Belize Off Road Team

What is the best brand headers for performance/economy?

TRD cost near $1000us

Downey Ceramic near $400us

Doug Thorley (do they make them?)

Or what is the best brand for performance/economy, i want TRD for name only, i don't know about performance, i personally will probably go with Downey Ceramic Headers.

Ohio4R

If you don't have a supercharger, then headers aren't really worth the money on a na engine.

Texas_Ace

Actually on the dyno the doug thorley that i have have a proven 15hp gain all though the power band.

Personally i have the Doug thorley. Quality is great and install for the y-pipe and passange side manifold was easy, drivers side is a pain no matter what brand you go with.

I am very happy with the doug thorley so far, no leaks and working great. Price is inbetween the TRD and downey (i paid $600 for mine)

Belize Off Road Team

Sounds good, i do plan on a SC in the near future so if i can get the headers now i might as well. So what is the comparison to TRD and Downey Ceramic.

Texas_Ace

the doug thorley are also Ceramic. The biggest thing that sold me ont he Doug thorley is that they provided real dyno tests from people with our trucks that would back them up proving that they give you 10 - 15hp NA and more with a supercharger. Plus i knew they would fit.

TRD's are stainless steel.

Don't know much about the Downey.

emptypockets

Maybe it's just me, but on a N/A engine, I'd rather spend the extra $600-$1,000 on off road goodies instead of headers. For that price, you could buy a lift, bumper, a sweet set of tires...

Even supercharged 3.4's aren't powerhouses...~280HP IIRC. For the price of a supercharger and headers, you'd almost be better off swapping in a V8! Just sayin'

Texas_Ace

If i actually had a place to go off-roading more then a few times a year i might agree but around here there just ain't no place to go off-road.

So for me i would rather spend my $$$ first on things i will actually use on a daily basis vs once a year.

A V8 swap would be nice but would cost more like $5000+ vs the $2000 i spent on my supercharger. Plus months of work to get it in there and working right vs the day it took me to install it (now tuning it right is another issue but at least it runs).

Ian Rogers

i have the dough throly, the dino numbers we done on my truck. It was the NA test truck and the 4-runner they used for the test fitting. I love them, they sound great even when I was NA the but dino still said WOW. You will feel the 15 ish HP they give you.

cackalak han

You mean to tell me that there are NO places to go wheeling in Dallas? I've never been to Dallas, but there has GOT to be places to go.

And for me, $67 per HP is just not worth it on a 4,000lb SUV with 190HP (probably 130 to the wheels?). 15HP isn't going to feel like anything. Even going from a N/A 3.4 to a Supercharged version, I felt like it was a mediocre gain. On this truck, I won't spend any money on bolt-on's or superchargers. For me, the 3.4L N/A gets the job done.

DailyDrive

15hp from 1500-2500rpm? That's where the 3.4L in a 4Runner is 99.9% of the time. It most likely didn't even get 1hp in that range.

Texas_Ace

Nope, i know of 1 place in the whole area it is leagle to go off-road (well if i want to drive an hour+ there are lots of places but i don't have that kind of time or $$$ for gas and even then i don't personally know of any good places) and this place charges $25 to get in and the trails are boring and way to easy. Or the place it flooded and not opened.

Actually yes, you get power all the way from idle to redline. I will dig upt he dyno chart if i can find it. If i remember right it was about an 8 - 10hp gain in the 1500- 2500rpm area but it might have been more.

cackalak han

Ok, fair enough. I don't know your area, so I'll take your word. However, if you don't even have that much money for gas, what are you doing modding your car with $1000+ parts? Also, I am assuming that with power mods come a heavier right foot. That also is wasting the gas money that you don't have. Doesn't make sense to me is all.

Texas_Ace

Oh, i got enough money for gas to get where i need to go but not to waste on a 100+mile road trip (100 miles x 2 at 20mpg = 10 gallons of gas @ $2.50 = $25) on top of the cost to get into any of the places (most cost $25 - $50 for the day). when i can go play paintball for $25 and a 10 min trip.

As for adding more power to it, well i did it for a few reasons.

1: because i could

2: because i wanted to

3: because people said i couldn't (not on here, in the real world)

4: because i tow some and the extra power would be nice

5: because i could

Course i could say the same thing about larger tires (whch i plan to do), they take away MPG, handle wores on the street, less power and are only used maybe 10% of the time except on dedication trail rigs.

Everyone has their tastes, you like yours and i respect that. My next plans are to get it trail ready. I just figured i might as well get it road ready first since that is where it will spend 98% of it's life.

hross14

There just isnt that much public land in Texas where you can go wheeling--there is alot of privately owned land here.

BUT--it seems to be coming your way to crack (Utah) and with the attack on Johnson Valley in Cali who knows what will be left in the next 10 years.

I DO KNOW THIS--i would rather see trails than track homes

I have a set of Doug THorley headers and like the quality. The only issue i have with them is the ceramic coating made its way onto the flange surface--meaning i need to clean up the surface before i install them. But they get my vote

seaofnames

Thats the best reason for headers/exhaust work. You might only gain a few horses in the lower range, but it evens out the torque/hp curve that plagues the 5vz.

I'd rather have a flatter tq/hp line than a higher PEAK tq/hp line.

I dont like revving my engine over 4000rpm to get top power out of it. If I wanted a high revving engine, I'd get a small car.

Tragic Drive

My ceramic coated downey's are showing surface rust after 3 years of use.
I've also installed 3 different mufflers and or resonators and I still cant find a tone I like.

good luck with your decision.

Belize Off Road Team

Ok so where would the money be better spent?

Headers

MC rear bumper

Arb winch front bumper

TRD limited slip for the rear

goodies for the 3.4L such as MSD stuff, so i guess bling for the 3.4L?

Belize Off Road Team

Actually, with no emission laws down here i am going to run 2 pipes straight off the headers and off to the side, they will not be seen because i am not going lower than the frame.

Texas_Ace

Well it depends on what you are doing. If you need the bumpers that that might be your best bet.

The headers will give you a power boost but they will be a pain to install.

Forget the MSD, did that, waste of $$$$.

If it was me, i would most likely get a locker/LSD for the rear. Just because that is something that will help in the wet/off-road all the time. Power is something you don't need but is just for fun. Traction you need.

Belize Off Road Team

well it wont be a pain for me because i dont have the motor in my truck yet, i want to buy the headers BEFORE installing.