Long Tube Headers

[Roscoes]

I'm trying to decide between the Kooks and American Racing long tube headers. I'm leaning toward the Kooks, but I wanted to see what you all would go with.

1-7/8" Stainless Headers. 2008-2017 Toyota Landcruiser 5.7L. | Kooks Headers & Exhaust

2007+ Toyota Land Cruiser / 2008+ Lexus GX570 5.7L V8 1-7/8" x 3" Stainless Steel Long Tube Non-Emissions Headers w/3" x OEM Stainless Competition Only Connection Pipes. Headers are one of the top performance parts added to vehicles. Kooks Headers improves your vehicles exhaust performance...

kooksheaders.com

Toyota Land Cruiser 5.7L V8 Long System

This system fits the Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX570 for the model years 2007 through 2021. Available with your choice of 1-3/4" or 1-7/8" primaries. Note: Specify With or Without Emissions in the Notes to Seller at checkout to ensure you get the exact system for your specific application...

americanracingheaders.com

Given the two options, what set would you buy?


I would have included the Doug Thorley headers as an option, but they appear to have stopped making them.

 

[MTKID]

I'm trying to decide between the Kooks and American Racing long tube headers. I'm leaning toward the Kooks, but I wanted to see what you all would go with.

1-7/8" Stainless Headers. 2008-2017 Toyota Landcruiser 5.7L. | Kooks Headers & Exhaust

2007+ Toyota Land Cruiser / 2008+ Lexus GX570 5.7L V8 1-7/8" x 3" Stainless Steel Long Tube Non-Emissions Headers w/3" x OEM Stainless Competition Only Connection Pipes. Headers are one of the top performance parts added to vehicles. Kooks Headers improves your vehicles exhaust performance...

kooksheaders.com

Toyota Land Cruiser 5.7L V8 Long System

This system fits the Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX570 for the model years 2007 through 2021. Available with your choice of 1-3/4" or 1-7/8" primaries. Note: Specify With or Without Emissions in the Notes to Seller at checkout to ensure you get the exact system for your specific application...

americanracingheaders.com

Given the two options, what set would you buy?


I would have included the Doug Thorley headers as an option, but they appear to have stopped making them.

Has anyone on here done the Kooks? This is the first time I’ve come across those.

And will you be able to run the long tube ones (I assume this means eliminating a couple catalytic converters) w/o any warning lights popping up?

 

[Roscoes]

American Racing includes an option for cats, I could always add them to the Kooks, or run catless and fix the CEL

As for the Kooks, it looks like they reached out a few years ago:

Kooks Headers and Exhaust

Hi All, We are new to the forum and are seeking a little assistance. We are finishing up our new Toyota Tundra headers and exhaust, and we are looking for a 5.7L Land Cruiser to test fit a set on. I am willing to offer these at a extremely low price, with a free install, and also a dyno run. We...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[TomEf]

Kooks is pretty well known for making a really good product, but I haven't heard any feedback on the 200 series headers. Didn't even know there were long tube options for these things.

 

[MTKID]

American Racing includes an option for cats, I could always add them to the Kooks, or run catless and fix the CEL

As for the Kooks, it looks like they reached out a few years ago:

Kooks Headers and Exhaust

Hi All, We are new to the forum and are seeking a little assistance. We are finishing up our new Toyota Tundra headers and exhaust, and we are looking for a 5.7L Land Cruiser to test fit a set on. I am willing to offer these at a extremely low price, with a free install, and also a dyno run. We...

forum.ih8mud.com

Paging @RS6tofj80

 

[Docwyte]

Please don't run catless. There's no reason to, you make no more power without them vs with them.

 

[MTKID]

Please don't run catless. There's no reason to, you make no more power without them vs with them.

How many cats are under our rigs? Four? How much difference would there be with only two? I assume you’re request is for environmental reasons? I’m not trying to start an argument, I am curious. It would be a little hypocritical to build vehicles that take us to more remote areas to only harm those remote areas with our vehicles, but I also try to find a balance. Are two cats reasonably sufficient?

 

[Roscoes]

American Racing Headers has a 10% off sale going for the holiday.
Header + cats + shipping comes out to roughly 2k.

 

[Trukk]

No experience with Kooks for the 200. With that said:

I've run kooks long tubes with cats on my CTS-V for 110k miles and 12 years. I got them Jet Hot Coated, ARP header studs and use CoolSox on my plug wires (not really germane to the 3UZ). ZERO issues with them in that time. No burnt Wires, No Exhaust Leaks, No Rusting, NO ISSUES. I wouldn't hesitate to buy their product again.

Just make sure you get the supporting mods to make header ownership worth it. Nothing better than good headers, nothing worse than crappy ones.

 

[bloc]

How many cats are under our rigs? Four? How much difference would there be with only two? I assume you’re request is for environmental reasons? I’m not trying to start an argument, I am curious. It would be a little hypocritical to build vehicles that take us to more remote areas to only harm those remote areas with our vehicles, but I also try to find a balance. Are two cats reasonably sufficient?

We have four. On each side there is a primary right off the manifold (to allow it to heat up quickly), and a secondary less than a foot behind that. The primary is what does most of the work, and why there is a sensor right after it for the ECU to monitor how well they are working. Those sensors are why most cars don’t need to do active emissions testing anymore.

