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Header Thread * Which Makes Most HP per $$? Best Bang

NSX1145

NSX1145

Experienced Member
Joined
13 December 2011
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So I ask, Which Header available is the BEST BANG for your BUCK!??

There are a few different brands out there, and the pricing greatly varies. Of course it depends on if you have supporting mods such as an upgraded Intake, High-Flow Cats / Test Pipes, Exhaust System etc...

If you have some input, I'd like to catalog the data, dynographs, pros/cons etc...To note, if you have a "real world" dynograph of the powergains, as opposed to the "manufacturer" dyno (which often times is fluffed a bit) please share. From SOS, "Claiming any number, with out providing a baseline test is useless. We've seen dynos vary up to 30% from manufacture to manufacture - even from same models, depending how they are setup and calibrated. A dyno is only good as a relative instrument when you measure a baseline before the change and the resulting change."

- Top Speed Pro 1 - $600 - Requires Modification - HP Gains = ?
- OBX-R - $400 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?)
- DC Sports - $1400 - No Modification - HP Gains = 3-8 (real world dyno)
- Comptech / CT Engineering - $1500 - No Modification - HP Gains = 18 (ct dyno)
- Science of Speed Advance - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 16-24 (sos dyno)
- Taitec GT-011 - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 22 w/ parallel exhaust (sos dyno) (header alone ?)
- Billy Boat Tri-Flo - $1700 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?)
- Toda Power - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ?
- Fujitsubo - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ?
- GT-One - $4K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ?
 
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It also depends on whether it is NA1 or NA2. NA1 will see a higher increase due to the restrictive stock exhaust manifold. NA2 came with a better designed header that contributed to a huge part of the Horsepower differences from the 3.0L engine 270hp to the 3.2L of 290hp. I am pretty sure post 97 NSXs with auto tranny (which is still the 3.0L engine) still retained the old more restrictive designed headers. So those will also see better gains from aftermarket upgrades as well.
 
Since you have a 2000 you can cross the Top Speed off the list. Even though they claim their NA2 headers are for 97-2005, they are actually 97-99. The rear bank is 3/4" too long.

NSX-97-99-vs-00-05-Header-D_zpsbdfcc7c4.jpg
 
- Top Speed Pro 1 - $600 - Requires Modification - HP Gains = ? POS must shave part of the transmission housing off so the header doesnt touch the transmissionto get it to torque to 25lbs at the block.
- OBX-R - $400 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?) POS must shave part of the transmission housing off so the header doesnt touch the transmission to get it to torque to 25 lbs at the block
- DC Sports - $1400 - No Modification - HP Gains = 3-8 (real world dyno) POS you need to shave the spring bolt in half to get it to fit as it bends to much and will not seat proper
- Comptech / CT Engineering - $1500 - No Modification - HP Gains = 18 (ct dyno) perfect fit every single time.
- Science of Speed Advance - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 16-24 (sos dyno) I love SOS but since they source their headers from a certain 3rd party it falls into the DC Sport header class. the welds are angled wrong and will require to shave half the bolt off to make it fit to the cats. if your not using free flow. 2 times this has happened now.
- Taitec GT-011 - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 22 w/ parallel exhaust (sos dyno) (header alone ?) never tried them.
- Billy Boat Tri-Flo - $1700 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?) the name alone scares me off.
- Toda Power - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment
- Fujitsubo - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment
- GT-One - $4K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment

bottom line those 200 dollar ebay crap is just that crap. buy comptech headers from SOS and be happy. stage 2 sounds better just installed one on a 2001
power gains, I think all are in line with each other boasting theirs is better. blah blah. but in the end any of these are better than stock.
 
