I know from reading around the 'net that you can't install headers and turbochargers on your car at the same time. They pretty much go in the same spot, even though they add power in different ways.

My question is, if you install headers, does it make it difficult later to uninstall them and instead install turbochargers? Do you need to buy entirely new engine parts as well?

-Jack
Obsidian/graphite '03 Coupe premium nav

 

If you plan on buying a turbo, don't waste you money now on a set of headers, put it toward the turbo, and most likely yes, you will be changing out engine parts, depends on how much boost you want to run, your engine already has quite a bit of compression. If you wanted to run alot of boost you would have to change some internal stuff, to lower the compression.
Thats what turbos do, jack the compression up.

 

Well, the way I was looking at it is that there's headers already on the market for the Z in the $700 range. That's not much compared to a $6000 turbo setup which hasn't even made it to the Z aftermarket yet, and for which no huge gains (by turbo standards) have been reported so far. Not that headers give you huge gains. But I was thinking maybe I'd install headers while waiting for the forced induction picture to clear up, then sell them half price and get the turbos if a good product comes along. But headers don't port in at quite the same spot, right? So I'd be looking at replacing part of the engine block too to accomodate turbo (in addition to the other little upgrades), due to needing to remove the headers?

-Jack
Obsidian/graphite '03 Coupe premium nav

 

What kind of gains do you expect from the headers?