# pace setter headers junk??



## hondatraitor05m6 (Jun 24, 2009)

hi! i am used to working and tuning on honda's mainly and anything pacesetter makes for imports is total junk... but now i bought a gto and i am considering buying their uncoated longtubes. i was planning on keeping the stock midpipes and welding the stock cats and keeping the behind the cat flanges to considering their 3". (mod list in my sig) I would like to keep the stock cats to keep the noise down. :seeyado these pacesetter headers make power?? also can i tune them to run awesome with the diablo tuner?? i will just header wrap the longtubes anyway, no use in buying the chrome ones. all the other brands are just way way to overpriced. I intend to put a bigger T/B, cam, and intake mani on the car in the future and that's about it for performance mods. thanks for any input in advance!!!!:seeya


----------



## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

I beleave Pacesetter headers are made from mild steel, not stainless. Do not wrap headers expecally mild steel headers just get some good headers that is coated inside and out.


----------



## 04torridm6 (Oct 25, 2008)

It honestly boils down to what you want pacesetters will work to make some power, but they are steel and will rust and corrode. Im not sure if you can modify you mids to work or not, thats a lot of cutting and bending your labor may warrent you buying their mids to modify them. As far as the diablo you can tune with it but you wont tune out the o2 sensors and the check engine light unless you buy the SLP Diablo. Final piece of advice that most guys share with mods "you get what you pay for". Good luck, hope you make some big numbers


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

Pacesetter VS Kooks I haven't ever seen someone post a dyno with on VS the other on the same tune. More power/torque seems to be a myth. You may get a few more HP from Kooks, but to warrent the extra money its a bad choice.

Kooks do have a much nicer finish the Pacesetter. But you can get Hot Jet coated Pacesetters from Maryland Speed that won't rust.

Mids from Pacesetter are required for the install. You can also have them Hot Jet coated my Maryland Speed also.

Bang for the buck, Pacesetter. Show car, Kooks.


----------



## LOWET (Oct 21, 2007)

hondatraitor05m6 said:


> hi! i am used to working and tuning on honda's mainly and anything pacesetter makes for imports is total junk... but now i bought a gto and i am considering buying their uncoated longtubes. i was planning on keeping the stock midpipes and welding the stock cats and keeping the behind the cat flanges to considering their 3". (mod list in my sig) I would like to keep the stock cats to keep the noise down. :seeyado these pacesetter headers make power?? also can i tune them to run awesome with the diablo tuner?? i will just header wrap the longtubes anyway, no use in buying the chrome ones. all the other brands are just way way to overpriced. I intend to put a bigger T/B, cam, and intake mani on the car in the future and that's about it for performance mods. thanks for any input in advance!!!!:seeya




Pacesetter makes a very good product for the GTO. The quality of the welds , and fit is just as good as any other brand. To keep the price on the low side Pacesetter uses Carbon Steel instead of Stainless Steel that other header makers use. Most likely they will rust through sooner then some other brands. If you purchase them make sure to get the Coated version. 

If you don't want coated Pacesetters , buy the unpainted ones and get a few cans of VHT Ceramic Heat Paint and give them a few coats before install. This paint will last a very long time. Mine lasted for a few years before it needed a little touch up. The paint that Pacesetters uses on their painted headers will completely burn off after a few short rides.

As far as HP gains. I don't know about anyone else but in my case I netted a 20+ HP increase with them


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

Hot Jet Coated from Marlyland Speed and your good to go with Pacesetters.


----------



## REDBULL (Jun 20, 2010)

My Pacesetters Headers are coated and fitment is awesome. No issues what so over - no rusting - no problem and they made nice power. These have been on the car for over a year now and they still shine from being coated. I can post pics of them after year and you make the call.

I like them


----------



## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

would pacestter ceramic coated show rusting or discoloration after use??? seen them on ebay for 380 compared to others, these are cheap.


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

In a word, Rustsetter. Most especially if you live in the salty states.


----------



## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

I have had coated Pacesetters on for 4 years now. Showing a little rust around weld seams on head flanges and surface rust starting to show on the underside areas but nothing close to rust thru or failure. Bang for the buck I will go Pacesetter coated again.


----------



## ROBSGTO (Jul 6, 2008)

Get the coated Pacesetters and they will last you quite a while.There is no difference in hp between the different brands.

I have coated Kooks,but if I had to do it all over again I would have bought the coated Pacesetters and used the difference on another mod.


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

The beauty of stainless headers is that it's a fire & forget mod. Never worry about rust, never worry about it supporting future mods, never worry about breaking bolts 10 years down the road when you decide you want new heads, etc...


----------



## B-ville Goat (Oct 5, 2008)

I have them as well. Quality I think is good, but coated is the way to go for sure since they are not stainless. For the price versus other long tubes you can't beat them.


----------



## LEDFOOT (Jan 8, 2011)

What type of mufflers are you using?


----------



## Richtenb (Feb 1, 2010)

Poncho Dan said:


> The beauty of stainless headers is that it's a fire & forget mod. Never worry about rust, never worry about it supporting future mods, never worry about breaking bolts 10 years down the road when you decide you want new heads, etc...


Agree to this and besides the things poncho says kooks have really good cats. I did pass emissions without a problem and our emission tests are really hard. Why choose something that give less Hp, No cats and rust?


----------



## john.rowe (Feb 18, 2011)

do you get around the same amount of power from them as you do from the big names like slp and kooks? i'm in the same boat on which headers to get for my 06. i don't wanna pay out the wazoo but at the same time i don't want to get something that's gonna fail in the long run. i agree with you get what you pay for though.


----------



## ROBSGTO (Jul 6, 2008)

john.rowe said:


> do you get around the same amount of power from them as you do from the big names like slp and kooks? i'm in the same boat on which headers to get for my 06. i don't wanna pay out the wazoo but at the same time i don't want to get something that's gonna fail in the long run. i agree with you get what you pay for though.


I have never seen any proof that you get less hp with the Pacesetters,but the stainless steel headers will last alot longer.


----------



## Richtenb (Feb 1, 2010)

More air in, More exhaust out. If you are close to stock it is probably not any differance. If you got a blower it is probably or i am pretty sure you will get more hp out of Kooks which with no doubt will allow more exhaust out of it.


----------



## 06BLACKGTO64 (Oct 30, 2010)

i was looking it up. if you buy the good coated pacesetter headers from maryland speed , midpipes, and cats..plus having to have someone cut and weld the cats into the midpipes your only going to save a couple hundred bucks..i was originally gunna do pacesetter because of the price but once i looked at that why not just get the SLP headers that are stainless and have everything to just bolt it up with cats..IMO its worth a couple hundred to to just be able to bolt it up and forget about ever checking for rust


----------



## george g (Mar 26, 2009)

Slp cats don't last long from what I've read.


----------



## logan06 (Oct 27, 2011)

The painted Pace Setters have a tag stating that the paint is not high heat resistant. It is basically just there to keep the headers protected from factory to your doorstep. I stripped the black coating and painted them inside and out with 2,000 degree silver paint. Cost is 9$ a can, took two cans to coat them. No they will not last as long as a SS set, but they will probably outlast my ownership. BTW I found a set on Autoanything.com for 135$ catless mids 125$. Can't beat that.


----------

