X51 vs AWE Headers

Forget about the price.

Which one will have your vote for better performance and sound?

Any comment will be welcomed

 

Exhaust systems are more complex than that and should be viewed as a complete system. So it depends on what mufflers and cats you are running to determine the answer to your question.

 

Right. Since I'm considering TPC turbo kit, its own exhaust system will be running with either X51 or AWE headers. Frankly, I don't know much about the kit and its exhaust system yet. That's why I cannot clearly say which headers will be better in performance and sound with the exhaust system. Anyone?

 

Well that sounds like a question for TPC as to what works best with their setup. However, if you're going to run a turbo kit then more flow is generally better and the X51 are larger diameter than AWE. Hope that helps.

 

Do X51 headers have larger diameter than AWE?
Then I'm getting closer to x51

 

X51 are 48mm in diameter, stock is 42mm, and I *believe* AWE is 45mm.

 

But the diameter of the primaries in a header isn't a measure of the header's ultimate ability to flow..... there's a lot more than that to decent header design.

For example - have a look at the extremely-efficient merge collector on the AWE vs the '1950's tractor' log collector of the X-51. Also the diameter of the secondary on the AWEs is larger (as is the corresponding pre-cat pipework on their cat sections to match). All makes a substantial difference.

 

is there a difference between x51 headers for 997.1 compared to 997.2?

 

Ian, you are correct that there is more to the equation of the design which is why I ultimately suggested he ask TPC for their recommendations. Perhaps flow wasn't the best choice of words. It really depends on what RPM range and other factors as well. The X51 are short large diameter primaries. This makes them move a lot of *volume* at higher rpms quicker (less back pressure). As such, they may in fact induce more turbo lag than say AWE that may *flow* better at lower rpms. I'm not the P-car turbo exhaust expert so I will defer to those that are: TPC.

-Steve

 

The header re-design is different on the 997.2 and the cats are actually attached to the header. I'm not sure what X51 headers for the 997.2 look like. My understanding is the stock header on the 997.2S is a much better design than stock 997.1S. They are very different animals.

 

To be honest you will be lucky to find maybe 2-3rwhp difference between the 2 headers. AWE only saw 7rwhp when added to a car with AWE mufflers and cats already on the car. Some of the European tuners I talked to when I was considering my X51 lite build told me the X51 headers were actually as good if not better than anything else out there. Granted the AWE's and Fabspeeds look better because of the collector, but once again that may not go that far.

I say get the X51 headers and use the money saved and get some high flow cats.


Dave

 

Yeah, pretty hard to ignore the $1k price difference, with no performance difference.

 

Thanks for all comments!

 

If you are positive you will get turbo installed - get biggest diameter headers. which are X51 I believe, but you can check.

if you do not plan on going FI - I do not think you will get any gain from that mod at all so cheapest one (X51 again?) will do if you want to do that anyway.

 

Actually if you talk to Europipe they found the X51 headers made as much if not more hp than the other headers.

Dave