Opinion on Headers

sylcurt

sylcurt

Experienced Member
Joined
30 June 2008
Messages
348
Location
Winkler, Manitoba, Canada - near Winnipeg
Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of an opinion here:

I have read a lot of various threads on headers, exhaust, and other performance upgrades.

Can someone briefly explain to the "mechanically challenged" like me, a couple of things:

1) Can headers be added without changing OEM exhaust, if so, does it negate the benefit of the headers?

2) Are headers a DIY bolt -on job, or does it require taking a number of major components out to get at them? I can change oil, change tranny fluid, change coils and plugs, change exhaust - thats about it for mechanical work on the NSX - are the headers doable for me?

3) how much louder will headers make car in the cabin? (I don't want a lot of resonant sound, that is why I changed from a Taitec GTLW exhaust back to an OEM setup)

4) Thoughts on this set in the link (just happened to see them on ebay doing a NSX search) or like anything, there are cheapies and the "real deal"...like a comptech set....

5) If I do headers now, and a SC down the road, do the headers have to go, or can they stay?

Current Goal-look at easy inexpensive simple ways to get a little more zip, and gradually continue to throw some dollars at it over time to increase power....SC or turbo down the road, but not immediate plans

In general, what could I expect if I put these on? (sound, power, feel, maintenance issues, etc)

Thanks very much - currently running my 2000 T, with a 2005 OEM Exhaust, KN filter (not yet cold air intake)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid=7595359526269981250
 
sylcurt said:
2) Are headers a DIY bolt -on job, or does it require taking a number of major components out to get at them? I can change oil, change tranny fluid, change coils and plugs, change exhaust - thats about it for mechanical work on the NSX - are the headers doable for me?http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid=7595359526269981250
Click to expand...

Installing headers can be a DIY mod if you have the right tools. IMO in order to do the job right and without excessive pain you need an impact gun, torque wrenches, and a healthy assortment of adapters, offset wrenches etc.
 
sylcurt said:
Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of an opinion here:

I have read a lot of various threads on headers, exhaust, and other performance upgrades.

Can someone briefly explain to the "mechanically challenged" like me, a couple of things:

1) Can headers be added without changing OEM exhaust, if so, does it negate the benefit of the headers?

Yes, it does minimize the performance gain

2) Are headers a DIY bolt -on job, or does it require taking a number of major components out to get at them? I can change oil, change tranny fluid, change coils and plugs, change exhaust - thats about it for mechanical work on the NSX - are the headers doable for me?

Rusted Bolts, front beam removal are added challanges, probably doable

3) how much louder will headers make car in the cabin? (I don't want a lot of resonant sound, that is why I changed from a Taitec GTLW exhaust back to an OEM setup)

They will make a loud exhaust louder, stock exhaust probably not so much

4) Thoughts on this set in the link (just happened to see them on ebay doing a NSX search) or like anything, there are cheapies and the "real deal"...like a comptech set....

Read This: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137108&highlight=topspeed

5) If I do headers now, and a SC down the road, do the headers have to go, or can they stay?

No, they should stay and are recommended

Current Goal-look at easy inexpensive simple ways to get a little more zip, and gradually continue to throw some dollars at it over time to increase power....SC or turbo down the road, but not immediate plans

In general, what could I expect if I put these on? (sound, power, feel, maintenance issues, etc)

Thanks very much - currently running my 2000 T, with a 2005 OEM Exhaust, KN filter (not yet cold air intake)

Frankly, you have headers already, so there is little reason to do this for maybe a few HP

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid=7595359526269981250
Click to expand...

Regards,
LarryB
 
Larry gives pretty good advice. Since you have a later model the power gains aren't as significant as teh earlier models that had cast manifolds.

Not sure the power gains to be had by switching to an aftermarket exhaust but that might be worth considering. May depend on the look and sound you want though. Pretty easy DIY though.
 