shawn110975 said:
- Top Speed Pro 1 - $600 - Requires Modification - HP Gains = ? POS must shave part of the transmission housing off so the header doesnt touch the transmissionto get it to torque to 25lbs at the block.
- OBX-R - $400 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?) POS must shave part of the transmission housing off so the header doesnt touch the transmission to get it to torque to 25 lbs at the block
- DC Sports - $1400 - No Modification - HP Gains = 3-8 (real world dyno) POS you need to shave the spring bolt in half to get it to fit as it bends to much and will not seat proper
- Comptech / CT Engineering - $1500 - No Modification - HP Gains = 18 (ct dyno) perfect fit every single time.
- Science of Speed Advance - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 16-24 (sos dyno) I love SOS but since they source their headers from a certain 3rd party it falls into the DC Sport header class. the welds are angled wrong and will require to shave half the bolt off to make it fit to the cats. if your not using free flow. 2 times this has happened now.
- Taitec GT-011 - $1550 - No Modification - HP Gains = 22 w/ parallel exhaust (sos dyno) (header alone ?) never tried them.
- Billy Boat Tri-Flo - $1700 - HP Gains = ? (has anyone tried these?) the name alone scares me off.
- Toda Power - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment
- Fujitsubo - $2K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment
- GT-One - $4K+ - No Modification - HP Gains = ? never tried them cant comment

bottom line those 200 dollar ebay crap is just that crap. buy comptech headers from SOS and be happy. stage 2 sounds better just installed one on a 2001
power gains, I think all are in line with each other boasting theirs is better. blah blah. but in the end any of these are better than stock.
Click to expand...


Kinda what I was thinking... :)

Perhaps from the makers of Billy Big Mouth Bass?
big-mouth-billy-bass.jpg
 
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sduffass said:
WAY to many variables to be considered.
Click to expand...
+1 it's near pointless you need a technical and mathematical comparison to give a clear picture and that's a TON of variables.

But I'll chime in,
TaiTec - excellent stuff both in performance and quality, real nice runner and collector layout
OBX - cheap for the sake of being cheap, i'm running there system on my KA8 since that's the only option, poorly designed, bad fitment, i have heard of weld issues over time.
ProSpeed - fair i'd say performance wise they are NA2 OE style, fitment isn't that good though you are required to trim chassis to install.
SoS - Haven't head those in stock yet nether do I have hands on experience
CTE - Very nice quality pretty good stuff
B&B = RM - to my knowledge
Fujitsubo - good stuff a local customer of mine run's them don't have any dyno sheets though (they claim 23PS DIN increase)
GT-One - Those are rebadged RFY headers and RFY claims 30PS DIN increase. (I'm curious why there number 6 cylinder is crossed)


That being said i don't really trust dyno run's at all.
 
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It would be cool if

1. If there was a stock car with no other modifications
2. With stock exhaust
3. Dyno'ed on the same dyno, by the same person, with the same climate conditions

But yeah I mean it would be cool to see the actual truth between the systems because there's never really been a true head to head kind of comparison done. Maybe one or two here and there, but none like the requested data is suggesting.
 
I'd like to see that back to back.

Why can't anyone make a good quality budget header that has some gains, and isn't a fortune...
 
I would and did go with stock 99 tubular headers as I deleted my boat anchors.

What a huge response difference let alone the sound. NA2 should keep their stock headers due to a minimal gain if any.
 
NSX1145 said:
I'd like to see that back to back.

Why can't anyone make a good quality budget header that has some gains, and isn't a fortune...
Click to expand...
There is quite some work involved,

Consider,
Number of welds (you need a very good tig welder)
Tubing (correct diameter and gauge)
Collector (proper design and flow, not a cheap one)
Merger (metal work)
fitment (thus a proper template)
Mathematical work (some one is going to have to calculate runner lengths and pipe stepping)

To get that all in excellent quality just costs money.
 
I have 1998 factory NA2 headers. I believe the increase was 14 whp from a dyno years ago. And added bonus is you get heat shields. Fitment is nearly perfect on NA1, but you do have to slightly trim the front heat shield. You also have to buy the NA2 front O2 sensor shield. Very happy with quality and performance with this setup. Can't go wrong with Mother Honda.

Billy Boat is the company who makes the now defunct RM Racing exhaust system. They specialize in Porsche and Corvette exhausts. Build quality is excellent and gains are significant. I had their muffler and loved it. The only issue with the headers is they put the O2 bung in only one primary tube. Gain per real dyno is 18 hp. They also have the biggest collector of any header for the NSX, which makes it a good option for FI guys. LarryB has the BB header on his car- maybe he can comment on fitment?