I didn’t look up all of the brands listed here but the kooks eliminate all of the catalysts. Your exhaust will stink, you’ll need a tune to avoid throwing codes, and because they are long-tube you’ll pick up some top-end horsepower likely at the expense of low-end torque.

But it’ll sound cool.

 

[Trukk]

We have four. On each side there is a primary right off the manifold (to allow it to heat up quickly), and a secondary less than a foot behind that. The primary is what does most of the work, and why there is a sensor right after it for the ECU to monitor how well they are working. Those sensors are why most cars don’t need to do active emissions testing anymore.

I didn’t look up all of the brands listed here but the kooks eliminate all of the catalysts. Your exhaust will stink, you’ll need a tune to avoid throwing codes, and because they are long-tube you’ll pick up some top-end horsepower likely at the expense of low-end torque.

But it’ll sound cool.

Install aftermarket cats. Simple to weld in. That raw fuel smell is not the way to go. Even with those cats, you will most probably set off the CEL. To make it go away permanently, you will have to tune the vehicle to turnoff the post catalytic O2 sensor (or possibly install some inline sensor eliminators).

Order the JetHot coating, and some cats. Weld the cats into the exhaust after the long tubes.

Catalytic Converter | Exhaust Components | Kooks Headers & Exhaust

Purchase your Catalytic Converter from Kooks Headers and Exhaust today!

kooksheaders.com

If you are really worried about not having the OEM cats, just stick with the OEM exhaust manifolds. If you really wanted to make them a bit better you could get them extrude honed, but I think you are just throwing money away at that point.

 

[Roscoes]

Just make sure you get the supporting mods to make header ownership worth it. Nothing better than good headers, nothing worse than crappy ones.

Harrop blower will be purchased sooner or later and it should put the headers to good use.

 

[OregonLC]

How much real-world gain are we looking at with 3UR headers? I replaced manifold gaskets on both sides when I did the starter a few years back and was really impressed by the design change (from the 2UZ). While not equal-length tubes, it's at least split.

I put Doug Thorley headers on my 2000 100 and didn't really notice much real-world gain. Other than the elimination of an exhaust tick. I believe the dyno chart for that setup showed ~ 30 hp gain, which would have been substantial for a 235 hp mill. It wasn't felt. At least not by the seat-o-pants dyno.

As @bloc indicated, the factory tune these days are pretty good. Resonance is planned into the design and sometimes increasing flow isn't necessarily increasing output. Not saying it's snake oil by any means. But I'd first start with gearing if you want a gain in felt power. It's all about torque at the road wheel, not the flywheel.

3UR:

2UZ:

 

[Trukk]

Harrop blower will be purchased sooner or later and it should put the headers to good use.

I was thinking more along the lines of getting the stuff that will make the heads not a pain in the ass. Many of us bought this truck do to the unbelievable relianbility; you don't want to compromise that.

A blower would be fun though

 

[Docwyte]

There will be some horsepower gain from the long tubes but I kinda doubt it'll be noticeable on our rigs. Which then begs the question of why even do it? Short of a supercharger I don't think anything really makes enough of a difference in horsepower to spend the time and money to install on our 200's.

On the cats, yes, for emissions and to be nice to Mother Nature. Given that removing the cats yields you no appreciable horsepower (I've tested this multiple times on a dyno) there's simply no reason to remove them.

 

[RS6tofj80]

I ran the Kooks as their test rig, with their high flow cats and a custom exhaust that I'm not sure they sell..... it for sure added TQ but they never got it on a dyno prior to put #'s to it...... It was a really great setup with perfect tone IMHO and the welds were excellent.

That said I ran ARH LT's on my C63 and they were impressive and well done - didn't know they were doing Toyotas....

if you're considering a sc'er (TRD or Harrop) the LT's would be a great jumping off point- but will require a bespoke tune to get all the gains... I was about to jump into that when I sold my 200, but the new owner has done the Harrop since....

Eurocharged might be willing to do a tune, Jerry did wonders on an E85 tune for my C63 and I suspect may of done the tuning on the Hennesey Lexus's w/ Sc'er.....

my old build thread has some more details and sound clips.....

Builds - My build thread - Rapido XL.....

it almost seems like you should have gone with something like a JKUR with the type of mods you're adding to the 200!

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Moby]

In regards to tuning for the headers. 2015 or lower HPTuners supports (I think 2016 is the break point). 2016+ will likely require a Unichip. I'd love to hear if there are other options as a piggyback is not my ideal tuning methodology, but Unichip does offer a plug and play for 200s. I have a Unichip dealer in my area with a 4 wheel dyno. If I go with a Harrop I will dyno and use a Unichip if needed to ensure safe fueling and spark timing.

 

[Brost]

anyone have real world feed back on these?

 

[mfeferman]

I found this thread because I’m considering American racing long pipes for my 2015 LX. I was also considering a Harrop SC. In fact, I’ve been considering both for over a year.
I finally got to drive one a month ago, in Houston, that is my same truck (year and color) and has the setup I mention above. All I can say is wow! The response and sound were both amazing. I’m hopeful to do the install for both but always like to see an install video online, first.

 

[MTKID]

Ok. Next question… the image doesn’t show the secondary air injection runners that are on the factory manifold. Do these eliminate that?