I am pretty sure I read on here that the post 1997 exhaust manifold was changed to a header. I also read that they were good for up to 500hp and were about as good as you can get so that is why I did not change mine. I did do the exhaust I choose the ARK DTx, I really like the quad tips and the deaper tone that it had on the sound clips I heard. I am happy with the sound if anything it could be louder. On that note my neighbour tells me he can hear me leave for work in the mornings so I am pretty sure it is loud enough:smile:
 
As always, Larry's advice is superb. To elaborate on what he said, your 2000 NSX already has headers in it. In 1997, Honda increased the displacement of the engine from 3.0 to 3.2 liters, which most people know. What many don't know is that Honda also replaced the cast, single tube exhaust manifold with a stainless steel tubular header. The displacement bump mostly improved torque, while virtually the entire hp bump from 270 to 290 was due to the new headers. Therefore, there is no need for you to get headers for your NSX. Some companies claim a slight gain over the OEM headers, but it's really not worth the significant cost for a few hp.

Instead, if you want a little more "zip" you should be looking at exhausts. The stock NSX exhaust is fairly restrictive and a free-flowing model can net you 5-10 hp or more. Free flowing exhausts tend to be louder though, and many of them drone.
 
Roger59 said:
I am pretty sure I read on here that the post 1997 exhaust manifold was changed to a header. I also read that they were good for up to 500hp and were about as good as you can get so that is why I did not change mine. I did do the exhaust I choose the ARK DTx, I really like the quad tips and the deaper tone that it had on the sound clips I heard. I am happy with the sound if anything it could be louder. On that note my neighbour tells me he can hear me leave for work in the mornings so I am pretty sure it is loud enough:smile:
Click to expand...

There is some gain to be had, but when you look at it on a $/HP for the 97+ not sure it would be the first thing I would do. If the OP is considering going the SC FI route, I would consider the exhaust as this will couple nicely with an SC later.

Like you I have the Ark DT-X. Love it, both for looks at sound. Not sure I would want it much louder...as it is in some parking garages I set off some car alarms.:tongue:
 
Probably my imagination but I swear my car got quieter after the headers...not by much...but still. :confused:
 
thank you to Larry, and everyone else for their opinions. This was very educating for me, mainly inthe fact that my car already has a "header" system so to speak. I totally missed that aspect in reasearching the NA1 vs NA2, (just using this as a figure of speach). etc...specs. Again, its not that I am unhappy with the current power anyway. Plenty for me as is....just kind of throwing it out there.

And as far as exhaust, when I bought the car last spring, it came with the Taitec GTLW system...sounded great, but did drone a bit right where we usually drove (65 mph) on longer highway cruises....decided that I would revert back to OEM, so found an almost new OEM 2005 exhaust on here and bought it....it was probably 4 times as heavy, and a lot larger canister...but whisper quiet at idle and cruising, and still has a bit of roar when you open it up. I "feel" like its a bit less responsive, but it could also be an illusion given that the former sound screamed at you as soon as you put your foot down...sure made it "feel" faster, but I am still a happy camper.

I am just putting the interior all back together from my stereo installation, and will be installing the SOS Short shift linkage while the console if off....any tips I should know before tackling that? I always hate to blindly start unbolting things...watching once makes all the difference...gotta love some of the DIY stuff on you tube for this reason.
 
Exhaust headers when well designed can improve engine power/torque but in many cases, the improvement is not really that significant. Larry's advice is right on in that a car with factory style header exhaust can't be improved all that much. Another interesting factor is that sometimes headers can reduce torque! Probably the cheapest way to bolt up some significant power would be with a Nitrs setup. If done right, you can get the significant power when you choose and keep most things pretty stock.
Tubo upgrades are fine but are not cheap and involve quite a bit of swap out of original components including exhaust.
Now if you talk or read the BS from a manufacturer of headers--they will claim 20-40HP improvement--don't believe it unless there is a dyno printout and a guarantee that your car will get similar results. If not will the manufacturer pay to have it removed?? Never happen!!
Now headers are almost always louder then stock but not necessarly the sound you might like. Nothing is worse then driving for hours with the drone of too loud an exhaust so you can't hold a conversation in your car~~.
 
