Headers Give Your Ford Mustang More Power
Aftermarket exhaust headers improve exhaust flow and cylinder scavenging compared to stock cast manifolds or tubular shorty headers. With that, most aftermarket headers (long-tube or short-tube) feature larger-than-stock and often longer primary tubes, and a performance collector design.
If this style header makes more power, why doesn’t the factory use them? Fact is, very few factory vehicles are equipped with an exhaust system that’s optimized for power. That’s because tubular headers are more expensive to produce and they generally don’t fit as tight to the engine, which would slow assembly at the factory.
And while every engine is different, a typical set of high-quality aftermarket headers, like those sold at BrothersPerformance.com can be worth 25-40 horsepower depending on your combination.
In this example, we installed BBK 1 ¾-inch long-tubes which feature 1 ¾-inch primary pipes that are CNC-mandrel bent, a thick 3/8-inch flange for solid sealing, and clean welds for strength and durability. In addition, they have a 2-bolt lower flange with a ball-and-socket collector so you never have to worry about old-fashioned header leaks. And all BBK header kits come with new gaskets, installation hardware, and detailed instructions.
If you’re Coyote is really pumping out the power, you should consider the larger BBK 1 7/8-inch headers. These are more suited for max-effort naturally aspirated engines, supercharged engines or nitrous applications. It’s important to mention that BrothersPerformance.com sells header and exhaust kits for all 1979-present Mustangs, including those with engine swaps.
When you make the move from shorty to long-tube headers, you’ll need a shorter mid-pipe. Fortunately, BBK Performance sells a dedicated X-pipe to mate its long-tubes to virtually any Mustang exhaust. BBK’s mid-pipes feature 3-inch Mandrel Bent Aluminized Tubing, oxygen sensor bungs. Unfortunately, they can’t be sold or shipped to California residents.
Simple modifications that compliment headers on a 2011-2014 Ford Mustang GT are cold-air kits, throttle bodies, flash tuners, gears and exhaust mufflers. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to click on the video to see how much power we gained with our 2011 Mustang GT test car.