during operation. With the right aftermarket headers, the gasses are expelled faster and the air intake is increased, which means the engine doesn’t need to work as hard and as a result, it won’t use up as much fuel. Although the amount of money you’ll save on fuel might not be astronomical at first, with time, it can add up to significant savings. In addition, when the engine runs better, it won’t produce a high amount of fumes. And this is obviously very good for the environment.

Prolonged Engine Life

An engine that works hard to build torque does not only produce more fumes and has less power, but it also deteriorates much faster. In some extreme cases, this can even lead to total engine failure which is the last thing you want to happen to your car. With that being said, by choosing the right headers, you can reduce the wear and tear on your engine, which helps prevent serious damage and prolongs its lifespan.

A Much Better Sound

While the car’s performance and maintenance are definitely important, you also want it to sound good, right? After all, you want to make a statement and stock exhaust systems don’t sound very powerful. In fact, most car manufacturers design their exhausts to be as quiet as can be. So, while stock cast iron manifolds keep the sound in, upgrading to stainless steel headers allow the fumes to flow better, resulting in a throatier, deeper sound.

Weight Reduction

In addition, stainless steel headers are also thinner and lighter than cast iron manifolds, which allows you to reduce the weight of the car. And the lighter the car, the faster and easier to handle it is. Considering how many engine components are very heavy – alternators, water pumps and flywheels – it’s recommended to go for lighter accessories whenever possible.