New Header for swap?

[skate1968]

As I mentioned earlier, i'm getting another D15 to replace the one i have now which is losing too much oil. I'm trying to do this on a budget.

I'm wondering whether i should get an after market header now or can i put that off till later? I'd like to have the option of upgrading to better exhaust system if i choose to do so. (although i'm not certain that i'll ever actually do it) And if it's a lot easier now, while he has the enine out, i'll look in to getting a new header. Otherwise i'll just wait till later.

If the header can be done just as easily later with the engine in i'll wait. (kind of like i'll wait with the MPFI)


(granted, i am aware that an aftermarket header won't do much if i don't upgrade the cat back with it.)


Question 2
Someone told me that a cold air intake is not going to do to much if i've got the stock exhaust on. Meaning that the CAI wont be so effective with all the back end pressure coming from the 1 1/4 inch pipe-- it'll be constricted.

Any other advice on the budget d15 swap would be appreciated.

thanks

[Tony]

Most of the things you are thinking of right now can easily be done with the engine in the car. The biggest thing you can do right now while the engine is out, is the MPFI swap. I would much rather do that while the engine is out rather than in the car. The exhaust is simple to do while its still in the car, everything is right up front. Intake manifold is a little trickier to do while its still in the car...it can be done and has lots and lots of times, but with all the things you are mentioning right now, that would be the best one to do while its out.

No, alone a new intake isn't going to do much good, but most of the bolt ons don't do a lot by themself, its when you start pairing it all together is when it adds up. The cheapest route on the exhaust is go have an exhaust shop build you a 2 1/4" exhaust from the cat back, with your choice in muffler and/or resonators. Some will claim the exhaust they are building you won't get the most out of your engine, but until your scrapping trying to get every last HP out of it, just opening it up will help you, and the crush bends vs mandrel bends aren't gonna make that big of a difference right now. Biggest difference between having most shops build you an exhaust vs ordering a pre-made cat back exhaust system, the way they bend the pipe. But IMO, i got my exhaust done for ~$80 vs ~$300, ill take the crush bent pipe.

As for intake systems: Cold Air Intake(CAI)-Pulls cold air out from the fender well, cold air is more dense creating more power, but its in a long intake tube. Short Ram Intake(SRI)-Short intake tube which is better, but pulls hot air from the engine bay. Most of the time a CAI will be a spike in power, while a SRI will give you a smooth powerband. IMO the best intake would be a SRI with a heat shield blocking the hot air from your engine, which should provide the same power increase you see CAI claiming, but in a much smoother power band.

Don't ask me why I just went on that rant. And if I got something incorrect, please someone correct me.

[skate1968]

Tony,
I don't consider that a rant at all. I appreciate the input.
thank you

[FrodoGT]

Unless im out of my mind I dunno how exactly you COULD get the engine in with the header on. unless you go in the from the bottom, my header stuck out behind the engine a good foot..which would make it damn near impossible to drop it in straight.

As far as "smoothing" the powerband with a SRI, what it really does is give an increase in power lower in the rpm range rather than up high (it still can give an increase there though)..and on our engines which have no torque or power until the high end, yes it will smooth it out.

[Tony]

From the reading I have done on it, the graphs showed an even power increase all across the band, rather than a spike mid way through it much like the VTEC spike(except not as drastic). But its been awhile since I read up on it, but from everything I have gathered, the best way to go about an intake is run a SRI with a heat shield. Since most of our cars have the intake filter running to the opposite side of the exhaust manifold, its a little easier to build a heat shield, doesn't have to be as thick. We still have to deal with the heat from the radiator, but without the exhaust close to it, its not that bad.