Weird question but I have been thinking about this recently and wondered if anyone had tried this. Has anyone used shorty headers and flipped the around on a turbo application instead of using the stock manifolds? I would assume that they would be better and would act almost like longtubes would on an N/A application. Anyone got any thoughts? I didn't do a lot of searching on this so I'm sure someone knows and I just missed it.

 

They would have an odd angle inverted because of they way they exit downward. You'd never get something like that under the hood but with enough fab work... yeah I'd say it's doable. Probably look like Cleetus Mac's "Ruby" Corvette with the turbo mounted high like that. A set of Speed Engineering Turbo headers are only $160 and are already V-Band'ed, would be a nicer fitment IMO

 

I did think about fitment too, would have to make your own tubes instead of using the ones that most companies provide. Would you think there would be performance to be had with this? If nobody has tried it I will keep it on the shortlist when I go turbo eventually (a year or two but I like looking and researching now)

 

No. Look at the guys running with 1k+ hp on here and the single turbo log setups they run.

https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...%40130-557877/

 

I see, but why not? I know that people run the single turbo log setups but why wouldn't shorties increase? Would they not increase flow through the pipes?

How do long tubes increase power in other applications (not turbo)? Is it not the increase of flow?

 

My understanding is a turbo just doesn't care so much about flow as say a blower set-up. That is why you can make such good numbers on a stock 4.8, upgrade the cam and valve train.

 

I used to think that a shorty header would be much better for a turbo application but watching so many badass turbo builds on here has steered me to think differently.

1: More likely to crack due to heat and weight on the turbo. Even with smaller turbos, I've seen several tubular manifolds need to be repaired.
2: Space the log manifolds are tight compact and fit well where an octopus of tube gets messy quick
3: Quiet, my biggest gripe about headers is the valve train noise and I put the quietness of a log manifold as a major plus side of a turbo over a blower.

 

I think that when you put a cork (turbo) in the outlet of an exhaust manifold, the only way to increase flow is at the outlet of the turbocharger with the largest possible pipe.
No! It is the tuned length of the tubes and sonic waves. They increase horsepower by timing the pulses to escape the tuned length tube into the collector so that it actually pulls a vacuum on the exhaust of adjacent cylinders. This length changes with RPM, so a streetable header has (just guessing) tubes around 34". And just like a trombone, shorter length tubes are for the higher notes, or higher RPM. But the difference is only a couple of inches if I remember correctly. As far as tuned length, shorties are way too short to provide this pulsed vacuum boost.
That's why shorty headers don't give the power boost that they appear like they should.
Shorty headers were invented for engine swaps and cosmetics.