If I recall correctly, people were having issues with the flex section cracking or fitment issues. They appear to have improved the flex section(used to be an accordion style flex section). If the fitment issues have been addressed as well it might be a good bargain for $249 + shipping.
 
Angus had some really good feedback when I was digging around on those (also search for Top Speed headers). When I asked about this the flex section cracking has been resolved and is no longer an issue. One person complained that the O2 bung is only on one primary rather than post collector so they were failing smog. Seems to be nearly identical to the top speed headers except that they don't include the O2 wiring harness extensions. Good luck!

[edit] Okay I clicked on the link. The flex/braid is totally different from the top speed unit (perhaps low quality?). They may have taken the 96 OBX header (which does look to be of similar quality as the Top Speed unit) and chopped the collector off and put the braided flex section on. Doesn't look great, but I couldn't say without seeing it in person.
 
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NSXrunner said:
Probably my imagination but I swear my car got quieter after the headers...not by much...but still. :confused:
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me. I had a Taitec GTLW exhaust installed about 2 weeks ago, and a set of SOS headers installed today. I could hear the engine again after the header install. I thought it was my imagination first, but I guess not...Strange. :confused:
 
Last edited:
I considered these when doing my header upgrade. My research found that they are hit or miss. The OBX headers are knock-offs of the Comptech design. With most of these Chinese/Taiwanese products, quality control can be spotty. Either you will get a set that fits perfect and lasts for years, or you will get one that is a nightmare, cracks and requires adjustment- hard to tell. For the price, it might be worth the risk, but I would suggest getting the 95-05 version and use 91-94 adapters, as the ball-socket joint is far superior to the flex in terms of durability. Very reliable sources have advised me that when it comes to headers, if you want perfect fitment and top quality, you can't go wrong with Comptech.

FWIW, I ended up going with NA2 headers off of a 1997 NSX and using the SOS 91-94 adapters. It was basically the same price as the OBX and I get OEM quality plus factory heat shields.

sheldement said:
Hmm. Has anyone ever heard of OBX headers? I saw that they are really cheap on ebay. i didnt find any mention of them in the forum, so i was wondering if they are a new product? Or are people scared away because they are cheap? Thoughts?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
Click to expand...
 
Honcho said:
I considered these when doing my header upgrade. My research found that they are hit or miss. The OBX headers are knock-offs of the Comptech design. With most of these Chinese/Taiwanese products, quality control can be spotty. Either you will get a set that fits perfect and lasts for years, or you will get one that is a nightmare, cracks and requires adjustment- hard to tell. For the price, it might be worth the risk, but I would suggest getting the 95-05 version and use 91-94 adapters, as the ball-socket joint is far superior to the flex in terms of durability. Very reliable sources have advised me that when it comes to headers, if you want perfect fitment and top quality, you can't go wrong with Comptech.

FWIW, I ended up going with NA2 headers off of a 1997 NSX and using the SOS 91-94 adapters. It was basically the same price as the OBX and I get OEM quality plus factory heat shields.
Click to expand...
When you say use the later ball-in-socket headers how are you getting adapters to join this to the OEM 91-94 cats?
 
The adapters have the 2-bolt ball/socket joint on the header side and the 3-bolt flange on the cat side to fit the 91-94 cats. Fitment with the SOS adapters is perfect. I suppose a shop could fab them up, but I chose to go with SOS for convenience and also to support our NSX vendors.
 
The may 2011 issue of "import tuner" is testing the results of upgrading I/H/E on the nsx. +26.1 HP +12.4TQ.
 
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I was under the impression that intake systems on the NSX were pointless. Didn't give any gains in performance. Maybe with the Downforce AIS.
 

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