OBX Race Header

tanetal · Post by **tanetal** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:33 am

well
we installed them a few weeks ago and i have to say i was actually quite impressed. I expected some cheap chinese crap to show up and what I got was a very clean very nicely welded piece of stainless.

I installed theyre RACE header onto my 2001 R/T and installation was easy and seamless, They often advertise on ebay that these are 2.25" @ the collector but they are in fact 2.5" which i was supremely delighted with. It matched up perfectly w the TruBendz 2.5" stainless we chose for the catback.

The exhaust sounds killer, and theres been a very noticeble improvement from 3500 to redline

Ive owned a TTi as well as an AFX, for the price the OBX cant be beat.

TN.Frank · Post by **TN.Frank** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:26 pm

For the $209 that Modern Performance sell em' for I think it's a heck of a deal. It's stainless, it comes with the down tube, what more can you say. This is the header that I plan on running. I'll have to have the down tube modded for a free flow cat but other then that I think it'll be a nice way to go. Glad to hear that they're decent headers.

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:31 pm

I assume you had a long tube header from TTI?

How do you think they compare?

I noticed no difference when my LTH was installed...other than the fact that it was loud as HELL

dgodard · Post by **dgodard** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:19 pm

So, OBX is better than stock magnum header?

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:50 am

Any pics of this header?

TN.Frank · Post by **TN.Frank** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:20 pm

One question that I do have. I noticed that the OBX has a bung for the O2 sensor on the Header and also one on the top part of the Down Tube. Which do you use for your Up Stream O2 sensor and if you're running a free flow cat with a bung for your down stream sensor can you just plug the one on either the header or down tube(whichever one you're not using for the up stream) or is it used for some other sensor that I don't know about.

jckevns · Post by **jckevns** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:21 pm

the bung on the header is the upstream
a little confused on what you're trying to do, are you trying to run the down tube and a cat?

TN.Frank · Post by **TN.Frank** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:36 pm

In order not to throw a code on my '05 SXT I have to run a cat or the downstream O2 sensor won't detect enough of a clean up from the upstream sensor and it'll throw a code. Can I not run the down tube AND a cat? I'd love to not have to run a cat but like I said, the 'puter will throw a code without one. I've got no real option and I don't want to monkey rig it up with a hollowed out spark plug since I've read that they don't really work all that great anyway. So, do I just plug the bung on the down tube, have it cut a bit so the cat will fit or what?

jckevns · Post by **jckevns** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:57 pm

TN.Frank wrote: So, do I just plug the bung on the down tube, have it cut a bit so the cat will fit or what?

i don't see why that wouldn't work
for the amount of work you're going to have to do you might as well get a LTH just a thought

tanetal · Post by **tanetal** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:40 am

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-St-S ... enameZWDVW

thats the one i used

yes i did have a tti previously and i have to say the obx was actually a higher quality piece, where the primaries met was straight and clear of flash and just a gorgeous sight to behold

is this better than the magnum header
100% 2.5" collector, way longer primaries
someone here said they noticed little improvement but noise.
on a stock engine a header and intake might get 5-10 hp which you will barely notice. however when you get to a situation like mine where i have a fully built/forged/ported N/A magnum engine a header is one of your most important pieces. Will this header outflow a stock magnum header @ 3000rpm of course it will, but it wont really shine until about 7500 rpm where im still flowing as strong

I live in canada so the stainless is a godsend, the salt on the roads here eats mild steel like nothing, my pacesetter lasted maybe 2 years

Im a 2001 R/T and i have both upstream and downstream plugged into the header and i dont throw ne codes, I run a high flow cat even tho im not required in my area cause i like mother nature

then it dumps into a 2.5" stainless trubendz catback

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:36 pm

That definately looks like a nice piece....
A nice stainless longtube.....mmmm

dgodard · Post by **dgodard** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:57 pm

Modern's website says it's only for non magnum SOHC

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:24 am

dgodard wrote:Modern's website says it's only for non magnum SOHC

that sucks...

tanetal · Post by **tanetal** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:29 am

actually i have it on my 2001 R/T and it went on just fine

It will fit either from what i was told

silverneontuner · Post by **silverneontuner** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 3:43 am

will it work on an NGC neon?, where is the cat located on one?. i cant check since my cars in stoarage i cant look

TN.Frank · Post by **TN.Frank** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:20 am

The cat on my '05 is angled along the firewall going down to the exhaust. You'll have to cut out part of the down tube to add the cat, which doesn't look like it'd be all that hard and you could cut above the downtube bung to delete it since you won't need it because you'll run the upstream O2 in the header and the downstream in the cat.
I was thinking about Pacesetter because of cost but for a little over $50 bucks I can go stainless AND have a downtube that I can add my free flow cat to to make it easier to install. I'll probably go OBX.

05NeonSE · Post by **05NeonSE** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:35 pm

Is it smog legal?

CA FTL!

