Hello everyone. I am looking for an OBX header except it seems as everywhere I have checked are out of stock for them. If anyone knows where to find one that would be great. Also if anyone has one for sale that would be great too.
Thanks to all that help out.

 

You don't say who you've checked but I got mine from:
http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com/
Good luck in your search...

 

Their website says out of stock. I think I literally bought the last one off Ebay about a month ago. I decided not to install it and traded it for other goodies

 

I knew I didnt like you for SOME reason! (jk, love ya!)

 

Is that so... We still on for the trade tomorrow?

 

Claro que si SA!

 

did u check helix?

 

I am checking Helix right now, but I do not know if theirs are in stock or not.

 

I was thinking about getting a Megan and or an OBX header but after speaking to the shop which does all my work they mentioned that headers that cost so little are not good in quality and don't last. There are prefessional shops that charge you almost the mount of the header itself to do a good welding. Some of these headers are being listed/sold around $150-300.

Can somone point hare share their experiance with an OBX header?

coincidentally I called the person that sells Stahl headers, one of which costs $900 without the cat. With the cat, it costs around $1,150. Now I know for a fact that Stahl headers are one of the best products out there. So again my concern about these others (OBX, Megan) that cost around $150-300.

Any information would be great fellas.

 

Really?? Why is that?

 

I know a few people that have had cracked welds on the OBX header but for $200....I'd deal with a re-weld if I have any problems at all. I just got one (thanks buddy!~) and I will be doing the header, straight pipe to an OBX muffler. I think they are the best bang for the buck!

 

I'm running both the OBX header and catback - great bang for the buck. Both requiring a little fiddling during install no nothing major. I have not heard of anyone having cracked welds?

 

There were a few on here....

 

I have an OBX header, its fantastic. Fitment was a little bit of a pain, but its been great, and I do not see quality being an issue at all. You can't beat it for the price.

 

What up Thump Nutts!

 

How is the performance and the sound? I'm concerned more about the longativity of it. And why are they so cheap compare to Stahl?

 

Heard it from people in the business that know the product and have compared it to all others. Also the fact that they have been in business for a very long time and have proven to give vey good product.

 

You can have a problem with any header if it's not installed properly.
All I remember is one guy on here that had a weld crack on an OBX that was due to an over tighted flex joint.

blissfull, You have been around here long enough to realize/know you to can do a search on OBX it's not like it's a new concept.


The OBX is the best bang for the Header buck you will find period.

 

I found this thread because I did do the search

Howwever the reason Im here is because I wanted to get a "feed back" from people whom have the OBX header, get their input and see how the headder performs as opposed to other products and why so much difference in price range.

 

The fastest non-nitrous, no-turbo MINI in the world uses a 4-2-1 OBX header.
The quickest non-nitrous, no-turbo MINI in the world has a 4-1 Playmini header.

With an emission-controlled supercharged engine, much of the traditional header tuning theory goes right out the window because the cam has very little overlap and exhaust pulses aren't really needed to pull in intake charge with all that intake pressure. Yes, exhaust tuning can theoretically help to evacuate the cylinders but in practice the most important thing seems to be having enough flow capacity. With nitrous, you'd need even more.

The OBX has larger tubes than many other headers and an inconvenient shape, making for a more difficult install that may require loosening the subframe. If you're only at ~200hp that kind of flow isn't needed and install considerations may make a 1.5" tube header a better choice. Or the stock 1 3/8" header is actually a good performer if cut after the flex joint and the precat section removed. Considering the low cost aftermarket headers all need to be modified to add a cat anyway and may have less reliable joints, this is a decent option for a near-stock car.

None of the headers alone will add much power, since now we know the bottleneck is really in the head. And while they are all louder, much of that volume is from different cats. Reusing the stock cat will minimize the volume increase and nearly guarantee no issues with melting/plugging/CELs. But a larger header doesn't seem to hurt any and will free up more power if headwork is done later. Plus the more troublesome joints themselves are hardly an issue because they are under the car and could be easily repaired/improved by any competent muffler shop in case they failed, without having to remove the header.

That's not to say that tuned length headers are useless here, only unproven as of yet. The Stahl with 28" primaries and 1 5/8" tubes will according to this header calculator develop peak scavenging at an astonishing 2500rpm--ideal for taking care of that pesky flat spot, or maybe even for gas mileage In contrast, the stock header's 8" long center pipes are "tuned" for 12,000rpm

It is soo nice to have many options today.

 

BFG-Thank you so much for all the great info. This was exactly what I was tring to find out. You mentioned flow and HP along with head work. Looking at my sig you will see that I have a bigger valve head installed along with other mods as they are listed there.

I am contemplating in buying the right product but at the same time want to be economical/practical at my approach after having spent so much money and done so much work so far. Hence the question about the OBX header.

Would you think it would be a decent upgrade over stock and a good blend with all the other mods I have now?

Thank you again for the comprehensive analysis and your effort. Any more input would be great as well.

 

The OBX grandaddy thread,
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&highlight=obx

 

A header will give great gains with all of your mods. Considering you have a high flow head, it will be even better. You mid-range torque will see a nice increase, and thats where you want it in my opinion. I picked up about 10 ft-lbs of peak torque to the wheels after I installed my header, and also a little bit of midrange power. All of the changes from the header are mainly from 3k-5k. I noticed I didn't have to downshift to accelerate when passing on the freeway, people cannot believe how well my car will pull in 6th gear on the highway! This should be even more pronounced with your ported cyl head.

I think the OBX header is one of the best bang for you buck mods on the MCS...and considering you've spent quite a bit on your car already, its a no brainer thing to add!

 

Yes I agree, the OBX is the best bang-for-buck header period. At least you know it won't limit your car! I'd suggest porting the flanges and replacing the hardware as the other OBX threads suggest.

But you are clearly a big spender Now I prefer to use only publicly proven products, but I have to admit that for mostly street use, the stage 1 Stahl would be very tempting if cost were no object, because of what it could potentially do for the torque curve. I know that Don prefers not to post any numbers, but all we'd really need to see is just the shape of the torque curve with numbers removed

Maybe everybody with a Stahl is being secretive about it, because either the numbers are embarassing (M62) or they are so delighted that they consider it their secret weapon. But in many ways it's as big a mystery as it's ever been, and I'd just need to see more to justify the price, mild steel construction, having to move cat, resonator and O2 sensor wires, and most likely having to replace my canned tune (GIAC).

 

and the question still is - are there any to be had?

thanks!

-jac