Headers

May 12, 2020

Anyone install headers yet? I'm guessing not many due to the cost of tuning these trucks. I know some of the bigger names have headers/y advertised for our trucks like stainless works, kooks, American racing. Does anyone know if there is anything actually different from the 2018 headers and y to the 2019 headers and y? Some of the more affordable headers like speed engineering and Texas speed don't advertise as 2019 but have 2018 setups.

Gangly · May 13, 2020

The primary reason is that on the 2019+ models a header install would most certainly require a tune which is cost prohibitive at this point.

May 13, 2020

Definitely not cost friendly. Not sure I can pull the trigger on my wish list. Especially with the uncertainty right now. Just wanted to know if anyone had experience. And the cost difference between the speed engineering headers and stainless works would pay for the ECM exchange.

mdes0 · May 17, 2020

I didn't do headers but I did swap out the y pipe. If you take a look at the factory one the crossover pipe from the drivers side of the motor is significantly squished, I am assuming for clearance. I am not worried about clearance so I went with a y pipe with high flow cats from AFE. Nice piece, but if you do go this route I would recommend ordering an extra set of exhaust manifold studs as the OEMs on the 19s strip ridiculously easy. Get the studs for an 18 from autozone or something. I haven't tuned the truck, I did however disconnect the battery so it would re-learn, and I haven't replaced the muffler yet but feels smoother and much more responsive off the line and down low. It will smoke the tires off the line into 2nd all day long. I plan to replace the muffler with a borla and then get the GM cold air setup so I can get the GM performance tune.

Silverado4x4 · May 17, 2020

Headers will do nothing for you unless you spend your time at max rpm.

Gangly · May 18, 2020

17 hours ago, Silverado4x4 said:

Headers will do nothing for you unless you spend your time at max rpm.

Incorrect. Headers on a 5.3, depending on diameter, have shown improvements across the board. The more significant improvements are in the upper portion of the RPM band, but there are improvements throughout the entire RPM band. I have not seen it on a 19 or 20 year model yet, but the basic (LT/LS) engine flow characteristics are the same.

Gsmith308 · May 25, 2020

Does anyone know if the long tubes available for 2014 to 2018 models will fit the 2019/2020? Kooks is listing 2014- 2020 long tubes as the same. If this is the case that would open up a lot more options for 2019/2020 owners. Also anybody recommend some good stainless long tubes that were really popular on the 2014-2018 models that would work good for the 2019/2020 models?

bgweed · May 28, 2020

On 5/17/2020 at 11:37 AM, mdes0 said:

I didn't do headers but I did swap out the y pipe. If you take a look at the factory one the crossover pipe from the drivers side of the motor is significantly squished, I am assuming for clearance. I am not worried about clearance so I went with a y pipe with high flow cats from AFE. Nice piece, but if you do go this route I would recommend ordering an extra set of exhaust manifold studs as the OEMs on the 19s strip ridiculously easy. Get the studs for an 18 from autozone or something. I haven't tuned the truck, I did however disconnect the battery so it would re-learn, and I haven't replaced the muffler yet but feels smoother and much more responsive off the line and down low. It will smoke the tires off the line into 2nd all day long. I plan to replace the muffler with a borla and then get the GM cold air setup so I can get the GM performance tune.

I would like to know more about this. Part number? Any issues with replacing the cats? Photos?

CamGTP · May 30, 2020

The oval of the pipe under the transmission does not hurt the airflow.

Motor Trend even did a test with denting header primaries on many different sized headers and it didn't change the power output.

langston1726 · May 30, 2020

This member is using Kooks headers and Y on his 19 6.2 High Country. Tuning will be $$$ on the 19s and 20s.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?share_fid=33003&share_tid=234833&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egm-trucks%2Ecom%2Fforums%2F&share_type=t&link_source=app

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gangly · June 4, 2020

The headers should mount up to the heads with no issues at all, bolt pattern should be identical to the last few generations of the 5.3. I do not know whether the piping from the collectors rearward are the same, it might require a different y-pipe but I would think you could call up Kooks, Lemons, etc. and they would know.

Sfcdjf · June 6, 2020

Ive got the cai and exhaust mod from gm. Have the truck since feb, and have had nothing but trouble.not even 3000 miles yet, but has been in shop some 7 or 8 times. Check eng light comes on at about every 200 miles.......truely a gm nightmare

blazerk5drew · June 11, 2020

On 5/17/2020 at 10:37 AM, mdes0 said:

I didn't do headers but I did swap out the y pipe. If you take a look at the factory one the crossover pipe from the drivers side of the motor is significantly squished, I am assuming for clearance. I am not worried about clearance so I went with a y pipe with high flow cats from AFE. Nice piece, but if you do go this route I would recommend ordering an extra set of exhaust manifold studs as the OEMs on the 19s strip ridiculously easy. Get the studs for an 18 from autozone or something. I haven't tuned the truck, I did however disconnect the battery so it would re-learn, and I haven't replaced the muffler yet but feels smoother and much more responsive off the line and down low. It will smoke the tires off the line into 2nd all day long. I plan to replace the muffler with a borla and then get the GM cold air setup so I can get the GM performance tune.

This was on a 19 correct? Any CEL? 6.2?

Thanks.

BIGDOGx · June 12, 2020

23 hours ago, blazerk5drew said:

This was on a 19 correct? Any CEL? 6.2?

Thanks.

I remember way back in the day with my 89 s10 baja i put a set of headers on it and boy was that a mistake. Unless i could get under the hood to tighten the header bolts everyday, and even the locking ones would back out, i went through gasket after gasket. Go spend that cash on a nice borla or corsa stainless exhaust imo instead.

blazerk5drew · June 12, 2020

53 minutes ago, BIGDOGx said:

I remember way back in the day with my 89 s10 baja i put a set of headers on it and boy was that a mistake. Unless i could get under the hood to tighten the header bolts everyday, and even the locking ones would back out, i went through gasket after gasket. Go spend that cash on a nice borla or corsa stainless exhaust imo instead.

?