LS3 Sandcar exhaust options

herman pahls

herman pahls

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Hello Glamis Dunes

After 40 years of Sandcars powered by turbo Pinto, VW  or Subaru, my new car is getting a rear engine S5/LS3 without a turbo.

i am looking for ideas how to build/buy exhaust that is reasonably quiet and decent sounding for a rear engine 480 HP LS3.

I am trying to keep the engine cage as short as possible to fit into the trailer without the rear tires on top of the fender wells.

I was advised by one salesman at Kartek to use headers that go down or out from the exhaust ports to avoid cooking the plug wires and coil packs.

Gibson, CBM and Kartek offer what I will call boat headers that have resonator mufflers.

Kartek also offers headers that go up and back, then blend together into an X pipe behind the water pump with dual 5” Supertrapps.

I do not care for the look of the Gibson style headers plus how far they extend behind the water pump pulley.

I could cut off the resonators and weld  on Supertrapps to shorten the exhaust.

I could get the up and back headers from Kartek and use Supertrapps instead of the X pipe arrangement.

I think I would prefer the sound of the 2 into 1    X pipe but that moves the engine cage back at least 5-6  inches.

1   What are your thoughts on the muffling and sound quality of Supertrapps on 2 into 1   x  pipes, up and back headers or Gibson style headers?

2    Is heat from the up and back style of headers an issue with plug wires and coil packs?

3    Would a muffler with two 3” inlets and two 3” outlets give better sound deadening and quality?

I appreciate any advice.

Herman 
Southern Oregon Dunes

 
Hondajimz said:
His Company name is Hot Head Headers. His work is excellent and reasonably priced. You will be very happy. 
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Grease Monkey said:
Get at hold of @juggernaut here on the board. He builds some nice headers from your basic measurements. 
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This is a great place to get what you are looking for makes amazing headers and will fit them in the space you have.

 
I really dont want to sound mean, but a stock or mild cam LS will just sound like that, so no mater the system they are pretty close to the same,  I have built around 80 LS engines in my life and have tried from China turbo headers to $4000 headers, at the end you will get a slight tone difference but will all sound close

The CAM makes the sound,  More lift More duration is more of a wicked race sound,  more Cubes more the LS will sound off the wall, 

So not that most of the headers will sound the same,  for what you are trying to do, and i have done this on a small ultra light mid SU,    I did the Kartek headers but ran them upside down,  I have some motors in the shop and can show you how this will work,  

When running the headers from Kartek upside down,  on a rear engine it hits the Alternator, but on a MID engine it clears everything,   and will not have Spark Plug Wire issues, 

LS3 with mufflers will sound just like a every day stock Camaro,   to help this i run no mufflers, and go to a 3'' pipe,  Merging them will quite them down on a stock cam,   

Depending on the ECM,  if it is stock you can change the plug timing at idle and make it more of a Lope,   

Super easy to change the cam,    I would do a 585 lift with a 225/234 on a 112 LSA  that would be a nice cam for a stock motor,  Dual spring or good comp single springs and you are set,  

 
Thread responders

I want to thank you for connecting me with Dave at Hot Head Headers. Dave sent some photos of what he is capable of and I am impressed.

J Alper

i am not sure what you meant by “I do not want to sound mean”. I will try to get ahold of you at Alper Motorsports. I need direction deciding exhaust issues to what engine management to use. With 80 LS engines I am sure you have advice
thanks 

Herman 

 
herman pahls said:
Thread responders

I want to thank you for connecting me with Dave at Hot Head Headers. Dave sent some photos of what he is capable of and I am impressed.

J Alper

i am not sure what you meant by “I do not want to sound mean”. I will try to get ahold of you at Alper Motorsports. I need direction deciding exhaust issues to what engine management to use. With 80 LS engines I am sure you have advice
thanks 

Herman 
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With a Stock motor, i would not run mufflers,  it will sound better,  if you go with a .600 lift cam, with some more duration, it will sound mean with a lope at idle,   this can be done with the motor still in the car,   would need to pull the front cover and the water pump,   

Show us some pics when its done,  glad it all worked out,  

 
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