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Whose Got Best Headers For 8.1 ?

Neli

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Neli Enthusiast

Neli

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I just picked up a 06 2500HD with the 8.1 litre, I was hoping to find some huge HP gains with a pair of headers, true dual exhaust with balance pipe. Anyone have any information on going down this road? Exhaust sensors? Removing Cat's....did I say that?

 

Thanks for any help!

boomer 33 Enthusiast

boomer 33

Posted
Posted
I just picked up a 06 2500HD with the 8.1 litre, I was hoping to find some huge HP gains with a pair of headers, true dual exhaust with balance pipe. Anyone have any information on going down this road? Exhaust sensors? Removing Cat's....did I say that?

 

Thanks for any help!

Screw all of that and get a good tune. There is a sleeping Giant waiting to be unleashed when you get a good ECM tune. I could get a few feet of rubber in a 7200 lb Yukon XL and then it pulled straight on out! The stock tune does not let you have full throttle until you exceed 3000 rpm. Tune, tune, tune!@!!!

davefr Enthusiast

davefr

Posted
Posted
I just picked up a 06 2500HD with the 8.1 litre, I was hoping to find some huge HP gains with a pair of headers, true dual exhaust with balance pipe. Anyone have any information on going down this road? Exhaust sensors? Removing Cat's....did I say that?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

 

Headers are a waist of money. Here's how to wake up an 8.1:

 

1. Open up the airbox. Use a dremel to cut a hole in the front right of the box that's behind the headlight. Try and double up the opening size.

2. Swap stock plugs with AC Delco 41-932's and gap them to .045"

3. Install a Wait4me performance tune

4. Swap the stock 195 thermostat with a 180 degree one

5. Run 92 octane fuel

 

Cost - approx. $300 if you keep the OEM PCM

Neli Enthusiast

Neli

Posted
  • Author
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Dupe

 

Thanks for the help, I just can't believe the headers and exhaust thing won't get a guy 100 hp, the exhaust must have taken some huge leaps from the factory in the last ten years. I'm liking what I'm hearing about the plugs, the air box, and the tune. Now, which tune? Westers or wait4me? My truck has 91,000 on it, so I don't need the stock pcm back. I'd like to see the speedo go above 96, I pull a trailer twice a month, other than that, I like a vehicle with some good get up and go.

 

Thanks for the help guys, that's huge.

boomer 33 Enthusiast

boomer 33

Posted
Posted

I can't speak for Wait4me, no personal experience with it. However, I have had great luck with Westers the first time, but had another guy do the second tune on it.

 

I would use Chuck Mossello, he owns Corvettes of Westchester. he just tuned my Denali yesterday and really brought out a lot of power , removed torque management, programmed it to get full throttle earlier then the stock setting which does not let you get full fuel to the engine until you reach 3000 rpm, raised the speed limiter, on and on, etc etc. He has tuned a Vette for me , my 04 Yukon XL with the 8.1, and now the Denali.

The guy is good, damned smart, understands all the relationships of the parameters he is messing with.

Google :corvettes of Westchester.

Good Luck.

Neli Enthusiast

Neli

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Dupe

 

Thanks for the help, I just can't believe the headers and exhaust thing won't get a guy 100 hp, the exhaust must have taken some huge leaps from the factory in the last ten years. I'm liking what I'm hearing about the plugs, the air box, and the tune. Now, which tune? Westers or wait4me? My truck has 91,000 on it, so I don't need the stock pcm back. I'd like to see the speedo go above 96, I pull a trailer twice a month, other than that, I like a vehicle with some good get up and go.

 

Thanks for the help guys, that's huge.

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