Porsche Oem X51 Headers Or Evo?

[porschester]

Hi Everyone.....I have a dilemma... <_< My Porsche dealer just received my EVO headers and they do look beautiful, but I have made some research on the X51 headers and it looks like they also have a great reputation for quality and performance. The one thing that got me by surprise is the following comment made by Europipe:

The stock 997S headers have ø 42mm tubes. Both the 997S X51 and 996 GT3 headers have ø 48mm tubes. We have build and tested several equal length headers in both 45mm , 48mm and 50mm tube sizes. Eventually the OEM X51 headers turned out to equally good but without having the INEVITABLE ground clearance issues.

The last thing I would want is having the EVO headers be too low, since my car has already been lowered with the new springs.

So if the X51 have a larger mm diameter 48 vs. 44.5 for the EVO and a better ground clearance, should I opt instead for the OEM X51??

Are the performance and HP increase similar??

Also would the X51 headers further improve on my TUBI mufflers sound quality??

Any honest advice and recommendation would help my head with my headers in making the best decision :renntech:

The X51 are also much cheaper in price than the EVO's....

Here is the pix of europipe exhaust with X51 headers:

http://www.egermanparts.com/Europipe/images/997S_02.jpg

Cheers

Porschester

Edited October 5, 2007 by porschester

[geza]

Factory headers/cheaper/no ground clearance issues/HP output tested as optimum - X51.

I'd do it.

[Dave07997S]

Hi Everyone.....I have a dilemma... <_< My Porsche dealer just received my EVO headers and they do look beautiful, but I have made some research on the X51 headers and it looks like they also have a great reputation for quality and performance. The one thing that got me by surprise is the following comment made by Europipe:

The stock 997S headers have ø 42mm tubes. Both the 997S X51 and 996 GT3 headers have ø 48mm tubes. We have build and tested several equal length headers in both 45mm , 48mm and 50mm tube sizes. Eventually the OEM X51 headers turned out to equally good but without having the INEVITABLE ground clearance issues.

The last thing I would want is having the EVO headers be too low, since my car has already been lowered with the new springs.

So if the X51 have a larger mm diameter 48 vs. 44.5 for the EVO and a better ground clearance, should I opt instead for the OEM X51??

Are the performance and HP increase similar??

Also would the X51 headers further improve on my TUBI mufflers sound quality??

Any honest advice and recommendation would help my head with my headers in making the best decision :renntech:

The X51 are also much cheaper in price than the EVO's....

Here is the pix of europipe exhaust with X51 headers:

http://www.egermanparts.com/Europipe/images/997S_02.jpg

Cheers

Porschester

That's what I went with...

[porschester]

That's what I went with...

Have you been satisfied with the X51 headers, did the sound and performance improved....so I guess you would recommend the X51 headers over the EVO's ? Now 2 for 2 are suggesting the X51 headers.

[Dave07997S]

That's what I went with...

Have you been satisfied with the X51 headers, did the sound and performance improved....so I guess you would recommend the X51 headers over the EVO's ? Now 2 for 2 are suggesting the X51 headers.

I have been very satisfied...it's OEM, fits perfect and aids in power production. As far as sound is concerned..headers don't add much to sound, it may sound a tad throatier or more aggressive but as far as being louder it won't add much.

Dave

[porschester]

Hi Dave

I think I changed my mind and will go for th X51 headers instead of the EVO's. Everyone seems to agree on the perfect fit and peace of mind that it is Porsche OEM. The ground issue clearance comment made by Europipe, completely threw me off guard in regards to after market headers. My current TUBI exhaust note is already superb, any extra added by the X51 headers will be the just the cherry on a great cake :D

Nicholas the head of the Motorsport dept. at my dealer, and my friend Jose a former Porsche racer and currently working for a Porsche racing team also recommended going with the X51....Their advice pertaining to my car modifications has often proven right!

Cheers

Porschester

[zschicago]

Porschester, did you get those X51 headers installed? I have a 06 C2S and am considering the same two options. Just cant decide.

Thx, Zane

[christianracing1@juno.com]

:renntech: I would like to add my 2 cents worth; I had a hard time spending an extra $1000 for after market headers when the X51 headers are $550 thru Sunset Imports. The difference in hp is maybe 2 or 3 at best and they are OEM so there shoul be no warranty issues. :renntech: :renntech:

[zschicago]

:renntech: I would like to add my 2 cents worth; I had a hard time spending an extra $1000 for after market headers when the X51 headers are $550 thru Sunset Imports. The difference in hp is maybe 2 or 3 at best and they are OEM so there shoul be no warranty issues. :renntech: :renntech:

Im leaning that way. Where did you see that price? I just went to the site, but couldnt find it. thanks

[porschester]

