Hey everyone,
I've been trying to decide on whether to get headers or not.
I searched around the forums for a few hours, and haven't really answered the questions I have, so I'll list them here in case anyone can help.

FYI- I don't race my tC... not yet that is So everything that I've done is basically for look/feel/sound. So I don't need the fastest, or best performing parts.

1. I'd like to not kill my wallet, so is there any reason (again, not going for performance) not to get $150 headers? Like, Megan Racing headers on ebay for instance. (vs $300 or $400 ones)

2. I love the way my car sounds with the TRD exhaust, I know the headers will change that- but will it make my car sound like a civic with a fart pipe? I'm trying to go for the deep resonating sound, not the "zippy" sound.
Some posts say something about a ... ok i can't remember what it's called but it sounded like it was supposed to suppress the sound.

3. I've heard about problems with the O2 sensor, and the check engine light- are these easily fixable? it seems like certain headers have good fixes for them and others do not.

Any help would be great
Thanks ahead of time.

 

ur car is gonna sound horrible.. i dont think headers + trd exhaust is ever a good combo... if u like the way it sounds now, i highly recommend u not getting hte headers

 

wow, thanks for your quick post.
Are there header and exhaust combos that do sound deep?

 

1. you get what you paid for.
2. it will sound terrible with trd exhaust, or any other exhaust for that matter with the possible exception of precision muffler axel back exhaust, which i hear is pretty good for tc's with headers. the other posts tell you to get a resonator to help kill the raspy noise.

3. the o2 sensor problems are 1. people sometimes damage the primary o2 sensor removing it and reinstalling in on the new header, then, because the catalytic convertor is in the exhaust header, the secondary o2 sensor will detect that the cat is no longer functioning. both of these will trigger a CEL light.

4. you are a bloody liar, if you really spent hours reading about headers, you would have found all this information 100 times over because i myself have answered it that many times.

 

1. what do you mean? the exhaust came with the car.
2. thank you
3. thanks, i have not seen that answer before
4. Thanks for your input. But, I have been reading since about 8:30, it was kinda hard to find posts on my specific questions, with answers that were clear and concurrent with all the commenters.

 

i mean when you buy parts for your car, you get what you paid for. why are some headers better than others? better material, better welding, better fitment, better design, better service, quality etc. for instance, why are 4-2-1 headers more expensive then 4-1? more labor required to make them.

 

oh, ok. I thought you were saying my choice in exhaust was poor lol.

Thanks

 

So, what about the resonator... does that actually work/sound good?

 

yes, resonators work, as would also adding a high flow cat to replace the one in the header, als, piping diameter has a big influence on the overal noise level.

right now i have a supercharger, 4-2-1 header and s-pipe, with 3 inch exhaust, with a high flow cat, and resonator and muffler, is it is LOUD, i mean deafeningly loud because they didn't put on a big enough resonator. it would be quieter if the resonator was bigger, or the piping diameter was smaller, or the header was changed back to stock, but right now it is VERY LOUD, which is why i will quiet it down a turbo kit.

 

Hah, I definitely don't mind it being loud- as long as it sounds good.
That's a ton of modification that I'd love to do- but I don't have the money for.
Do you have a video of your car? (to see how it sounds)

I guess I'll just wait till i have enough $$ for a turbo and all the other necessities lol

 

no, it doesn't sound good either, it is just loud and sounds like crap. utter crap. sorry i don't have a video, but seriously, it is rediculously loud and raspy.

if you want a header, get a precision muffler axelback exhaust.

i ran my car for a while with supercharger, header+s-pipe and trd exhaust, it still sounded terrible, even before i went to 3-inch exhaust.

 

Alright, thanks for your help

 

The above O2 sensor error reply is a bit misleading.. probably just by the wording. The CEL that occurs will happen regardless of whether you damage the O2 when removing it. It will always occur (unless you move the bung behind the second O2 or go with a couple of antifoulers on it) when you go with an aftermarket header.

The header (we only have one.. not two ;) ) change will get you minimal power gain even with a good one on the tC. And due to the way it affects the power band, it will get you even less actual performance improvement. Terrible bang for the buck, sounds like crap, and you have to deal with getting rid of the O2 code.

And even with a poor improvement in performance, you said you dont care about that part. You have to buy the right exhaust and resonator just to get rid of the nasty sound the header causes. So why would you even want one? I would spend your money on something else.

 

there's someone on here thats running headers, s-pipe and catback exhaust and it had to be the best setup ive ever heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAJ4dEbjf44

oh and ignore the 2.5 pipping its actually 2.25.

 

Wow, that does sound amazing... maybe I'll go for his setup

lots of $$ though :-/

Thanks for the post

 

Personally the only header I feel is worth it is the MMW header + Spipe..i have it with the trd axle back and IMO it doesn't sound that bad but its definitely loud and i'm probably gonna be parting out the tC during x-mas vacation..but anyway..

the MMW is a 4-2-1 header and the megan for example is a 4-1 which is gonna be raspy as hell. Personally I don't like megan products..i haven't heard or seen any of there products I would ever put on my car...other people seem to like them though so in the end its whatever you like.

The mmw is pricier but I think its the best sounding and looking one out there. Good luck on your decision!

 

thanks for everyone's advice.

I think i just might go for this guys exhaust:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiJEI...eature=related

 

I agree with the 4-2-1 style. But i've heard recently that the Tsudo header is pretty much the same thing as the MMW/Weapon R. And the MMW is like 500 vs 300 for the Tsudo. I'm planning on getting a Tsudo header and running stock exhaust until i supercharge, at that point i plan on custom 2.5 piping with resonators like crazy to stop rasp