3.2L custom headers need some help

[o3cts]

Ahoy hoy people. Once again I'm about to start a new cuistom job but before i do i need a little assistance. Header cts's please come forward

1. The few people that do have headers on either the 3.6l or the 3.2l ,what size are the dimension on the exhaust manifold, and on the headers ?

2. Can i get any photos of the headers so i have a basis of what im working with.

3. What hp gain did you get when adding headers.

4. People with exhaust knowledge you think we can sqeeze some long tube headers in there?

5. Who would be interested 3.2L guys in this mod,because i need a 3.2l cts in south florida. that i can mock them up to to see the stock gains from the header gains, and you'll get a major discount if there is a positive gain.

In closing any info would help, as i try to make things happen for this step-child motor,while trying not to break peoples bank.

"Because you know its hard out here for a pimp." j/p

Thanks in Advance

[Cadiman1983]

I really can't help you, but I am interested in getting a set. I don't know what happened to the big group buy we were doing, but of course I've been AWOL for awhile.

[LUVMY04V]

i would be down to buy if gains are shown fo sho

[rblimas]

this is why i love o3...his is making the 3.2 better then the 3.6(not trying to diss the 3.6)

[pjohnesq]

Originally Posted by o3cts

Ahoy hoy people. Once again I'm about to start a new cuistom job but before i do i need a little assistance. Header cts's please come forward

1. The few people that do have headers on either the 3.6l or the 3.2l ,what size are the dimension on the exhaust manifold, and on the headers ?

2. Can i get any photos of the headers so i have a basis of what im working with.

3. What hp gain did you get when adding headers.

Here are my Dyno results...I have a 3.6 tho...>http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...s-headers.html

[o3cts]

Thanks alot pj that helps alot so i know what i should be pushing for , would you happen to have a photo?

Now whats the major diff when it comes to 3.2l exhaust valves to the 3.6l ??

Also would you guys want long tube headers , or shorty's?

Im trying man just trying . We have a little power added that adds about 40-50 hp gain, but we can start somewhere else to help squeeze even more ponies out this motor, just hope more can be done. Any more info would help thanks guys.

[xshrpshtr]

OK, so with ALL the bolt ons you can use...what is the max hp outta a 3.6?

[o3cts]

come on lady 's and gents , any info will help.

[odysseus]

With headers, low restriction airbox (volant, etc), better exhaust, the 3.6L is in the 300 HP range (~240 RWHP). Not bad for bolt-ons.

If I were to make headers for the 3.2L car, the first thing needed is to determine the appropriate tubing diameter. Don't go hog wild here, bigger is not always better, especially if you want to produce max torque (say ~1 3/8" to 1 1/2"). The second thing I would do is build a jig using the factory manifolds AND cats. Measure under the hood for any additional clearance, or restrictions to watch out for (steering linkage, cross members, etc). Fabricate at least 1/2" thick baseplates using the factory manifolds as a guide. Then start bending some tubing and welding. Test fit them with some high flow cats, then dyno test.

You'll find that it may take several iterations to get the right combination of tubing length and diameter, depending on where you want to produce the power in the curve. I suggest max mid-range torque and let the HP fall where it may. You can look at other header designs for v6 engines of similar displacement to get things close on the first try.

This isn't going to be an inexpensive venture, especially if you have to pay someone to actually do the fabrication. Remember from a business point of view, all non-recurrning development costs have to be recouped with how many units you can sell. If you only sell 100 sets, $10,000 development costs come to $100 per header. $10,000, sounds like a lot of money, but it's only about four to five manweeks of labor. The incremental costs gets much more if you only sell 10 sets ($1000/header just to recoup the development costs, plus materials and labor for each). This is one reason, I'm sure, that Pete never got 3.2l headers produced before he got ill.

Personally, I'd like some mild steel (to keep costs down), jet hot coated headers. Stainless would be nice (harder to work with and higher material costs), but if they're coated, mild steel should last longer than I own the car.

It sounds from your post that you want to try to reverse engineer someone elses headers. The problem is there are none for the 3.2L. If you want to do it right, one really needs to read up everything they can on exhaust design and fabrication.

[nickc50310]

I want long tube headers. I am actually working on getting long tube headers for the 3.6. Still ironing out the details. I been busy as shit with my actual job for the past week and a half.

[o3cts]

Thank you ody thats helping, what i planned on doing first was removing the old headers ,and seeing where exactly is the exhaust gasses are located , if they were a larger diameter around the exhaust vavle itself i was going to mock up a set of stock headers up , and widen the exhaust manifold untill it fit the exhaust valves perfect,because most car oem manufactures go smaller headers, for bigger exhaust valves, hopefully cadillac did the same.

I'll guess ill stick with shorty headers , that way I'm building up torque rather then hp gains

[odysseus]

Shorty's by far would be an easier fit, since they would be a bolt-in. Long tubes theoretically make more torque, but getting them to fit without dragging them over every speed bump would be a challenge, especially on lowered CTS's like mine (I have to drive up on a pair of 2x4's just to get a floor jack under my car to change the oil!).

Anyone who comes up with a usable set of 3.2L headers using either the stock cats, or with high flow cats, has my business! I told Pete I'd be the first to pony up the $1600 for a set of his jet hot coated stainless steel 3.2L cats and high flow headers. I firmly believe that mild steel is the way to go for prototyping, to keep costs down and to make simple mods. Stainless can be a bear to work with. Coatings can be added later to keep underhood temps down for around $100.

Expect somewhere around 15 to 20 HP increase from headers. With a Borla exhaust and Volant, this should put the 3.2L in the 270 HP range (at the flywheel).

[o3cts]

For real i thought long tubes were for hp's ahh well learned something new again, so work with mild steel, got you i dont think its going to be in the 1600 range. It'll probably be cheaper, but ill try ill keep you guys informed hopefully something positive comes out of this thanks Ody.

[pjohnesq]

Originally Posted by o3cts

Thanks alot pj that helps alot so i know what i should be pushing for , would you happen to have a photo?

Here goes some photos of the headers and cats...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38...huggers004.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38...ggers001-1.jpg

[RobertCTS]

This is a repeat of PJ plus a shot of them in place. the 3.6VVT.