Going-on later today or Sunday is this ceramic-coated SuperSprint header with stock cat.



Total cost was just a tad below $500:

SS header, including stock cat – $300 (via Craigslist)

MINI header flange (part # 11 62 1 174 968) – $20 (MINI of Mtn. View)

Misc. hardware – $5 (The Home Depot)

Ceramic coating – $175 (Crucial Racing)

This will be mated to a SS center pipe with resonator and extension, feeding a Borla Turbo muffler, continuing straight-out a Ractive oval tip. I’ve had this custom catback for quite some time, and have been very pleased with it. Here is an older photo from when I was evaluating this set-up:



I am expecting better flow than the stock header, and with the ceramic coating containing heat, even more so. This whole system has this performance objective in mind, as well as weight-savings (catback is less than 20 pounds).

While I can obviously get more output with a less restrictive aftermkt cat, I’ve decided to stick with the stock one for CA smog inspection reasons; and quite possibly decibel ones as well (Dr Obnxs’s experimentation). If some of the twincharged cars can produce those kinds of numbers with the stock cat, I don’t feel that it’s something to be concerned about.

In another thread here on NAM, I was referred to Jeremy at Crucial Racing. Thank you MiniMargie! More can be found about this coating on their website:

http://www.crucialracing.com/products/coating.php

I took some before temp readings with the stock header, and I plan to take some more after this install. I hope to report some nice temp deltas!

Oh, should I bother cleaning-up the O2 sensors, and if so, how? Thanks.

EDIT/ADD - This header, with stock cat weighed-in at 14.8 pounds. The stock header/cat is 14.4 lbs, so a very slight weight gain. Oh well...

 

Looks like an OBX clone

You will definetly feel your TQ curve move - sooner and more. Please do share your SOP on the header addition.

The header and your straight line exhaust design - should rock

 

if you get the wrong crap on the elements they're shot. This is one place where you can live with a little dirt.....

Also, be very careful if you use antisieze on the threads. This stuff screws the elements real fast..... Use tiny amounts, and make sure it's only on the threads....

Matt

 

Don't forget to double nut or copper nut at the springs or you'll be visting the connection point again.

Also would you let us know how the manifold bolts went in.

 

IMO, you now have the best exhaust system out there.

 

That looks awesome, Tony.
Be sure to report on the temps, sounds, butt dyno, etc.

 

I agree - this is the system

 

Guys, I appreciate the compliments, thank you. I know that some have felt a nice benefit from the header, while others have not. It is my belief (hope) that the plubming afterwards will play a significant role in what gets...

FWIW, the gasket bolt holes line-up beautifully with the SS header, and the stock one. So, I feel that it will bolt-in without issues. I will find-out soon and share...

What I didn't reveal in my first post was that I already removed the stock header. PARTSMAN109, you will get that measurement soon! Doc, thanks for the info on the O2's. I hated twisting the wires so much while removing them, but did my best... Looks like 18 ft-lbs for the header bolts.

Operating on like 3.5 hours of sleep, but need to run now. I'll report back later...

 

O2 sensor FAQ, thought I would share:

http://www.visi.com/~rhayman/o2sensor.html

Could this be our Matt, Dr. O?

I was planning to feed the replacement SS header upward from below (the same way the stocker came-out), but will that pose a problem in trying to situate and install the heat shield? I had no light (power outage) and was working by feel, so I apologize if this is a dumb question...

And with regard to the new gasket, it is raised around the around the permiter of the exhaust ports. It will obviously, be design, get crushed upon tighetening. Is the raised side the head, or header face? Not at home now... I appreciate the input! Thanks.

 

In my experience it was always head side.

 

I rarely disaggree with obehave, but having done 2 headers in 2 weeks, both with OEM gaskets, I'd argue that the raised (smaller diameter) side should be against the header flange. This because the head ports are smaller than the header ports (usually) and the OEM gasket holes are larger than both. Thus the seal should be against the flange since its area is smaller than the head. The SS flange seems larger than the Megan, so the orientation of the gasket may not matter, but if I had mounted the raised side toward the head, the gasket would have leaked at cylinder 1 and 4.

cheers,

 

gandini, I was thinking the same, but just wasn't sure. I hope to tackle this in about 2 hours, when it's cool! Thanks much. Tony

 

Tony, thanks.
Now you have me thinking about a header.
The more I see how sad the stock one looks next to a aftermarket one, it seems like a no-brainer...

 

Hey, before I forget (I have a few folks asking for info and photos of various things!), can you use the photo of the stock header to show me exactly what you want measured? Just want to make sure I give you the right info...

 

i had SS header, loved it

 

The pipe size right after the flex joint, and right after the pre-cat. By looking at that area Tony, can you see if a piece of straight pipe will work? or will it have to have a bend in it?

 

gotcha. from the photo, it looks like it is bent, but i'll look at the real deal tonight. still at my mom's, so might not do the install tonight... i'll get the requested info though!

 

No problem, whenever you get to it.
Like I metioned above, you have me thinking about a header.

 

Entirely possible.
Old timer experience was that the exhaust post was a known and the header wasn't so the sealant side faced the block.
Just visited the Fel-Pro site and they don't even make those old style gaskets I'm out of date
The new exhaust gaskets are nice and I'd prefer them over what I saw for our OEM gasket.
Here's a link

 

Ok, any definitive word on what way to position the gasket? PARTSMAN109, I'll post a couple of photos of the stock header in the next hour or so...

 

Tony.
I'm pretty sure gandini is right.

I was just posting anecdotal stuff for fun. He's done a couple and I only reused to old gasket on mine. It was so pancaked I had no idea the right way to put it back on. No leaks so far

 

Thanks obe, that is the way I will go then...

PARTSMAN109, I can still try to measure these areas, but I don't see a straight piece working. Here's a photo of that area. It's a 8 megapixel picture, and if you want it larger, just click:



Hope this helps ya make a decision to either make this work, or go aftermkt...

For those who installed the SS or OBX, were you able to reuse the heat shield that bolts over the header, and if so, was any modification needed? Just curious to know what to expect...

 

it bolted back in for me. I don't remember if I had to bend anything or not. Excellent job, as usual!

Matt

 

My heat shield woldn't fit. I need to cut the corners off, of course I havn't done it yet. It's pretty cool seeing the different colors of purple the header turns too I will put it back on when I get some free time -- Johan

 

It's a shame to put the heat shield back on because of all those nice colors and shapes of the header--but you'll be doing great things for under-bonnet temperatures, ceramic coating or not! I am almost certain you'll have to cut away some of the sides, and bend the remaining sides a little to get the shield to fit back. It's a trial and error process in my experience.
good luck,