Thread: The Header Thread

Hey folks. I've been doing a lot of research before starting on my new build, and I've found great threads on brakes, ECUs, cams, etc, etc. But for one of the most basic upgrades, no definitive thread. This ends (starts?) here.

Long ago, in the early days of the SE-R, there were no headers. Then came Hotshot, Jim Wolf, Greddy, Stillen, and Pacesetter. And Asian knock-offs began appearing. Many home-brew designs appeared, and now, it seems that the main supplier of headers may actually be eBay.

So! Time to put some info together in one thread, so that those searching for options (like me) have a definitive thread to get the scoop. If you have owned/tested headers on your car, speak up. Key points are:

Performance - Dyno numbers, proven HP increase?
Fitment - Did it or didn't it? (Which chassis?) Flex pipe issues?
Material - Stainless, Ceramic Coated, etc
Lifespan - Did it crack, rust, or otherwise fail too early?
Cost
Availability - Can only find used, where to find new, etc.
Other Pros/Cons

If anyone can write up something on the various eBay offerings, including a photo to identify the model, that would be especially helpful, since these are commonly available.

Thread up for a week, and nobody has information on headers? LOL

The issue with headers is no one shares the info, or does actual back to back runs to show any gains. People who do build them keep the numbers to themselves or also do not have comparisons. A good header will make your motor come alive, but there are a lot of variables. The best place for you to start would be the dyno thread, look at the curves, not the numbers , and see which header will work best for you.

OK, you're missing the point of the thread. I'd like this thread to be one stop shopping for Header information, so that it can be linked in the Dash Manifesto, so that this info can easily be found by others seeking header information. Just post what you've got, if you saw dyno improvements, how it has held up over time, whatever. Brand X is junk, Brand Y rocks, etc.

its more complicated than u think. you would be better asking what works for your setup, if thats what you want to know. otherwise do some research, post some stuff up, and maybe ppl will add to it.

Maybe I was overthinking things. I figured it would be easy enough to ask what people think of the available offerings and post some first hand experience for future readers to gleam some information from. Apparently searching outdated threads from years gone by is where it's at.

The same header will have a different effect on different motors, not sure what you are looking for? If you want some info answer these questions:

What is your setup?
What kind of power band are you looking for?
What are you using the car for?
What are your future plans?

Read up on how headers are designed then you will realize that there is no one size fits all header. There is a lot of info on this forum, but it is not all apples to apples, you have to come to your own conclusion based on the above questions.

Let me add this to help you understand. The header I am using was thrown out after it first came out, everyone said it was junk and it does not make power. Now with the setup I have I could not be more pleased with how it performs, it has the power where I want it and makes tons of torque. No it does not scream up top like everyone wants, or thinks they want. For a street car power under the curve is worth way more than above.

When a successful thread like this is started, the original poster does 50-90% of the leg work themselves. They get the ball rolling with some serious research of their own, and let others fill in the rest of the missing information if appropriate. It gives everyone a solid base to start from and builds from there.

Here is a good example:
http://www.sr20-forum.com/driveline-tech/8164-sr-flywheels.html (Vadim did a lot of the work up front and it grew from there.)

I have threads of my own that are similar. In each of them, I did most of the work, and got the ball rolling. Asking for a thread like this to create itself, or all of the information to just land at your feet is asking for failure IMO.

Edit: Keep in mind, before I started those threads, I had no idea what was available, and wished there was a thread like it to view. Since there wasn't one, I did the research and made one.

still not really finished adding stuff,but heres a cheapo header comparison to get the ball rolling as Ben would say...http://www.sr20-forum.com/general-sr20/77295-ebay-triy-header-review-results-thread.html
but you will find that headers are the one thing that varies alot from one to the other...cost,size,clearances,materials,and specs of the runners ,etc
I would have to agree that info on the headers is not shared as readily as other modifications ,and if your setup is different,it may not be ideal anyway.
I am not pushing the limits of what can be done with my cars,so I am happy with the header above until something more interesting comes along that I cant live without.My cars get driven 15-20k a year so I need reliability more than a couple HP.I would love to see a proven header for about 6-800 bucks but it seems like over 1000 bucks before you get a real custom built header that performs
Good luck,and I hope you find and share something new with us,too

It depends if you want a 4-2-1 or 4-1.. Both have advantages and disadvantages for our cars..