There is a tube header on craigslist here in Idaho for sale that I will be going out to pick up in the next couple days. For $5, I figure I can't really go wrong, even sell it later if I don't decide to use it.
My question is, do these help to improve or to degrade performance on a stock motor?
When you make an engine breath better, it is always a plus. You should gain a few horses and sound better too! too
Went out and picked it up yesterday afternoon. I will see if the exhaust shop I will have work done at will put it on when I have my exhaust system rebuilt. 2 1/2" pipe from block to tailpipe, new cat and a flowmaster 40 series! 8)
Hopefully I will have it sounding like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6NQ32drHaE
I know you will like the sound. 2 1/2" HUH, wow :hypno:.
Now should you not like it ???, I would like to be first in line to buy the headers. Please :look:
Yeah, 2.5" piping. After the collector on the header, the hole is 2.75", so the header is a large one to start with! If I decide not to go through with it or don't like the sound, you will be the first to get the PM!
Dave1987,
Headers on a stock motor do have a benefit BUT think about expectations you may have.
When I first got my '72 with a stock 2.0L engine, I installed the header that came with the Car (Hooker Super Comp) and the car had a race exhaust out the side under the passenger door. 2-1/2" pipe with a 30" glass pack. Now this was a stock intake,carb, and air cleaner.
Then I was a bit unimpressed with the acceleration, but it had good torque low on the RPM scale. I tried a bunch of different types of Stock style carbs and different open air filter.
What really woke the stock motor up was a non- progressive WEBER 38 DGAS on a slightly "ported" stock manifold. Suddenly I had wheelspin well into 2nd and I had to hold on ,even with 7.5" wide wheels and 9" of rubber on all corners. The Point is the 2.0l motor was choked down for emissions. Even with a mildly modified manifold this car needed more Fuel and Air, and that carb delivered.
I never went any bigger on that motor, later I went to a Medium hot race motor with twin side drafts and learned about munching on v8 cars in the 1/8th mile and worrying Porsche drivers in the canyons :hypno:
The stock 2.3 needs a Better intake manifold and at least a large 2bbl or small 4bbl to make best use of a header and free flowing exhaust.
If you don't come up against smog regulations, change all of it! Stock you might have 88 HP at the crank. Just the intake and exhaust mods are going to bump that up to 135HP. Change the cam and 150HP is doable.
And once you fix this, you may have to upgrade your tires, wheels, and sway bars would be a good idea too! ;D
Thank you soo much for your input pintosopher! If it really would cause more problems than it's worth, while keeping my motor stock, I won't go through with it. I will just stick with my existing exhaust manifold and pipe to cat, and just have them change the pipe after the cat to a slightly larger one to match up with the newer magnaflow they recommended me. I don't want to change the performance of the car as much as I do the reliability and overall tone. All I want from tone is anything besides a tractor or a ricer!
Now, would using this header but stepping the pipe size down to 1.5 or 2 inches be realistic? Or is that going to be a joke and laughing stock of a setup? I don't want something embarrassing on the car, or something that is going to degrade its performance.
Dave1987,
Well If you just do a 2" or 2-1/4" system from the stock exhaust manifold, it'll sound better, and have a bit more zip, without killing the gas mileage or affecting the Carb jetting. The Sound issue is a combo of pipe diameter and the type of Muffler. The header will still have positive impact if you design a good 2" system, in fact it can improve the torque spread even with a stock carb setup.
When you get the urge to Humble a Honda, this group has a bunch of choices for you! ;)
Pintosopher