Headers vs "Tubular Manifolds"

[rhouse21]

Spead Freak: Cool. Maybe I'll get there one day.

Carmel/Richard: I remember that CA got the 3800s a bit before the rest of the country due to emissions, but I thought that was during their initial introduction. I have picked up from talking to folks that there is something different about the 97 engine, But no one seems to be able to tell me exactly what those differences are. All I know is that for some reason the "major" engine tuners (meaning Hypertech and Jet) just don't want to support them. Any idea what's going on? I'm open to using one of the "smaller" tuners, but I'd really like to get another 200 or so thousand miles out of this engine. (What can I say? I'm a little nuts.)

Oh, and you guys inpired me to find a li'l patch of road that I was able to squeeze off one G-Tech HP run on the way to work. 164 hp on a slight hill (assuming a vehicle weight of 3800 lbs). Yeah, I know that G-Tech numbers are just a ballpark figure, but it does confirm that my car is at least back in the right ball park.

[FirebirdGT]

Originally posted by rhouse21:
I have picked up from talking to folks that there is something different about the 97 engine, But no one seems to be able to tell me exactly what those differences are. All I know is that for some reason the "major" engine tuners (meaning Hypertech and Jet) just don't want to support them. Any idea what's going on?

The 95 and 96 PCM program is unique. Get a 97 PCM with the same pin-outs.

[rhouse21]

It sounds like the consensus is that I should do the pacesetter headers, call HPTuners (or Texas Speed), and bolt up a new exhaust.

As far as the computer, I've started another string asking about what makes my 97's engine different from all the other 3800s. My main concern is that there may be some minute little difference that I'm not aware of before I start tweaking the computer that comes back to bite me. My worst fear is that some tuner fries my engine because he wasn't aware that the 97's 3800 processed some sensor input different or something. I'm not saying that will happen, but I just want to check these guys out first and hear what others feel about their work. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I didn't get so many miles out of my engine by being reckless with mods. I may not get 14 second 1/4 mile times, but I've never had to worry about weather my car would survive a 1400 mile, 100+ degree roadtrip.

[tdz16]

Aside for the A/C lines, what else has to be done to make the 2000 manifolds work on the 97? I was turbo for a while now I'm going back N/A but I don't have the A/C set up. I don't see anything else that would interfere really.
~Tom