Marthby · Post by **Marthby** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:34 pm

LOL HELLZ NAWWWWW!!! CA FTL indeed

03blackrt · Post by **03blackrt** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:24 am

Any pics of the inside of the header, looking in thru the head flange down into the primaries? I'm wondering how nice the primaries match up with the openings on the head flange. 1.625" primaries?

tanetal · Post by **tanetal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:04 am

i dont have pics of the inside but let me say that i just bolted these on unlike my tti which i spent an hour or 2 with the dremel on.

tanetal · Post by **tanetal** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:05 pm

so aftr a few hundred miles i got the no cat code

got the spark plug antifouler modd and killed the code no problemo

for those that dont want to try to build one themselves i got one off ebay that was in my opinion better thatn the spark anti fouler as it was the same but longer and put the second 02 further away than it would have had i built it myself.

sellers name is

jphuang

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:01 am

+1, made my own with HELP! parts from canadian tire... Two anti-foulers screwed together, and then screwed the o2 sensor into those, and that whole assembly into my lower o2 bung. Problem free for 15,000km...

OB · Post by OB » Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:40 am

TN.Frank wrote:In order not to throw a code on my '05 SXT I have to run a cat or the downstream O2 sensor won't detect enough of a clean up from the upstream sensor and it'll throw a code. Can I not run the down tube AND a cat? I'd love to not have to run a cat but like I said, the 'puter will throw a code without one. I've got no real option and I don't want to monkey rig it up with a hollowed out spark plug since I've read that they don't really work all that great anyway. So, do I just plug the bung on the down tube, have it cut a bit so the cat will fit or what?

Whats the big deal about throwing codes anyways? The reading from the downstream wont effect the cars driveability; I dont see the problem with dealing with the code.

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 1:49 pm

How did the ports line up with your header gasket?

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:43 pm

well I just bought one of ebay...if it is crap, I am coming to find you tanetal

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:01 pm

just got it today and it is PURDY...took a bunch of pics and opened a photobucket account just to show you guys how nice this thing is.

and the primary diameter

fastsrtfour · Post by **fastsrtfour** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:17 pm

when you planning on installing? would love to hear a sound clip! waiting to get approval from the wife to maybe purchase one of these.

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:12 pm

This thread has a sound clip of the TTi LTH with a 31" glasspack and a srt rear section

http://forum.2gn.org/viewtopic.php?t=24922

The plan is to put it on Friday...

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:48 pm

so I wrapped it the other day and that was a PITA. The wrap doesn't stick to the header so it just spins and it is hard to get a good tight wrap. One of the wraps on a primary came loose. Not only that but the wrap tends to grab stuff during install and it SMOKES like crazy (expected and should stop soon). One 2"x50ft roll is more than enough to wrap the whole LTH. I got 2 packs of the metal zip ties (1 of the smaller diameter and 1 of the large). I think small hose clamps would be better and you can get them tighter...plus you can loosen and reuse the hose clamps.

The install went fairly smooth. Took me 5 1/2 hours all by myself while on crutches. The hardest part about getting everything off was the cat pipe. That took quite a bit of pulling and twisting.

I had to bring the OBX LTH in from the bottom...I might have been able to cram it down from the top, but the bottom was easier. Getting the header bolted to the head is tricky when you are all by yourself but I managed with a little frustration. The 3 bolt flange looks sweet but getting to the top nut is a PITA once it is on the car. The header wrap didn't help there either, as everything is pretty snug fit as is and the header wrap just made it that much tighter. The little down pipe that comes with the header slide over the top of the mid pipe, so you don't get a good seal (that is okay cause I have a high flow cat on the way that will be welded in). I didn't use the little reducer/donut looking thing that is made out of gasket material...I tried getting it in the bolts are barely long enough with it in there and I was tired of messing with it.

After everything was bolted up, I went to reinstall the O2 sensors and NEITHER one reaches...so off to Advanced Auto for some 18 gauge wire and electrical tape. I extended the upstream about 4-6" and the downstream a good 12" (so it will reach the cat when I get it). The downstream O2 bung is on the wrong side of the pipe so when I routed the wires I went thru a brace and up the other side to keep the wires away from the hot pipes. The TTi is the same way so if you go that route, expect to extend your O2 wires. The KIRK looks like you won't have to extend the wires.

I started it up and it is loud and buzzy as hell! I am hoping the cat will take some of the buzz out of it. I expected it to be a little louder but not buzzy like that. If the cat doesn't help take enough noise out, then I will be going with a moroso spiral flow after the cat to help make it tolerable. As mentioned the header wrap smokes like a MOFO!

Performance...car pulls considerably harder up top, but I didn't do an extended test run yet.

Overall I like it. Wish the header wrap wouldn't have come loose on the 1 primary (I will fix when I do my head swap). I am sure it will sound 100X better with the cat installed. Hopefully it gets here soon!

Jerome Adams · Post by **Jerome Adams** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:50 pm

got the Magnaflow high flow cat installed and it sounds 100X better.