Kooks Shorty Headers installed

[jbradsh1]

Just got back from VMS. Kirk installed the Kooks shorty headers with high flow cats, roto-fab, hsrk, and their 93 octane tune. Kirk actually started with the Kooks LT header tune and adjusted from there.

I'm taking it to the track tonight and will post results after I get back, but I'm very pleased with the result. Car is actually quieter at freeway speed (75-80 mph) because the DOD isn't detectable at all, no vibration at all. At light throttle, it's just a touch roudier than stock, but when you give it some throttle it's noticable, and when you floor it, it's just plain roudy but in a really cool way!

One thing I have noticed is that the shorty headers give the car more low and middle rpm torque (I'll post the dyno results also tonight). It's perfect if what you want is a VERY streetable improvement with stock quiet at cruise or light throttle but roudy at WOT. I hope this helps anyone out there who is considering upgrading their car. I really like these improvements and my wife, who doesn't like to go fast, really liked and enjoyed the car when I got home from Michigan. Mileage went up a couple mpg on the 1250 mile return trip from Michigan to Florida so I feel comfortable saying you will definitely get better mileage too:flame:.

[G8V8]

Very cool. So you got no drone at hiway speeds, 70-80 mph? Did Kirk dyno you?

[Mike P]

Just got back from VMS. Kirk installed the Kooks shorty headers with high flow cats, roto-fab, hsrk, and their 93 octane tune. Kirk actually started with the Kooks LT header tune and adjusted from there.

I'm taking it to the track tonight and will post results after I get back, but I'm very pleased with the result. Car is actually quieter at freeway speed (75-80 mph) because the DOD isn't detectable at all, no vibration at all. At light throttle, it's just a touch roudier than stock, but when you give it some throttle it's noticable, and when you floor it, it's just plain roudy but in a really cool way!

One thing I have noticed is that the shorty headers give the car more low and middle rpm torque (I'll post the dyno results also tonight). It's perfect if what you want is a VERY streetable improvement with stock quiet at cruise or light throttle but roudy at WOT. I hope this helps anyone out there who is considering upgrading their car. I really like these improvements and my wife, who doesn't like to go fast, really liked and enjoyed the car when I got home from Michigan. Mileage went up a couple mpg on the 1250 mile return trip from Michigan to Florida so I feel comfortable saying you will definitely get better mileage too:flame:.


Definitely post up your dyno results & track times!



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[G8Smitty]

I don't see the shortys on their website. So I have to do it.

:TTIWWP:

[GRRRR8]

Yes I would like to see dyno results since the KOOKS have cats to see if they can make enough of a gain for the expense.

[jbradsh1]

Well, I was gonna wait till I got back from the track but here goes with some info. All horsepower dyno readings were on the mustang dyno at VMS.
Box Stock: 298 h.p. 313 torque
Kooks Shorties: 313 h.p. with no further modifications 331 torque
Kooks, R-F, hsrk, VMS tune 337 h.p. 348 torque (we had waited some for the engine to cool before making this final run which was the 5th I believe so it was still pretty warm)

Absolutely no humm or drone at any speed, just none at all, which I really like. But, the proof is in the pudding as they say, so when I get back from the track I'll post the speed vs ET. Hope you all enjoyed this report as much as I did driving all the way from Florida to Michigan to get this work done. It was worth it to me! And thanks Kirk for your work, I really appreciated it and I welcome you to comment on what I've said here, of course.

[jbradsh1]

I know, I couldn't find any pictures of the Kooks shorties either. They look very cool and appear extremely well made. And they made some additional horsepower, 15 total and more torque too. Kirk was pleasantly surprised and so was I.

[G8V8]

Well, I was gonna wait till I got back from the track but here goes with some info. All horsepower dyno readings were on the mustang dyno at VMS.
Box Stock: 298 h.p. 313 torque
Kooks Shorties: 313 h.p. with no further modifications 331 torque
Kooks, R-F, hsrk, VMS tune 337 h.p. 348 torque (we had waited some for the engine to cool before making this final run which was the 5th I believe so it was still pretty warm)

Absolutely no humm or drone at any speed, just none at all, which I really like. But, the proof is in the pudding as they say, so when I get back from the track I'll post the speed vs ET. Hope you all enjoyed this report as much as I did driving all the way from Florida to Michigan to get this work done. It was worth it to me! And thanks Kirk for your work, I really appreciated it and I welcome you to comment on what I've said here, of course.

Those are good numbers and I am most interested in seeing your strip times and speeds. Almost 40 HP and 35 Tq.

What I am wondering about is I went back and looked at some of the data presented for just the R-F and Tune combo when they were first dynoed and those also showed a gain of almost 40 HP and 40 Tq.


If the shorty headers and cats went on after the CAI and tune, would the CAI & tune have shown a bigger gain and the shorties near nothing. Conversly, would headers, cat and a tune have produced most of the gain if done first?

I guess what I'm asking is, is there some ceiling above which it takes more serious mods, cams, heads, etc, before we see more than about 40 hp irregardless of the combo of lesser mods?

It seems like there are other choke points that limit the combined effect of the shorties, CAI, tune etc. If not wouldn't the total be 14 hp from the kooks shorties/cats plus about 40 from the CAI/tune or at least a bigger part of the 40 hp?

I'm wondering about the cat back now with this. The 2 resonators are the biggest restrictions in the cat back. are they the choke point now?

Oh well,
I'm just babbling on. I'll be at the track tomorrow and will post some times and ETs. It could be interesting to compare my number with your's as our differences are your headers and cats.

Have fun and good luck.