Vance Hu hit a legit 302 (I think or like 30X) whp on his NA2 with Fujitsubo headers, Mugen intake and GT-One 5.1 muffler.
 
I have the B&B tri-flow muffler and It is top notch quality/fitment. Imo Best volume/tone there is with absolutely no drone. Excellent paired with the comptech headers.
The tubing size is also much bigger than most mufflers at 2.5" ID.
 
Honcho said:
Vance Hu hit a legit 302 (I think or like 30X) whp on his NA2 with Fujitsubo headers, Mugen intake and GT-One 5.1 muffler.
Click to expand...

Don't forget he was on the infamous rather optimistic autowave dyno and that he was at 290+ without that header. He lost a little with the mugen intake. That header should theoretically have better gains on an FI engine than most.
 
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Just to clear the record up, there is no way the DC sports headers don't perform well, if that was the case someone would have to explain how I ran a 13.3 sec 1/4 mile my very first and only time on a drag strip ever, even with my big 19"x10" heavy 26lb volk rear wheels with regular street tires a back in 2009 when my car was heavier then now as well. And for comparison, I have also had a set of top speed headers on the other NA1 GPW back when I had 2 NSX's and the top speeds were far inferior in many ways, especially build quality and fitment. My mechanic cursed me out for the hours he wasted bending the top speeds to fit. On the other hand my DC's have been removed and reinstalled a few times during regular maintenance over the past 8 years and never has even a mention of fitment issue been brought up, even both Larry B. and Bernie at Davis Acura has had my DC's out a few years ago as well, and again never have I heard of any issues. If there are any threads of issues with the DC headers on prime, please forward them as I am very surprised to hear of this.
http://youtu.be/fZaRYqKbD-k



Edit: after thinking about the numbers posted here for gains. It seems the DC number your using is based on installing on NA2 3.2L gains, in which almost all the headers mentioned will only produce 3-10HP above the OEM NA2 header, the higher numbers posted in the original post of various headers reflect gains on NA1 3.0L in which most headers here will gain 10-25 whp on NA1 including the NA2 headers on NA1. the top speed headers are considered by many to be equivalent or slightly better (+1-2 whp) then the OEM NA2 OEM header... The 10-12 whp gain of the OEM NA2 header installed on a NA1 has been discussed on prime many many times. So to recap, yes for comparison/theory purposes without looking up actual dyno data the DC header should be good for 3-8whp on NA2 3.2 or adding 13-20whp on NA1 3.0. I'm not being DC fanboy, but definably defending that these are quality headers, far from crap.... maybe not the best, compared to fujitsubo or GT-one, but among the better 5-7 units out there with maybe a negligible 1%-2% difference between any of them on any lightly modified engine.
 
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BATMANs said:
The ONLY NSX headers with the LARGEST COLLECTORS @ 2.5" are what I have:

http://www.bbexhaust.com/car/nsx/#sthash.qMjVsHRk.dpbs

So if ya'll want the MOST flow (especially those of you that will or are supercharged) should be getting these.
Click to expand...
That would help on a supercharger car.

Don't see it as being necessary on most NA1's though.
I know certain JDM headers run 60mm (2.36 inch) (Toda and i recall a other MFG as wel)
 
Honcho said:
I have 1998 factory NA2 headers. I believe the increase was 14 whp from a dyno years ago. And added bonus is you get heat shields. Fitment is nearly perfect on NA1, but you do have to slightly trim the front heat shield. You also have to buy the NA2 front O2 sensor shield. Very happy with quality and performance with this setup. Can't go wrong with Mother Honda.
Click to expand...

That's more wheel horsepower gained than from the whole NA2 altogether...
 
naaman said:
That's more wheel horsepower gained than from the whole NA2 altogether...
Click to expand...

270 to 290? That's 20... Granted that's crank not wheel so corrected, NA1 to NA2 is 17 WHP gain. So if 14 is from the header, yeah... It's significant.
 
The dyno I was referring to was Hapa88's, listed above. It is actually 15 whp gain- nearly all of NA2 gain. As I understand it, the extra 0.2L was done to improve torque, not hp, since many owners complained about lack of torque off the line. Honda had the same issue with the S2000 and ended up doing the same thing.
 

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