StevieRay

Without it, it is worse than any rice burner you could imagine.

StevieRay

Yes, I got it installed at RIPP, the guys are great to work with, they are definitely busy because they have such a good product (IMO).

sringer

did they do the tune for you? or did you have to?

StevieRay

Mine was one of the first that had the tune. I think they come with a tune now. You buy it and you get the tuner and the headers (i think; I would check though).

SergeantChuck

I bought the package deal that came with Headers, Resonator, and Tuner. You will need to email Ripp your stock tune file located on the tuner. Their email is ripptuning@gmail.com

I am pretty positive my tuner did not come with the header tune pre-installed. I looked for it immediately. Found nothing so I wrote Ripp.

I installed a 91 tune so I could get my stock tune on the tuner. When you install a tune it automatically will save you stock tune. After the stock tune is on the tuner you hook your tuner to the computer and retrieve the stock file with the DSDownloader program. Once you have done that you need to email it to ripptunning. They will send you back a custom tune that you will have to load on your tuner and then you can install the custom tune.

sringer

They come with the tuner. But do you still have to download your factory time and send it to them? Or does it come pre programmed?


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=48.203778,-114.306621
This post courtesy of Ringer's iPhone 4s

SergeantChuck

The tuner I got with my header package didn't have the header tune on it so I had to get a hold of Ripp. And I had to send my stock tune to have it modified. I would assume that if your tuner did arrive with the header tune all you would need to do is install it. I just installed my SC and the tuner did have the tune pre-installed and I installed it and she ran fine.

sringer

Hmm...maybe she will come pre tuned for headers now too?


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=48.426701,-114.347145
This post courtesy of Ringer's iPhone 4s

SergeantChuck

One difference I did notice was a label on the box. My original tuner for the headers had the part number U7137. The Diablosport Predator box that came with the SC had RM7137. I'm guess RM stands for Ripp Modifications.

JPop

First off, RIPP has done a great job with their headers. You can't get the power out of long tubes without a specific tune for them.

Tube length. If you have a bunch of properly designed headers, tube length is only going to change where your peak torque hits. The longer the primary tube, the lower rpm you hit peak torque. Shorty headers with equal length tubes will see their gains at higher rpms, which isn't necessarily the right fit for this application. Variable length tubes will widen the torque band but be careful as many companies will end up with variable length tubes simply because of fitment as opposed to designing them for appropriate exhaust pulse.

Thermal issues. There are a lot of people who will report melting plug wires and higher under hood temperatures. Stock cast exhaust manifolds have a lower heat conductivity than the materials used in most headers. Add in better cylinder evacuation with headers which also increases fuel burn, leading to higher exhaust gas temperatures and running leaner. This can be addressed by higher octanes, but more importantly thermal barrier coats such as Black Satin or Cermakrome. The advantages of thermal barrier coatings are not only that it keeps heat in the pipes and out of the engine bay, but they also help keep exhaust gas velocity high. Don't order coated headers as third parties do a much better job doing the inside and outside of the tubes. Black Satin is a personal favorite, and for places where road salt is prevalent or corrosion is a concern, you can have a two step process done, Black Satin followed by a Cermakrome coating.

The Y Pipe. The stock Y pipe pretty much sucks. When RIPP states that very small differences in the tube length can make big differences, this is where the issue lies. Primary tube length and diameter is pretty much simple math with the formulas being available to the backyard mechanic for 30 or 40 years. Enter in exhaust pulse and the tube length differences from left to right and you render most to trial and error to get things to work. RIPP of course eliminates the stock Y Pipe. The stock cats diminish exhaust velocity, the stock Y Pipe limits whatever you put in front of it and you can't fix any of the components of the monster.

All that said, cost/value isn't good on any of them. I certainly wouldn't replace a stock exhaust manifold or Y Pipe with another one, while at the same time knowing that the majority of gains posted from long tubes are derived by tuning via a third party device, not the hardware no matter how good it is. Again, the biggest advantage of the RIPP ong tubes are hitting peak torque earlier and for some that might be worth the price of admission.