Hmm... Staring at my s2k w/o any headers on it, and it got me to thinking. Worry not, I am not gonna try it, but...

It sure would be loud, but would it make more or less power on a chassis dyno?

My guess would be less down low due to no back pressure and them more up top, again due to no back pressure.

Would running the engine w/o the headers cause damage?

 

Count on it. After a short time (not just a startup) the exhaust valves would become burnt because they are being alternately bathed in exhaust gasses then ambient air. Hot, cool, hot, cool.

 

I doubt you'll make anymore power anywhere in the rev range. The header tubes act like an extension of the exhaust port which acts as a guide for the exhaust pulses emanating from the combustion chamber. Properly channeling these pulses allows us to more efficiently extract spent combustion gasses from the chamber, as well as draw in more fresh intake charge. By linking the tube from one cylinder to the others, we can further improve efficiency by taking advantage of the pressure signals from other cylinders and timing them appropriately.

I don't know if you could cause any damage, but I really don't think it's even worth trying. However, kudos for thinking outside the box :-)

UL

 

What did you do with the stock header? (mine is hanging on the garage wall).

 

Mine is in my garage too. Just no reason to put it on, then take it off again.

I have another car to drive in the mean time, and my replacement header should be here today.

 

Hope the new one has better welds on it

 

Besides the computer goin' nuts, it might idle and run OK down low, but you would totally lose power in the top end.

Like UL said, the headers are tuned, the end of one pulse helps suck out the other. A bigger pipe would make the pulse slow down sooner throwing off the timing. No header would hinder the effect of valve overlap at high RPM.

It would be fun though