what is a header?

[kkamakasi]

what is a header?
what is it for?
i'm completely oblivious to car parts and stuff...but i'm trying to get there...

[SiGNAL748]

http://s94031292.onlinehome.us/images/PDRM0370.JPG

That my friend, is a header.

[THEOLDMAN]

That is a header. Since the engine is not a V block you don't need 2 headers.

Check this site out:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question172.htm

[mmont0]

Dude, exactly right. Headers are basically the pipes that connect to your engine/cylinders for exhaust expulsion. If you have a 4 cylinder car, you have a header with 4 pipes going into one tailpipe. If you have a six inline, you usually have six going into one pipe. For a v-block, they usually split the headers into two sets - 2-3's for a 6 cyl. and 2-4's for an 8cyl. For really expensive cars they usually have each set come out of separate tailpipes. You might ask why? Well, the faster you can expell the exhaust, the more horsepower you get from your engine since it has to work less to "throw out the trash". This idea carries over to your headers as well. The larger the header, the faster the gases are released. Of course, if you have a larger header and it goes into a small tailpipe, it does you no good. You have to make sure that if you want to spend the money on a bigger header, you also should invest in a larger pipe system for the entire exhaust of the car. Eventually, this only adds about 30-50 hp to your auto. I looked under the RSX and it seems to have larger exhaust pipes than other cars I've owned. Hope this helps a little.

[crazy_canuck]

30-50hp? Not for the RSX. Around 5 if you get a regular header, and a race header (illegal and problem to install) you'l get 10-20whp.

[mycivic]

They are pipes connecting the engine to exhaust like mmont0 said. You have one pipe for each cylinder. And I dont think its 30-50 hp...It would be more like 10-15, maybe 20 hp.

[SiGNAL748]

i dunno where you guys are getting your numbers from. i say around 5-7whp from a header if you're lucky, and depending on displacement.

but most people are EXTREMELY FGUKCIGN LUCKY to get more than around 20whp from i/h/e

[THEOLDMAN]

Originally Posted by SiGNAL748

i dunno where you guys are getting your numbers from. i say around 5-7whp from a header if you're lucky, and depending on displacement.

but most people are EXTREMELY FGUKCIGN LUCKY to get more than around 20whp from i/h/e

Most people think that all the HP is cummulative, but it isn't. They read the thing put out by the intake, header, exhaust manufacturers and say well that adds up to a total of XX HP, and don't take into consideration that they are tested under "ideal" conditions. You have to take into account drivetrain losses, dirty pipes on exhaust systems (although SS constuction minimizes this). Have you ported and polished your heads and header to match perfectly? Is the cat-back mount absolutely perfectly lined up? etc.etc.