[jbradsh1]

You make a valid point and I had the same thought myself. The shorties + tune + R-F apparently made about the same increase as just the tune + R-F. What gives. Well for one thing, we did the shorty header + high flow cats install first, before the R-F & tune, so the 15 h.p. increase was from the headers only. Second, the maximum h.p. gain was just over 42 h.p. but at a little lower rpm, same with the torque I believe. Consequently, I believe that these headers gain more in the low to middle rpm range than say LT's would be don't give as much at high rpm. Maybe Kirk or GRRRR8 would have an opinion on this.
Also, at a stop if I just punch it with no power braking, the car will light the tires pretty good and take off very hard. The tires don't just sit there and spin but burn and take off very hard at the same time. That's something my car wouldn't dream of doing stock.

[GRRRR8]

Have you modded the lower panel yet?

[jbradsh1]

No, should I?

[SRG963]

No, should I?

everyone should LOL

[GeorgeInNePa]

No, should I?

Yes, it lets a lot more air into the RF.

Also, to prove your manliness, you need to use a utility knife to cut the plastic!


;)

[G8V8]

Have you modded the lower panel yet?

If you are asking me, not quite yet. There seems to be a slow donkey on the way to me for being a smartass to one well known moderator!

[GRRRR8]

OW OW OW OW OW! The donkey will be there this month you have my word!

[GRRRR8]

Yes, it lets a lot more air into the RF.

Also, to prove your manliness, you need to use a utility knife to cut the plastic!


;)

The next one I do, I will do with a plastic knife and a spork. I will have some title over you George! LOL

[GeorgeInNePa]

the next one i do, i will do with a plastic knife and a spork. I will have some title over you george! Lol
rofl!

[jbradsh1]

So, should I do the LP mod, or not?:woohoo:

[GeorgeInNePa]

So, should I do the LP mod, or not?:woohoo:

Yes, it will help.

[jbradsh1]

Thanks.

[Panther 2]

The major choke point on the exhaust ,is the exhaust manifold and the down pipe where it makes a 90 to the stock cat. Kooks LTH and stock mufflers are actually quieter than the stock exhaust,afm is almost undistinguishable. ( and that a big friggin word! )

[g8_795]

I so want some LTH's... Can one of you guys talk to my wife for me and explain why it is needed?

[Mike P]

I so want some LTH's... Can one of you guys talk to my wife for me and explain why it is needed?


You'd have some definite consistant 12's with either Kooks or American Racing Long Tubes!

Also, I used a big size drill bit used for drilling holes in doors for door knobs. I punched a few holes in the lower panel, zip, zip, and then trimmed it up with some utility shears / scissors.



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[GeorgeInNePa]

I so want some LTH's... Can one of you guys talk to my wife for me and explain why it is needed?

Sure, but you won't like what I say...







;)

[GeorgeInNePa]

You'd have some definite consistant 12's with either Kooks or American Racing Long Tubes!

Also, I used a big size drill bit used for drilling holes in doors for door knobs. I punched a few holes in the lower panel, zip, zip, and then trimmed it up with some utility shears / scissors.



...

Repeat after me, "utility knife".


lol

[Mike P]

We're not all plastic cutting bad asses! LOL


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[jbradsh1]

You'd have some definite consistant 12's with either Kooks or American Racing Long Tubes!

So by adding LT's your best improved from 13.7 @ 103+ to the 12's! Sounds great! Come on and give up some actual times & speeds!!!

[Mike P]

So by adding LT's your best improved from 13.7 @ 103+ to the 12's! Sounds great! Come on and give up some actual times & speeds!!!


I was talking about "G8 795's" set up. Because if he is already running low 13's with his current mods. By him adding LT Headers he should consistantly be in the 12s.

Me on the other hand will hopefully be going from 13.7 (hot weather), and hopefully mid to high 12's (cool weather) this Sunday 10/5 or next 10/12. But in addition to the LT Headers I did a Yank Torque converter, which makes the car launch like a bat outta hell now. If you floor it from a stop you will totally roast the tires like you're standing on the brake & the car goes sideways. Oh, and transmission cooler.



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[99-LS1-SS]

I don't think you'll have any problem touching the 12's with your mods.

[Mike P]

I don't think you'll have any problem touching the 12's with your mods.


I hope so..... :prostock:

[jbradsh1]

Can't wait to hear the good news! Post it as soon as you can.

[G8V8]

I posted my track times in the 1/4 run folder.

13.262 @ 106.77

[jbradsh1]

Thanks. I'm going to run mine again tomorrow morning, this time with the TC off. Hopefully I'll do as well as you have.

[G8V8]

Thanks. I'm going to run mine again tomorrow morning, this time with the TC off. Hopefully I'll do as well as you have.

Good luck friend. For me i found that torque braking above about 1500 was pointless. Keep TC off (don't forget it resets every time you start the car). I have 19s and for me starting in normal mode and running in it until about 80 then slapping over to sport and pulling back to lock it in third gave the best times. You could feel it pulling harder through the traps.

I'll look for your post tomorrow.

[jbradsh1]

Thanks for your tip. I'm a little worried about traction. The Kooks shorties w/high flow cats and the VMS tune & R-F give it really strong launch. I already know about running with TC off, normal mode, shift to sport when in 3rd hear & tap it back once to lock it in 3rd, cool engine for 20 minutes between runs. Any suggestions about launch technique? That's where I have trouble. The way my car is set up, I'm convinced I should be running 13 flat at 108 or better.

[wreckwriter]

Launch it from idle, don't powerbrake it at all.

[jbradsh1]

Thanks, I'll do that.

[wreckwriter]

Powerbraking really won't help unless you have a converter. Best method seems to be one foot on each pedal, lift brake, floor gas. You should get minimal spin that way.

If you can't get around the water box do just enough burnout to get the water off your tires. Preferably drive around the water box though then do just a couple spins to clean the crap off your tires before you stage.

[jbradsh1]

Thanks again. I can get around the water box.