difference in header brands??

i was wondering what's deal with all these different header brands, prices and stuff..... what makes certain headers so expensive? i see pace setters from 90 bux to dc headers at 400 bux.... is there really that much of a difference in performance or is there something more besides the brand??..... can you tell the good ones from the cheap ones by looking at the flanges?? just wondering......

Dc sports makes good header. Try Hytech headers. I think they are the best ones out there and one got dyno tested and added 18 hp to the wheels!:eek:

If you're lookin' for a d-series header, I say you get this one: http://exospeed.com/specials/specials.htm

Originally posted by Marc-OS
If you're lookin' for a d-series header, I say you get this one: http://exospeed.com/specials/specials.htm


Oh for god sakes man! look at his pic! :p

I bet you anything that header kicks some serouse ass! Do not take its unapealing ugliness as a sighn of bad performance! I see headers like those on ALL motor race cars bustin out 10-11 sec 1/4 mile times! :eek: I want one! Only thing is how the hell is it soposed to fit in there :huh:

Originally posted by frostee
i was wondering what's deal with all these different header brands, prices and stuff..... what makes certain headers so expensive? i see pace setters from 90 bux to dc headers at 400 bux.... is there really that much of a difference in performance or is there something more besides the brand??..... can you tell the good ones from the cheap ones by looking at the flanges?? just wondering......

Well as an owner of both a Pace setter header and a DC I will fill you in... I also saw the pace setter, Im like why the hell would I pay X for X product when its the same as X product but for X amount more! Well now I bought that pace setter header even after someone on THIS forum said they suck dont buy it its crap... Install: Ok I got it all in and OH WOW! Its like 4" longer than it should be! Ok So I customize the exaust to fit. Hop in my car to test ride feelin all hot shit with my new cheap header (By the way as soon as I got it I noticed 2 things, it was not well made (There were lots of furls in the material I had to grind out with my die grinder and there was a sticker on it that said this is not a finish coat (Whatever the hell that meens I think to myself) So I drive about a block and a half before my car is FULL of some rounchy ass smellin BLACK ass smoke! Its POORIN out of my hood like an angry bon fire at a beach keger! I imeadeatly pull over turn off the car and pop my hood... All the paint that was on the header is burning off! My car still smells like ass, dont get a pace setter for the love of god! It does work good thoe ;) Pulls hard from 3K to 6.5K stinks hard from idle to 4K then im goin so fast I cant smell it any more :huh: The DC top half of a header I just picked up for the ZC I'm building is awsome! I was coated in ceramic's but I sanded it off... BTW my first port job looks premo! Im stylin!

well heres my 2 cents.

i say go with metal headers and not ceramic.......think about it if you drop a ceramic header what do you thinks gonna happen............bingo the fuckers gonna stadder just like a coffee mug Hmm i wonder why b/c ceramic is a fucking rip off but what if you drop a metal header.........bingo just gonna make some noise might get scratched or get a dent but thats not as bad as breaking the fucking think.....

DC headers have the C.A.R.B. exempt sticker. In California you might not pass the smog test if the header doesn't have the sticker.

there are no emmsions here in ND

Originally posted by seth 90DX/ZC


The DC top half of a header I just picked up for the ZC I'm building is awsome! I was coated in ceramic's but I sanded it off... BTW my first port job looks premo! Im stylin!


hey what model dc header did you get for your zc. like for what motor or do they have one for the zc?

For a ZC you still buy a normal 88-91 civic/crx header but you have to kinda modify it. The exhaust ports are i think about 1/8th of an inch off so use a die grinder and open them up a little more. Also, the two outside corners of the flanges are too long so you have to shave them down a tiny bit. Its all really easy though, shouldnt have any problems.

