Headers

[Danger DANJ]

Can someone tell me where I can get headers for my ES V6? https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif Just kidding.

Seriously though, I'm looking to get some headers. I'm looking at XIRacing (which is now CMF), RPW, and possibly RIPP.

I'm not really trying to spend $1200 on headers though, so RIPP is kind of out of it.

XIRacing went under or whatever and Chase, who runs CMF and is an Admin at neweclipse.org, is taking over XIRacing's products. The headers still haven't even arrived from the last group buy that was done with XIRacing. They are supposedly waiting to be cleared by customs. So, I'm a little skeptical about buying headers from them.

RPW seems like a good product, but I've always read things about there being a long wait before you get thier products after you order. Probably due to the fact that they are in Australia and that's where the product comes from if one of their suppliers doesn't have the product in stock. Anyone get any RPW products in a tmiely fashion?

Let's say I get the XIRacing/CMF headers. They bolt right up and eliminate all cats. I don't like that idea, so I would definitely install a high flow cat.

But then, I figure if I'm going to go through the trouble of installing a high flow cat, I might as well get the RPW headers since they require some welding to get them on and I would still want to install a high flow cat.

No matter which one I get, I'm going to have to do something to keep the SES light from coming on. I can get some O2 sims for the 2 rear O2 sensors or I can extend the wires for the rear O2 sensors and install them after the high flow cat. Has anyone installed the O2 sensors after a high flow cat and manage to keep the SES light from coming on? Also, to save some time in installing 2 bungs after the high flow cat, I'm thinking it would just be easier to get a high flow cat with 2 bungs on it already, but will the O2 sensors read the same being on the cat as they would after the cat?

So, does anyone have any answers or insight? Please note that I have a Cali spec Galant.

[pinoyesv6]

i'd be chanting hytech right now if you didn't give a cap on price lol

i know there are a few rpw dealers here in the US. check out rpw's website and see who they are and contact them. i beleive there is even one somewhere in new england. forgot who they were.

but yea, im reading a post on club 3g and Dave was saying that they only do the USA units on special oder unless there was a group buy. and if there was a group buy maybe one of the dealers might have bought extra for stock??

but yea he also said they can make them within 2 weeks of ordering plus shipping. but you know how that is.

the o2 sensor thing i am also trying to figure out. i have my AMSS downpipe with HFC sitting here in the garage. i have the 2 bungs after the cat. but since i haven't installed it yet, i don't know about the SES light.

there are a few cat's with 2 bungs on the cats. just make sure that the 2 bungs are after the cat. not 1 b4 and 1 after. here's a thread on club 3g that discusses teh HFC. might give you some insight click ('http://www.club3g.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24537')

[Danger DANJ]

http://www.club3g.com/forum/showthread.php...76&page=1&pp=60 ('http://www.club3g.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25776&page=1&pp=60')

I think that thread pretty much convinced me to stay away from XIR/CMF.

Thanks for that link Allen, I missed that one. After reading it, I'm worried about getting a cat with O2 bungs. If they are at the bottom of the cat, the O2 sensors will hang kind of low, towards the ground and there is a good chance of hitting something with them. If the bungs are on top, I'm not sure if there is enough room for the O2 sensors to fit in. Damnit!

I thought about the Hytech headers, but I think I'd rather spend $1200 on the RIPP headers. Even though the RIPP headers cost so much, it's almost starting to seem worth it because they already have cats built in and they bolt right up. The only thing I'd have to do is add some wire to lengthen the rear O2s.

Hytech headers for sale ('http://www.club3g.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25780&highlight=headers') Still alot at $1299.

[pinoyesv6]

yea the o2 sensor location gets me too im thinking about doing a trick on one of the honda forums that allows you to kinda shield the o2 sensor from reading. it still reads but it does'nt read as well so it thinks the exhaust is clean. but yea it makes the o2 sensor stick out a lil bit more.

[01GalantLSV6]

i have the amss headers. and im well aware of the all the bad reviews, but they all go back to one problem: rasp. and that rasp can be aliminated with a reweld in the pipe bends...and i just received my amss headers and they look good and feel like quality. id suggest these just because price isnt bad at all, especially if you can find a used set (if that doesnt bother you). i got lucky enough to find a used set, with the rasp problem corrected, powdercoated, with the amss downpipe, and a RIPP hfc, all for 300 shipped.

[b-boy_sky]

My i4 has never had a problem with the O2 sensor being hit or snagged on anything while I drive and I have had my headers on for over 2 years now. You are more than likely to bottom out and bend the headers right under the engine than damaging the O2 sensor. Worst case you can reweld a bung that will sit horizontal to the ground.....or try to weld a bung like the stock one and go in the cat at an angle. Just my 2 cents....

