zoomie vs collector header

I have seen on blown cars that some have regular zoomie headers and I have seen some with a collector header. So it has me wondering which is better? I thought collector headers on blown cars were not good.

 

Oh, there are guys that have collectors on their blown engines. Make no mistake. I have never seen the time slips, or the dyno numbers, but some of them are really swearing by them.

 

I'll start off by saying that I agree with Mike. Exhaust pulse tuning has no real meaning in a highly boosted crank supercharged engine where the exhaust is exposed to our prevailing atmosphere. I think the reasons behind why you see what appears to be collected supercharged engines at the track, fall into a couple of categories not related purely to exhaust system tuning.

Those reasons include: 1)class muffler rules, and 2)body style limitations, and 3)personal appearance preferences.

Case in point is my own ProMod. Unless I really wanted to screw up the overall appearance, I only have one logical exhaust exit point per side on my body layout, and for that reason alone it makes most sense to physically "collect" the zoomie tubes into a common body dischage tube per side. Whether or not you want to call this a true collector system by definition is another story, but at least the final appearance looks like one collector per side, and it fits the image that I prefer. The goal was not to create a collected exhaust system, but rather to not to screw up the exterior appearance.

 

Some tests was done in late 70, early 80 on a TAD with collector, can't remember the driver's name...(I will have to search on "ton" of boxes full of National Dragster to find it)... but, if I'm right, the goal was to obtain "more torque" with this set-up
Enjoy,
Charles Stewart

 

At PRI I saw a blown car with a single exit exhaust. So thats where the question came from. I figured it was as TOL said and for appearance purposes. Good to know tuning isn't an issue as some of my tubes are different lenghts.

 

prety certain carl Spiering tried it for a meeting or two some time ago
but not for long.......

 

For what it's worth, we use collectors on the dyno and it doesn't seem to make any dramatic difference.

 

This is interesting... I am running a short collecter on my car so I did not have to chop it up for zoomies when I put the blown engine in it... I run 4 x 21/2" into a single 5". The area of 4 x 21/2" pipes combined is .1364 square feet and the area of the single 5" is .1363" - nothing in it. I can't believe that collecters would rob any power what so ever, similarly I think that if there were any scavaging benefits at all they would be immeasurable in the scheme of things on a 1500 - 3000 hp blown alcohol engine... Different for a N/A engine that is looking for every last minute advantage to make the most power... I think it is more the case that blown alcohol has been running zoomie forever so thats what it has to be....

Cheers Pete

 

I have come to the conclusion that magazines sell collectors. I have also come to believe the only place they might be of benefit is an under powered combo in a 4000 lb car.
Seems like even with my NA customers anything over 700 hp and under 2500 lbs it makes zero difference. Once in a while someone actually picks up a touch with a simple zoomie. We have no real idea why but we'll take it.

 

I don't remember the name on the car. It was a black Camaro. You know how it is at PRI you get memory overload.

 

Might be in the weight savings. I run a collector 2 1/2 into 5") on my blown gas deal. Primarly because that is what I built when I was running the 632 nitrous deal. I know in my case (and my headers are very light) the weight savings is 10 lbs each (20 lbs). But I just like the look, simple as that.

Blessings.........Ron Clevenger