Header has arrived!

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Fri May 25, 2007 12:29 pm

Just got my DC sports header yesterday. Hopefully I will get around to installing it on Monday. Once its in, I will have a complete custom exhaust system all the way through! I will be sure to post pics and thoughts in this post as soon as I install it. This is just another step forward in my quest to become Vibe of the month!!

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:43 pm

what do you have for your down pipe and full exhauast?

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:11 pm

Could you possibly post some pics of the old and new headers side-by-side before you do the install? Thanks.

Petrucci914 · Post by **Petrucci914** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:00 am

I have some pics of that on my computer. The stock exhaust manifold is atrocious. What is your email?

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:11 am

He meant post them here.

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:30 am

I'll post some comparison shots of the header and manifold on Monday. As far as the down pipe and exhaust goes, I have 2 1/4 inch pipe, and no resonator. It is all custom,, mandrel bent stainless. My buddy put it together for... FREE.

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:24 am

You lucky dog, you.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:52 am

I've had my DC Sports header for about 9 months now. It's the best, most noticeable mod so far. I agree that the stock manifold was a piece of poop. I've seen worse though. The stock manifolds on my GMC truck were scary bad.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Sat May 26, 2007 11:39 am

ajflan thats sweet! can you get some cound or vid clips of your exhuast so I can hear that? I am thinking of doing my exhaust soon.

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Sun May 27, 2007 12:53 am

As soon as I can figure out how to post or even make a sound clip I'll do it. I'm not exactly computer savvy.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Sun May 27, 2007 2:32 am

http://www.streetfire.net lets you post vid clips. I have one on there of my vibe with TRD intake on. And well we need more vibe vids on there

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Sun May 27, 2007 5:48 am

Awesome! Thanks for the link. As soon as everything is put together, I'll try to get some vids.

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon May 28, 2007 7:35 am

It's in! I was suprised by the noise that it makes, but I'll get used to it. Here are a couple pis, because I know how much pics are loved around here. I will try to get some video clips up in the near future so stay tuned.

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon May 28, 2007 7:44 am

We temporarily reinstalled my original midpipe, minus the resonator. I was running with only one catalytic converter, and with the header, the sound was a little too ear piercing for me. So we took off my custom midpipe and my buddy is going to modify it to accommodate the second cat. I was going to take comparison shots, but I left my camera at home this morning.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:02 am

nice pics! cool, cant wait for the vid/sound clips

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:16 am

The way its set up now, with a straight pipe instead of a resonator, pretty much sounds exacltly the same as the 2 1/4 midpipe. Its suprisingly non-ricey. It doesn't have that "tin can" sound at all. It might have to do with the fact that my Borla muffler is bigger than the one that comes in the axle-back system. Either that or I just like rice. I'm going to wait untill we get the midpipe back on to do sound clips.

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:59 am

Just curious, got any pics of the stock manifold? Thanks.

Petrucci914 · Post by **Petrucci914** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:28 am

Here you go:

Attached files

Petrucci914 · Post by **Petrucci914** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:31 am

I also recommend doing this with your O2 Sensor:

Attached files

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:04 am

What did you do with the O2 sensor in that last pic?

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:10 am

Quote, originally posted by Petrucci914 Â»Here you go:Thanks. Doesn't look too bad......at least it's not a heavy chunk of cast iron.

Petrucci914 · Post by **Petrucci914** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:54 am

I have the O2 sensor cable secured so it doesn't melt by touching the header.

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:48 pm

Thanks, good idea. I'll do that.

Celtic_Curse · Post by **Celtic_Curse** » Tue May 29, 2007 2:27 am

I got told that the O2 wire is heat shieleded and will not melt although the tie back is a good idea.When I first started it up and the car warmed up the oil burning off the header made me think there was a huge leak or the engine is burning something. Love the way it sounds and you can definately tell there is more torque.Post the sound file I would like to see if the sound I hear under the hood is normal.

Petrucci914 · Post by **Petrucci914** » Tue May 29, 2007 2:45 am

What sound do you hear? I had my header on before I got my exhaust. It was a bit louder upon accelerating but the idle sound didn't change very much.

Celtic_Curse · Post by **Celtic_Curse** » Tue May 29, 2007 3:27 pm

at idle it sounds normal, it's when you step on the gas...the sound it makes is kinda pharty?? Just noticed that I can take the car faster too. Before the intake my limiter would kick in at 120kph in third, tonight I was ar 130 and not at the limiter hmmm....this could be fun. Did you notice the same?

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:28 am

Thats exactly how it sounds. At idle its normal, but when you punch it it sounds kinda like a tiny dumptruck under the hood. I also notice a definite improvement in performance.

Celtic_Curse · Post by **Celtic_Curse** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:23 pm

Yep definately a performance increase!! Should of done this sooner.

mathteacher'04vibe · Post by **mathteacher'04vibe** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:23 am

I just ordered mine (DC header) today. Once I get it and have it on, I will take some video w/my Sony digital camera and upload it to my photobucket account.Was install easy and did the header come w/new gaskets?

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:31 am

It took about two hours for me and a buddy to install it. It doesn't come with new gaskets, but I had no problems re-using my old ones. Definitely one of the best mods I've done.

ProtonXX · Post by **ProtonXX** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:31 pm

any mileage effects?

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:05 am

The only effect its had so far is that somehow my foot became heavier, and my milage went down.

Celtic_Curse · Post by **Celtic_Curse** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:45 am

Same here. The new sound is addictive.

mathteacher'04vibe · Post by **mathteacher'04vibe** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:19 am

Well, I went to take my old manifold off and just as I was about to crawl underneath, the new header arrived. The box was surprisingly small. Anyway, the install was the easiest mod I have done to the car! Installing the header was easier than putting the S/R intake on. Three slight problems: 1) getting the old manifold out (I had to maneuver it just so and it came out the top on the passenger side), 2) getting the o2 sensor out (I did not have the socket or the right size wrench, so I used the trusty vise grips--I know, bad bad me), and 3) getting the header into the engine bay (after moving the cruise control unit out of the way, it went in place from the driver's side).So far I have not seen huge power gains, but in the 100 or so miles so far, I have noticed some more mid-range. I already have a flowmaster-type muffler on, so the sound is not really much louder. The noise at the tailpipe is a little lounder, but the engine bay is not much louder. There is a subtle Chevy Beretta-like growl if you stomp on it from 1500-2000 RPM. The RPMs build faster now too. I hit triple digits much sooner than before Stay tuned, I will be posting some video clips to my photobucket once the ECU learns what to do with my new mod.Thanks to all for your helpful posts and installation tips. It made installation a snap!

Never Enough · Post by **Never Enough** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:03 pm

The DC header is a great mod. It is crazy though how small it is....for the money they should at least send it in a larger box to make you feel better...LOL.

mathteacher'04vibe · Post by **mathteacher'04vibe** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:21 am

Here is a view you usually don't/can't see. Yes, the box should be bigger...

ajflan · Post by **ajflan** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:48 am

That is a good pic. My header was slightly scuffed on arrival due to the lack of space in the box. Oh well.

Header has arrived!

Header has arrived!

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can't wait

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header on

pic from engine bay

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