*Basic* Header question..

[Foxtrot_Xray]

Hey all - quick question for all you hot-air people.

My '02 MC finally had the (in)famous weld crack in the header around the pre-cat. Given the miles on it, and the fact the engine mounts had degraded beyond belief and were recently replaced (~6 months ago), I'm surprised it took this long. (I'm also slightly worried that it happened 6 months on the new stiffer mounts, and not during the year before that when the mounts were softer than a baby's butt. However, that's not important here.)

I spent the last 6 hours at work reading through header posts here, and think that it boils down to one question for everyone here:

Which would be the better(*) way to go?
(1) Take it off, have the pre-cat stripped out and put back in.
(2) Get an OBX header and have the cat welded on.

(*) Notes on 'better':
- At the moment because I just had to relocate 700 miles, money is an issue.
- Never had to get exhaust work done before, not sure of the labor involved in either options given above.
- On the other side of the cat, I have the Megan Racing setup.
- No other intake/exhaust mods.
- Can't get rid of cat, because of state emissions testing.
- I drive the car very spiritedly.

Thoughts on what you'd do, and why?

Cheers all.
Mike.

[davisflyer]

Helix sells the OBX with a cat pre-welded. I think it's fairly inexpensive.

[xnotfunkylex]

I'm pretty sure gutting the precat doesn't really do anything for performance. Your best bet is to buy the OBX or Megan header. I just got an OBX header used for pretty cheap too.

[R53 Speed]

megan has a header that is only $169 on minspeed.net and $179 on outmotoring.com I beleive. You'd have to weld on your own catalyst though.

[Thumper460]

I agree.. The OBX is a good unit.
The Cat is the most restriction, and as MOST of us have to have it.. the power gain from purchase of the "Best of the Best", will be equalized by the Cat.

Just me.......................................

Thumper