about PaceSetter's headers, mainly the one for the 22re?

I've heard "no way don't go with it; their crap", and then I've heard "oh PaceSetter's been around for a long time; they make good stuff!"; so I don't know what to think...

Now I'm not going for power gains; if I were to get some with it, whopty do, then I'll have... carry the 2... maybe a whole 65hp...

I'm mainly curious about the quality and longevity I can expect out of it. I really don't want to spend $300 on a header just cause it says Thornley or LCE on it...

I'm just tired of my freek'n o-rings letting loose between the stock manifold and down pipe...

Now I'll be replacing the cat-back as well cause my exhaust system has more holes than... I dunno, sumthin with a lot of holes... it's got a lot of freek'n leaky holes in it, I'll leave it at that, lol. But of coarse PaceSetter offer's a cat-back system as well; anyone had any experience with it? How's it sound?

Any input would be great guys; thanks in advance!

 

I don't know about for a 22re, but I had pacesetter headers on my first Camaro.

If the quality is the same now as it was then, I'd say don't get them. The fitment was pretty crappy.

 

what didn't fit right, the flange against the head, or further on down the header?

so long that it stay's flush against the head, I can live with having to adjust down where it ties into the rest of the exhaust; the truck's going to get a whole new exhaust at the same time anyway, so that'll take some playing around with to get right anyhow...

anyone else? I know more than one person on here has bought a header/headers from PaceSetter, and at least one person on the forum has to be running one on their 22re...

 

I hear alot of bad things:

Bad fitment
bad quality
rust issues

You get what you pay for my man..

 

well true, but $300-$400 for 1 decent header?

I've paid less than that for a set of both brand new Hooker headers for a SB Chevy!

 

I feel your pain, man, I feel your pain. I've gone through 4 sets of the stupid donut/o-rong/retarded/stupid $#%$ @#^& #$&#@ gaskets between the manifold/DP in the past year. I just got some high temp silicone to put on a new set today....so hopefully tomorrow I can get them on! Do you have trouble with the DP to cat gasket as well? I've burnt 2 in the year as well. I'm on the 4th one since I got the truck....I'M subscribing to this so I can get some more ideas on headers.....

 

Try buying headers for a 3vze!

 

no thankyou, I don't want the 3vze to begin with

 

Hey man, My Downey 4 into 1 has not let me down and fit great! It's cermic coated(inside/outside) and looks like it did when I put it in, a year and half ago. Nice thick flange, good welds and has the o2 sensor about where the factory one was. I do recomend getting new studs and nuts and use coppercoat and Downey's thick gasket.

my $.02

 

My LCE header has been great, the install was the smoothest of anyheader I have put on (SB chevy's, jeep i-6's, honda/acura)

The fit is perfect & the finish is great. But hey, you can always buy the crappy one first, then buy the good part the second time around...

 

I also have a Downey header for my 86 4Runner, its not installed yet but just looking at you can tell its a quality header.

 

I've been looking at the Downey for a while and although it looks good I'm having a hard time paying 400$ for a 4 cylinder header. Although now that I've got this thing breathing a little better on the intake it may be time to open up the exhaust a little.

 

The previous owner of my truck said you didn't need a header, all you need is to loosen the nuts on the studs securing the manifold to the head. I'd say he was dumb as a brick, but that would be mean...to bricks.

Tried the red hi-temp silicone gasket material at the manifold- downpipe connection, that just turned to ash. I would guess its just too hot there for RTV.

 

I have used Thorley headers with good results. Good price at Summit Racing.
4 to 2 to 1 Good torque, nickle plated. I will get them again for my next project.

 

Then why get a header?

If you're serious about having a header then think about your usage.
4-1 headers tend to boost the high rpms and 4-2-1 headers (kinda like the stock manifold... ) tend to favor mid-rpm performance.

 

Every single set of Pacesetter headers I've seen or installed have been junk and replaced with something else within 2-3 years tops. Not a very good investment. I picked up a used Thorley header that is ceramic coated and it's 4 5 years old, still in excellent shape.

 

Heck yeah man, you need to slap that bad boy and feel the flow!!


I think you'll be happy with power gain you'll get. The only gripe that I had about the whole deal, was the obvious steel studs in an aluminum head...stupid things would pull out. I couldn't get good torque on the all the studs and the max I was getting was 25 lbs. So, I ended up going thru a couple of Downeys thick gaskets, but they're customer service has been great with me and I got quick turn around on parts. After I had the motor rebuilt, I made sure the machine shop put new helicoils in so I wouldn't have a problem again. I still only torque the nuts to 30 or 35 lbs. Hell, the manual calls for 45 lbs!!!

 

My truck is in the process of being built, so it will be installed soon.

 

I was able to find my Downey header on sale for about 260. dollars, plus shipping, just do an online search like i did and you should be able to find a deal.

 

see that I could live with if I could find a deal...