headers and speed

[mikewagon]

hey everyone, i just put some headers on my civic, (had a shop do it) anyway, i dont think it made much difference expect when im going faster like 40mph plus. i looked under the car and it seems like there is a small gap from the header to where the exhaust piping meets. should i be concerned about this or do you think this does not affect the performance at all. any tips on getting my car faster off the line? i have greddy catback exhaust and intake and now headers, but didnt seem to make a difference. thanks everyone.

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[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

Its a header not headers.

The biggest things to affect your launch are going to be tires and a good clutch, a header, im assuming you have a 4-2-1 will open you top end up and help your lowend torque a bit, when it comes to exhaust the cat is the most restrictive component of all. If you get it done you will notice a huge difference in throttle response. If you want to make so good power alter the internals, if you get some headwork and cams youll get a huge gain. With that done all the little boltons will make a huge difference as well.

 

[BulldogSr04 10+ year member]

I noticed a big difference with a wide open exhaust but I have a v8. There probably wont be that noticible of a difference from a 4

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

The power to weight ratios on Hondas are more dramatic compared to a Mustang or Camaro. If was racing SCCA id choose a 200hp civic hatchback over a Vette with 350hp. Ive seen hatchbacks and crx's have top times at the track down here racing against TNT vipers (Houston based) and Ferrari's. Drag racing is cool but, going around turns close to a G and hitting a straight right off the apex is more fullfilling to me, but thats me.

 

[BulldogSr04 10+ year member]

I like speed, but I also like handeling. My car handles just like I want it to. It is also fast. I just dont like spending 10 grand on a car to get it up to par with the fast cars in the town. Now if you spend 10 grand on a used lt1 camaro or a new civic, its obvious what would be the winner in speed and handeling. There are many camaros that are approaching 1G. I just see it in the bang for your buck aspect.

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

Really, bang for the buck. Say you have 6k to spend on a road race car. Id buy a crx for a g and put the 5k into susp. motor, and a cage rather than 5k for a Lt1 and a g in susp.. Bang for the buck a import will kill a domestic car any day of the week. Even for a straight line a crx with a B16 and 12lb's would kill a stock lt1.

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

Really, bang for the buck. Say you have 6k to spend on a road race car. Id buy a crx for a g and put the 5k into susp. motor, and a cage rather than 5k for a Lt1 and a g in susp.. Bang for the buck a import will kill a domestic car any day of the week. Even for a straight line a crx with a B16 and 12lb's would kill a stock lt1.

dude, you realize that in the mid 90s the LT1 with an AUTOMATIC transmission would run a lowww 14 second quarter mile???

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

this guy likes to drift?

 

[LoudCrownVic 5,000+ posts]

Mikewagon, your "gap" between the header... Does it leak exaust? This could be your entire problem, although Inuman could be right that you are expecting too much off of too little, as in you spent maybe 100 bucks on a header and now want that one mod to make you go WAY fast. A little improvement is all that you should expect. You will get far more from a hotter set of cams, a stroker kit, ported and polished heads, a new intake, bigger spark plug gap, etc etc.

As for the war Inhuman started with Bulldog... Although Hondas and whatever might seem nice for such modification, they are because the cars are over engineered. Japanese pistons, cranks and heads will usually be better made than American made, mostly because of the Japanese "way of life" of perfection and that kind of crap. This allows the motors to withstand and exemplify performance mods. There is also an aftermarket larger than anything i've ever seen.

American cars, once their components are refined, on say a Mustang 5.0, which also has a large aftermarket for, you can achieve the same effect. Stabilizer bars, stroker kits, nitrous, can make a 5.0 Mustang run with a Ferrari or a Viper or these fabled Hondas of Inhumans fantasy...

 

[B_Master_Flash 10+ year member]

Yeah but you'd still be stuck driving a CRX. Headers are not expecially know to give low end power, their mission in life, just like ever other exhaust mod, is to give more high end power. And for the launch, you forgot to add a LSD, and if you are in a FWD car, motor mounts.

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

dude, you realize that in the mid 90s the LT1 with an AUTOMATIC transmission would run a lowww 14 second quarter mile???[/quote
You guys are correct, im wrong. I know nothing.

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

dude, you realize that in the mid 90s the LT1 with an AUTOMATIC transmission would run a lowww 14 second quarter mile???

You guys are correct, im wrong. I know nothing.

no **** sherlock

 

[CWT 10+ year member]

You want a drastic increase in bottom end torque? Get a supercharger or turbo kit. Oh, and if you do, you might want to get eurothane motor mounts, a better clutch, and a limited slip diff.

A Jackson racing supercharger kit for a stock block Honda will get you about 60 more ft/lbs of torque, right at the bottom end.

Later.

 

[BulldogSr04 10+ year member]

wow, 2.6 grand for only 60 ft/lbs of torque? I'm glad I don't have a civic. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[LoudCrownVic 5,000+ posts]

60 ft lbs is alot for a 4 cylinder motor, and especially at lower rpms, where most ricers are completely worthless. To contrast that, most Supercharger kits for V-8's only give you between 80-120 ft lbs. Supercharging is a great option, better even than turbos because u get boost throught the rpm range, not just at 15,000 rpm with a massive turbo.

So for street driving a supercharger is a better option, but for dragstrip with a close ratio 5 or 6 speed tranny a turbo would be better because with the cloose ratio garbox you can keep the rpm's up where the boost is. If you have that kind of kash laying around...