Hi zschicago,

I finally got to see first hand the X51 headers...the tubes are definitely thiker than the stock ones, as well as the EVO's....42mm for the stock, 44.5mm for the EVO and a whopping 48mm for the X51. The merge connector where the tubes merge is different in the X51, in the EVO they all merge out together, (see pix above) where the X51 end at the central connector which in turn send the air out. I dont know if the merging of the tubes to theconnector makes a difference, but apparently the thinker tubes on the X51 headers make better use of air and performance. The X51 header cost less than $650, and the EVO's are anywhere from $775 at Suncoast (only limited numbers) to $1495 if you buy from EVO direct. The fact that it is a OEM part and I would not have to worry about warranty issues is enough for me to have chosen the X51 headers over the EVO's. In terms of performance, I have not idea if they would add any horses or torque. The rumors vary anywhere from zero horses to 7-8 HP. If anyone is definitely sure of how many HP/TQ headers would add, please post it.

I will drop the car tomorrow, when I get it back I will let you know of the results.

Cheers

Porschester

[Dave07997S]

Hi zschicago,

I finally got to see first hand the X51 headers...the tubes are definitely thiker than the stock ones, as well as the EVO's....42mm for the stock, 44.5mm for the EVO and a whopping 48mm for the X51. The merge connector where the tubes merge is different in the X51, in the EVO they all merge out together, (see pix above) where the X51 end at the central connector which in turn send the air out. I dont know if the merging of the tubes to theconnector makes a difference, but apparently the thinker tubes on the X51 headers make better use of air and performance. The X51 header cost less than $650, and the EVO's are anywhere from $775 at Suncoast (only limited numbers) to $1495 if you buy from EVO direct. The fact that it is a OEM part and I would not have to worry about warranty issues is enough for me to have chosen the X51 headers over the EVO's. In terms of performance, I have not idea if they would add any horses or torque. The rumors vary anywhere from zero horses to 7-8 HP. If anyone is definitely sure of how many HP/TQ headers would add, please post it.

I will drop the car tomorrow, when I get it back I will let you know of the results.

Cheers

Porschester

You can buy the X51 headers from Suncoast for $575 with bolts and gaskets...even AWE with their dyno's only got 4rwhp out of their headers after the cat and mufflers installed. They didn't test the headers by themselves...I don't think there is any hp to be gained by the headers themselves. The headers will fatten up the powerband a tad after you do the cats and mufflers..the majority of the gains to be had with the exhaust system is going to be the cats...

Dave

[Chuck Jones]

I just bought the Europipe Stage 1 exhaust system for the 996TT, and I have the X50 option. I know that the Stage 1 limits your upper HP rating to 600..which is more than I really intend to go...so what you're saying is that the majority of the performance gains come from the cats and mufflers...some from the increased size of the pipe, which I think goes up to 65mm with the Europipe Stage 1 system....70mm with the Stage 2...but that the implementation of headers will bring you very little...which makes it less of an attraction to buy the X51's. Since there have been no dynos of the headers themselves, there's no empirical data to support whether they add anything or not.

Maybe someone with an engineering background can step in here.

chuck

[AP 997S]

You won't go wrong w/ X51 headers.

Just installed a pair on my 997S a few days ago. Fit was perfect. Simple DIY job (6 header bolts and 3 cat nuts) for the average 'wrench'.

Good luck!

[christianracing1@juno.com]

:renntech: I would like to add my 2 cents worth; I had a hard time spending an extra $1000 for after market headers when the X51 headers are $550 thru Sunset Imports. The difference in hp is maybe 2 or 3 at best and they are OEM so there shoul be no warranty issues. :renntech: :renntech:

Im leaning that way. Where did you see that price? I just went to the site, but couldnt find it. thanks

If you call the parts dept. and ask they have them in stock. If you subscribe to Excellence magazine they give a discount.

Good luck.

Edited October 20, 2007 by christianracing1@juno.com

[Vman]

:renntech: I would like to add my 2 cents worth; I had a hard time spending an extra $1000 for after market headers when the X51 headers are $550 thru Sunset Imports. The difference in hp is maybe 2 or 3 at best and they are OEM so there shoul be no warranty issues. :renntech: :renntech:

Im leaning that way. Where did you see that price? I just went to the site, but couldnt find it. thanks

If you call the parts dept. and ask they have them in stock. If you subscribe to Excellence magazine they give a discount.

Good luck.

Hate to burst the header hater bubble, but SCARGO Headers on my 3.8 x51 motor blew away the dyno results of the X51 header and lost nothing on the top end...we ended up with 338 ft/lbs of torque on 91 pump gas proven on two separate load bearing (Mustang and Dyno Dynamics) dynos. SCARGO Headers are not cheap, around $2700, but if you look under a bunch of grandam porsche race cars you will see that they are the header of choice because unlike all the other stuff that claims gains they actually work.

VMAN