[VegasMatt]

I have the RPW headers and the high flow cat and the extended rear o2s placed after the cat, no problems no SES light.

[Fishboy55]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VegasMatt)</div><div class='quotemain'>I have the RPW headers and the high flow cat and the extended rear o2s placed after the cat, no problems no SES light.</div>
I've got the exact same setup as Matt (but no SDS) and I've never had an SES light that was header related since I installed them, which has been well over 2 years now.

[Danger DANJ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(b-boy_sky)</div><div class='quotemain'>My i4 has never had a problem with the O2 sensor being hit or snagged on anything while I drive and I have had my headers on for over 2 years now. Â*You are more than likely to bottom out and bend the headers right under the engine than damaging the O2 sensor. Â*Worst case you can reweld a bung that will sit horizontal to the ground.....or try to weld a bung like the stock one and go in the cat at an angle. Â*Just my 2 cents....</div>
So, where is your rear O2 sensor located? On the cat or after the cat? And is sticking out the bottom or what?

The thing I'm really worried about is like what you said, banging the downpipe on something. I know for the short time that Auto-9 had the RIPP headers on, he scraped them on something and I'm dropped, he's not. Also, I'm almost positive that I'll have to bend my front bar from the D3 chassis stiffening kit to get headers to fit.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VegasMatt)</div><div class='quotemain'>I have the RPW headers and the high flow cat and the extended rear o2s placed after the cat, no problems no SES light.</div>
Sweet! That's what I want to hear. What brand cat do you have? Also, did you have a flex pipe installed between the downpipe and the cat?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fishboy55)</div><div class='quotemain'>I've got the exact same setup as Matt (but no SDS) and I've never had an SES light that was header related since I installed them, which has been well over 2 years now.</div>
Cool thanks. I have the same questions for you then about the cat and flex pipe that I just asked Matt?


Here is what I'm looking at though:

RPW Race headers are $699, plus a high flow cat which is about $100+, then a flex pipe for about $50-$60. Add to that $180 for shipping. Then alot of work to get everything installed. Luckily I can get my Father to help me and do the welding. That's a total of over $1000 plus alot of labor. Or I can get the RIPP headers for $1200, go down to Staten Island and pick them up, then bolt them straight on with no hassles except lengthening the rear O2 wires. I would imagine that they would both yield similar HP gains.

[Lazarus]

i didn't think the RPWs needed welding i have the i4 everything was bolt on. i'd imagine the V 6 would be the same. you might wanna talk to visionimports.com thay are the main carrier of rpw products in teh states. or if you go onto ripps site their forum has a header GB i believe


here you go... it's a couple bucks

http://rippmods.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=743 ('http://rippmods.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=743')

[Danger DANJ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lazarus)</div><div class='quotemain'>i didn't think the RPWs needed welding i have the i4 everything was bolt on. i'd imagine the V 6 would be the same. you might wanna talk to visionimports.com thay are the main carrier of rpw products in teh states. or if you go onto ripps site Â*their forum has a header GB i believe


here you go... it's a couple bucks

http://rippmods.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=743 ('http://rippmods.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=743')</div>

Yeah, I saw that group buy. $150 is $150. I'm going to call and see if I can still get that price as soon as I decide I definitely want the RIPP headers.

With the RPW headers, Dave from RPW himself has said that there is welding involved for their headers. He said that they are only bolt on for the Australian cars and that the reason he didn't make a bolt on for us was because the Fed specs and Cali specs are different. Besides having to weld on a flex pipe and cat, you also have to weld on the O2 bungs. Perhaps the old version of their headers was bolt on, but not their newer versions.

[b-boy_sky]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danger DANJ)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(b-boy_sky)</div><div class='quotemain'>My i4 has never had a problem with the O2 sensor being hit or snagged on anything while I drive and I have had my headers on for over 2 years now. Â*You are more than likely to bottom out and bend the headers right under the engine than damaging the O2 sensor. Â*Worst case you can reweld a bung that will sit horizontal to the ground.....or try to weld a bung like the stock one and go in the cat at an angle. Â*Just my 2 cents....</div>
So, where is your rear O2 sensor located? On the cat or after the cat? And is sticking out the bottom or what?

The thing I'm really worried about is like what you said, banging the downpipe on something. I know for the short time that Auto-9 had the RIPP headers on, he scraped them on something and I'm dropped, he's not. Also, I'm almost positive that I'll have to bend my front bar from the D3 chassis stiffening kit to get headers to fit.</div>

My O2 is extended and located after my cat. And yes it does stick out toward the bottom. I have the progress 2" drop in front and yes you can scrape the headers but you just have to take caution when you drive over dips, speed bumps, pot holes, objects in the road and big dipping curbs.

And for the record I would not go with the RPW HFC. That's what was causing my whole SES light problem. I changed my cat and had to replace the rear O2 and I don't have any SES problems anymore....

