Just a couple quick questions.  I was thinking about replacing the stock header and putting on the Gale Banks performance header.  But after reading Christian Hazel's article in the Your Jeep section in this months JP I have major reconsiderations with the header at all.  Is there something I could do with the engine or exhaust that would allow me to reap the benifits of having that header on the block with out losing all that low rpm torque?  

Oh, by the way, guess I should mention that I also have the 2.5l in my 01 TJ.  

The short answer is, no. Aside from a supercharger or turbo, it's a fool's errand trying to squeeze out real performance from that engine. Put your money in gearing and be willing to spin the engine at a higher freeway rpm than where you currently are. That'll get you your biggest performance bang for the buck.

I'm not sure about the '01 era engines, but on the earlier 2.5L engines the exhaust manifold is cast iron, not tubular steel like the 4.0L engines. It's not really prone to cracking. However, if you do decide to do the header, I'd be willing to bet you may notice a positive difference if you keep the stock after-cat exhaust on the vehicle.

Another area you may want to look into is the ignition. While the 4.0L is calibrated on the lean side, the 2.5L is usually normal or slightly rich. A hotter spark could help mileage and low rpm performance slightly.  Performance Distributors has a good cap, rotor, coil, and plug wires for the 2.5L.  

thanks