OR you could buy the 88-89 teg header (ZC motor has same exhaust ports as the D16A1- teg motor) and modify the exhuast either way there will either be some grinding (if you use the 88-91 header) or some welding (if you use the teg header)

I bought an inexpensive (read: CHEAP!) header on EBay. It's made by Megan.
It bolted right up. It's got a ceramic coating; notice that, the header is not made of ceramic material, it's got a ceramic COATING, meaning it won't break if I dropped it. It fit perfectly. No modification. If I'd had a die grinder, I might have smoothed out a couple of burrs on the inside.
I can tell there's a slight gain in torque, but not a dramatic amount. Then again, I've got a 1.5 with two injectors. I do have a cold air intake, but no other real modifications. The rest of the exhaust is stock.
So, I paid a grand total of $170 (that includes shipping) for my ceramic coated header. I think it delivered just as much improvement as a very expensive one (except for the bundle-o-snakes...I'll bet that one adds some serious power!).
More expensive isn't always better. Just usually.
Flunky

Originally posted by blueturtle
well heres my 2 cents.

i say go with metal headers and not ceramic.......think about it if you drop a ceramic header what do you thinks gonna happen............bingo the fuckers gonna stadder just like a coffee mug Hmm i wonder why b/c ceramic is a fucking rip off but what if you drop a metal header.........bingo just gonna make some noise might get scratched or get a dent but thats not as bad as breaking the fucking think.....

:hehehe: :hehe: :hehehe: :hehe: :hehehe: :hehe: :hehehe: :hehe: :hehehe:

Dude, ceramic headers arent ALL ceramic... They have a coat of ceramic over the metal to provide a finish and less heat... Ploished ones are more expensive because they have to be HAND polished. Cant get a machine to get inbetween all those angles.

Originally posted by 95civicman



hey what model dc header did you get for your zc. like for what motor or do they have one for the zc?

Well actualy you can use the DC top half from a D16A1 (88-89 integra) and the bottom half of a 88-91 civic... No prt matching involved here ;) I used the top half of a 88-91 civic one so I had to port match, but I got die grinders and shit so its not a big deal for me.

Remeber that you get what you pay for. I suggest that you get a ceramic coated header. They will last longer in the end.

Here's a link to a page that has reviewed almost every decent d series header: http://www.hadamotorsport.com/tech/review/dsemc/index.html

thank you man i have been looking for that page for a while now its a damned good one

Originally posted by Marc-OS
Here's a link to a page that has reviewed almost every decent d series header: http://www.hadamotorsport.com/tech/review/dsemc/index.html


Beat me to it.

That is the most informative comparison of header design I have ever read. Thanks!~
Flunky

I like my DC... But that Bismarc header, Im gonna have to get one... It will have to be down the line aways but look at how much HP that thing is makin! :eek:

I have a DC ceramic coated 4-2-1 and its great. It still looks exactly like it did when i bought it, nice and shiny silver/grey.

I have a friend with a polished DC 4-2-1 and it is all burnt black and nasty looking. dont look so shiny anymore :mad:

Ceramic coated is the way to go.

I too bought a paceshitter header....BIG MISTAKE.....burnt all the paint off now it looks like shit, but it doesnt smell.....and since i dont pop my hood to show people a spotless detailed motor they see a rusty header and laugh....then i deliver a karate shop to the neck and they leave me alone.....MMUUWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHA....


gunnmen01

Originally posted by 91civicDXdude
I have a DC ceramic coated 4-2-1 and its great. It still looks exactly like it did when i bought it, nice and shiny silver/grey.

I have a friend with a polished DC 4-2-1 and it is all burnt black and nasty looking. dont look so shiny anymore :mad:

Ceramic coated is the way to go.



I like the black/purple metallic look of a heated chrome header.

this one looks burnt. I know what you're talking about, the multi colored heated look, but he has had the header for a while and it went from multi colored to straight burnt black

Now that I've read that page of header design reviews, I can talk about the one I got.
It's a Megan. It is non-sequential, and has short primaries, which means most of the power gain will develop at the high RPMs. The secondaries are long and over 2-inches wide, so the low-mid range shouldn't suffer, but probably won't see tremendous gains.
The ony thing I can see to show that it's cheap are the merges. They are short, not long and smooth.
Now I have an excuse to check out that top end! Let's go get a ticket!
Flunky
PS-I'm glad I got the ceramic coating. Last time I had headers on my oldsmobile 455, they burned up every wire in sight and baked the starter three times a year...even WITH insulation and a heat shield!

how many headers out there are street legal?? besides dc sports??

Who gives a fuck about street legal? Joo come talk to me man... Bring $100 I get you smog.

yea yea yea, it's all fun and games until you get pulled over and get your underhood inspection........ by them bastards.......