[Danger DANJ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(b-boy_sky)</div><div class='quotemain'>And for the record I would not go with the RPW HFC. Â*That's what was causing my whole SES light problem. Â*I changed my cat and had to replace the rear O2 and I don't have any SES problems anymore....</div>

So, what cat did you end up getting? I've heard bad things about Catco and now the RPW cat, so perhaps I'll look at Magnaflow.

[VegasMatt]

I have the catco HFC Dave.

I had one of the very first headers to come from RPW so even after they were supposed to fit, they didnt and I had to lenghthen the front bank by an extra inch of pipe. I am uncertain how they are producing them now. For an extra 200.00 bucks Dave, you may be better off getting the Ripp headers, because you knwo you want the SDS in the long run.


I will tell you this, I will never do business with VisionImports again, they ripped me bad on shipping. 1. They shipped me the wrong headers and I shipped them back to them and they said they would reimburse me, which they never did. 2. I had to shipback the HFC because it was the wrong one, and I was never reimbursed. They said they would, but you know, after a few years go by, I just said F em.

[b-boy_sky]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danger DANJ)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(b-boy_sky)</div><div class='quotemain'>And for the record I would not go with the RPW HFC. Â*That's what was causing my whole SES light problem. Â*I changed my cat and had to replace the rear O2 and I don't have any SES problems anymore....</div>

So, what cat did you end up getting? I've heard bad things about Catco and now the RPW cat, so perhaps I'll look at Magnaflow.</div>

Well the cat that vision imports sent me was a catco cat. Now I have a magnaflow HFC that I bought from a local muffler shop. I just asked for a magnaflow 2.5" HFC and about an hour later a new cat and glass pack was installed.

[Danger DANJ]

I see, so Vision Imports gave everyone Catco HFCs with the RPW headers. That explains alot. I've read enough about Vision Imports to stay away from them. That's why I quoted $180 for shipping of the RPW headers because that's how much it would cost direct from RPW in Australia.

Matt, I remember when you were having trouble with VI. I definitely want the SDS one of these days. Looks like I'm getting RIPP headers.

[Fishboy55]

Matt is right David, the original RPW headers did require some welding, and also some burnnishing of the rear cross member to fit correctly. I had the prototype set and the changes that needed to be made as a result of my install were incorporated into the later versions of the RPW headers. I'm not sure where they are now in terms of fitment.

In answer to your question, I have the catco cat, and i din't add a flex pipe other than the one that Dave shipped me with the headers. I will tell you that they are holding up well through severe winters and similar conditions to what you have in NY, without any coating. I spent roughly $500 for install because of the customization that we needed to do with the prototype,, but as I said, that may be easier with the new generation of RPW's.

[Lazarus]

does anyone know if RPW still offers the test pipe in place of the HFC? I thought about it long time (in my newbie days) ago but I was told that I would have issues finding someone to put it on but i thought they had one that would replace the cat but it would be extremely loud.

[Danger DANJ]

Here is what you get with the current RPW Race headers.

http://rpw.com.au/Photos/Extractor%20Photos/Magna%20v6%20Street%20Headers/topviewconnected.jpg

Anyone who has seen other headers for the Galant or have been under their Galant, can tell that where the RPW ones end, there is still going to be alot of space to fill before you reach the cat-back exhaust piping. That is where you need to install a flex pipe and cat, or whatever you want. RPW includes flanges and O2 sensor bungs to help you out, but the flex pipe and cat are sold separately. Anyone that has to pay to get that done is definitely better off getting the RIPP headers.

By the way, thank you all for the replies, I appreciate it. :wink:

[Fishboy55]

wow david, u sure thats all you get? I got somethng similar to that but also got the flex pipe and O2 bungs all the way back to the cat with my set. If thats all ur getting now for the price, then yea, I agree go with Ripp

[Danger DANJ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fishboy55)</div><div class='quotemain'>wow david, Â*u sure thats all you get? I got somethng similar to that but also got the flex pipe and O2 bungs all the way back to the cat with my set. If thats all ur getting now for the price, then yea, I agree go with Ripp</div>

Yup, that's all you get. Click here ('http://www.club3g.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2371&highlight=rpw') and go down to the posts 26 and 27.

EDIT: OK, I'm a twat. I posted in a thread on Club3G, where Dave mentioned the Race headers were bolt on and it turns out that the headers I posted above are the Street headers, and not the Race headers. So, the Street headers require all that work I mentioned, but apparently the Race headers should bolt up. Nobody seems to have any pics of the Race headers though. Next to "RD Series" on RPW's site, you see pics of the Street headers, that's why I thought they were the Race headers.

So, now I'm back trying to decide between RPW and RIPP again.