Is the Pacesetter CeramaCoat header any good? I've never been one for Pacesetter, but I have heard that their design is a Hotshot knock-off. If so, what gen. knock-off? You can't beat a ceramic coated header for $275.

i've heard 1st gen knock-offs

Spend the extra money for the Hotshot :)

on the PS vs HS threads I always chime in with my 1/4 mile time, it makes some good power

Originally posted by playatx99
on the PS vs HS threads I always chime in with my 1/4 mile time, it makes some good power
yeah it does, it should its the same thing as a generation 1 hotshot, but I would suggest to anyone to save up the extra money and get the latest generation hotshot, I don't think its right how pacesetter just stole the design off a smaller copany and markets it at half the price just becaue they are a bigger company and can do that, plus the newer hotshot is a much better design and wont rust as easy
Sean

Maybe someone who has the actual history behind the Hotshot/Pacesetter ordeal could chime in, but here is my take on it.

This scenario:
Hotshot made a decent header (Gen I) that provided a nice power curve for the SR20DE way back when. They knew of a better design (Gen II) and stopped building the first one. Pacesetter came along and heard about this header (Gen I) and offered a sum of money to Hotshot to use their design. Hotshot agreed, recv'd a decent chunk of change for the design and moved on.

That scenario:
Hotshot had a patent on Gen I and it ran out. They began building Gen II and had it patented, Pacesetter saw a demand for a cheap header, took over the patent on Gen I and went with it.

The other scenario:
A disgruntled Hotshot employee approached Pacesetter with the HS Gen I header and stated they could have it if they hired him/her. Hehehe!

Any ideas?

back in the sr20de header comparo SCC did ..

Hotshot made a beautiful curve with a 5 hp gain from ~5500 rpms until redline. the pacesetter made the same 5hp gain from ~5500 till about ~6300 rpm then gains were minimal at 1-2 hp to redline. The hotshot has more area under the curve. the pacesetter is a great bang for the buck. Im gonna be saving for a hotshot this summer.

P.S. i believe the current header at the time was a gen 3 so the newest header may prove to have a little more.

You might want to search the SE-R Archives for info on the Pacesetter Header. I was considering one until I read the comments in the archives. People had problems ranging from fittment to leaks. YMMV

Ben

well, when i bought it, I didnt expect the build quality of a $140 header to rival that of its $450 counterpart, and it didnt.... about 30 sec with the drill fixed all the fitment problems, and the pacesetter lacks the pricey headache that HS are burdened with:the flexpipe..... with the PS, you pay $140 once, and it should last a lifetime...... with the HS, you'll have to spend $450 first, then upwards of $100 every couple of years just to keep a working flexpipe:D of course im all about ghetto, so i like bragging about how cheap the mods on my car are

Don't get the ceramic coated one. The pacesetter isn't worth more than $140, coated or not. If you're about to blow $275 on a Pacesetter then I'd recommend saving another $100-$150 and getting the latest Hotshot.

139 horsepower here!!!!
All Pacesetter and custom inatke and crush bent exhaust.
All these companies can kiss my ass. Im still making my own sh*t damn it!!!!

Originally posted by SmoothDaddyFig
Im still making my own sh*t damn it!!!!

I cant wait to see you make replacements for these:

Centerforce DF clutch, B&M Short Shifter, Eibach Sportlines, 3ARacing Muffler.

:D

440 for header...

175 for header + 200 for exhaust system + 50 for a k&n filter...

wonder which makes more power? :)

Originally posted by NismoPC
This scenario:
Hotshot made a decent header (Gen I) that provided a nice power curve for the SR20DE way back when. They knew of a better design (Gen II) and stopped building the first one. Pacesetter came along and heard about this header (Gen I) and offered a sum of money to Hotshot to use their design. Hotshot agreed, recv'd a decent chunk of change for the design and moved on.


That is basically exactly what happened, except for the part about Pacesetter paying Hotshot for the rights to their first gen header.

Pacesetter bought a Hotshot header, used it as a buck to make production jigs, and then starting manufacturing a clone of Hotshot's 1st gen header. Pacesetter paid Hotshot NOTHING for this, excpept for the cost of the initial header.

In that time, look how much Hotshot has re-invested in its SR20 header program: they are now on their 5th gereration. Look what Pacesetter has invested: nothing. Pacesetter doesn't give a shit about the SE-R community, or about advancing the quality of the parts we can buy. They rip off other, smaller companies, whore out the manufacturing to low labor cost foreign countries, and pocket the profits instead of re-invest them back into the product.

Hotshot continuously strives to make a better product, and manufactures all of its products right here in the good 'ole US of A.

Yes, Hotshot's more expensive, but look at the quality of the product, and at the way Hotshot spends the money it makes, and it's easy to see that there is value in the expense. I'd take a Hotshot any day over Pacesetter.

Heres the thing. I am scared to buy a Gen 5 now for fear of an even better Generation 6. Imagine all those who bought Gen 2-3-and 4 thinking they had the final product. I felt that way about S2-S3-then S4's. I hear S3's are actually the ones to get so that eased my mind a bit. But as for HS.............should I wait it out?

if they are so focused on "quality and improving the market for the se-r," then explain to me why you pay for a 500 dollar (rounding up) header than can crack a lot easier than a 200 dollar header? i understand there are a lot of circumstances behind this, but if i'm going to pay that much for just a header i might as well save up for nitrous which is 100-200 more or a turbo setup which costs as much as 4 hotshot headers.

no offense or anything, but i think i'll stick with my purchasing ideas of the "cheap, rip-off" and save a few hundred dollars that will go into my exhaust system.

Originally posted by ClassicSE-R
of re-invest them back into the product.

Hotshot continuously strives to make a better product, and manufactures all of its products right here in the good 'ole US of A.
[/B]

I do not like American made products anymore. It's all JDM from here out. The only American made things on my car (other than the car itself...Japanese engineered :D ) are the JWT ecu (which I didn't buy), which will be JUN after the swap, and the B&M shifter, which is acceptable...for the money I paid for it. Anywho, I just like Japanese products and engineering a little better. Just my opinion....not like I'm straying from the subject of my thread or anything like that :D.

Just a thought...

the b13's do not have a close coupled cat, correct? nor do the B14's?

The b15's do, so there may be more of a gain at lower rpms and overall to be had with any kind of header.

Is this a logical way of thinking?


the only downside I really see (minus a few ponies) is pace setters lack of availability. I recently talked to S & S and they seem to be quite promising. You have 2 different types of merge collectors to choose from and you can go painted or ceramic coated.

Just another option. If interested, you can see it at their website. i think it's www.ssheaders.com

I'm getting sick of people bad mouthing Pacesetter, sure they made a clone from the first gen HS, but lets face it, how often does this happen with any kind of product??

I had my Pacesetter header for a while, and never had any problems with it. I have now moved on to a USED HS header, I'd never spend $400+ for a header, and I have no regrets of using the Pacesetter...it is a good, cheap, effective means of hp, and if you dont agree, look at my dyno numbers :)