After reading numerous forums about the DC header and the Comptech header and comparing the two I decided to order the DC header. I have the header sitting in my garage and have hesitated to install it because i want to replace the flex pipe to a double braided flex pipe. i wanted to replace it to eliminate any exhaust leakage through the flex pipe which other owners have stated. Does anyone know were i can get the new double braided flex pipe or the right size required? Has this been done before? Any help would be great.

 

^ if you just ordered the item brand new, then you really shouldn't have a problem. the exhaust leak was something noted in the earliest units that shipped out

 

i think some newer TSX owners who (i assume) have the latest DC header that should have the corrected flex pipe issue still have the hissing problem.

see HERE.

i wanted to get a new header as my next engine-performance mod. but knowing that the AT's suffer from rattling with the comptech, and the DC header seems to still have issues with the flex pipe, i'm not sure if really want to deal with these problems.

 

yea i did just order the header but my cousin also did three months before i did and now he is having an issue with the exhaust leak from the flex pipe also.

 

thats the link to my cousin who is having the same issue

 

lol. so you still bought it despite the issues?

 

no i am not the stupid i actually bought it about a week before he had the issue.

 

Yea he bought his header when i said "yea its holding up great so far, go ahead and order it"

What a F*^$% mistake that was.
Im definately buying the comptech. I havent even had the header ont he car 3 months and my car sounds like it just rolled out of a junkyard.

i dont know what precisely is wrong with it, but i am suspecting the flex pipe.

 

These headers are luck of the draw. In 5 months of use my Topspeed (DC essentially) header has the same hiss it had when I first bought it. A little annoying, but livable for what it cost me, and when combined with the RT cat it gave a nice power boost. But whenever this thing craps out, I'm going to score a Comptech unit.

 

What boggles me is that i cannot find a crack anywhere in the unit. Do you think i can have a major air leak somewhere in the flex pipe?

 

My guess is the crack is on the inside. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32999

I've actually had a brand new double braided flex pipe go out on me too. I'm thinking about changing the rubber mount next to my header to something stiffer. I'm getting close to 100K miles and I think mine is starting to get worn out. It's also probably related to my engine moving so much when I shift under heavy load with my SC setup.

 

Kenny, I need some help.

From what I read, we need a 2.25"X6" flexpipe, with 2" on the neck, that's 10" O.L (Overall-length). However, when I order it, they sent me a 2.25"X8" flexpipe, with 3" on the neck, that's 14" O.L.

I would like to know what is the O.L do we need on the flexpipe replacement?? Will mine be too long? I heard DC pieces is a bit too short that cause the crack?

 

from my research (which was done many months ago) i believe that the dc header was just a hair too short once bolted up to the rt cat, hence doubling up on the gaskets (which also fools the o2 sensor)

 

Thanks. I need to know the maximum length that the DC header allows to weld on...

 

Bump... need an answer

 

The length of the flex area is 6", so yeah, the 8" one is too long.

Here's a link to the one I have:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-25-...spagenameZWDVW

 

Thanks Kenny.

I noticed that the recommend one has a flex area of 6", however, it still has neck on each side, so the overall length is close to 10" I guess. I would like to know when the guy chop the DC flexpipe and replace the new one on, how long does he use (or fit in). Did he just use the flexpipe area, or he use the whole thing incl. the neck?

BTW: Where's JTso? I tried to PM him but no reply?? I needa ya help

 

The 6" inch flex pipe has 4" of mesh material surrounded by 1" of piping on each side. You need to keep that extra piping on each side in tack because it keeps the flex braid material together.

The flex pipe listed in that auction I linked has an additional 2" extension on each side with a total length of 10". When the muffler guy did mine, I had him cut the 2" extensions off of each side, so that the total length ended up being 6". Basically, he cut off both extensions so that only the original 6" flex pipe was left. He was able to install the new flex pipe with the header still on my car. Hopefully your local muffler shop can do the same thing.

I haven't seen JTso around for awhile. I know he was pursuing his Master's Degree, so he is probably busy with finishing that up right now.

 

Master degree... I just searched his old post and I saw his age is 46, he's definitely a nice example for youth.

Now I get it, I jacked up my car today and realize the flexpipe section is rather short. I kept seeing people posting 2.25" X 6" flexpipe w/ extension and I thought 6" is JUST the minimum requirement, thus it's the maximum length we can have.

Well, since my current flexpipe has the mesh section of 8" long, I guess it's too long. I will have to exhange for a shorter one.

Kenny, can you give me any description of having 6" mesh section pipe? Any addtional hissing sound? In this case I can either go w/ 4" mesh + 1 or 2" extension on both side, or 6" flexpipe.

 

Get the 6" x 2" from www.performance-curve.com

Just make sure you get a competent welder to handle it. I had some idiot do mine and it failed. I was not happy to have to replace it again and ended up just going back to stock when I sold it.

 

Thanks.

I was ordering from a Canadian company, probably I will go thru them again, pick up the new one and return my wrong flexpipe. I will head to a muffler shop to do it, and make sure they don't screw up on the welding.

 

Could it be possible that the header has a crack on the inside, or some problem with the flex pipe that i cannot see?
Im asking because i keep checking it out, and cannot find the cause of this air leak.

 

If you read the thread that I linked to above, it shows an exact pic and description of what you probably have. Yes, You probably can't see the crack from the outside.

 

I just re-order a flexpipe w/ mesh section of 4", plus 2" extension on each side, thanks for your help Kenny.

Last time when I fixed my exhaust leak, they jacked up my car, and one of the mechanic is inside my car to step on the gas and try to look for the crack. However, even close inspection we can NOT pinpoint where's the crack is. Thus, if we put our hands near the flexpipe, we could feel "some" leak that my mechanic said it's NOT consider a leak, more its the nature of this header.

 

is yours really loud and obnoxious sounding?

 

When cold, I wrapped the flex pipe with a plastic grocery bag and taped off each end to seal it around the exhaust piping. I had my wife start the car while I looked at the bag. It inflated immediately and puffed up with each tap of the accelerator (do this only for 15-20 seconds before the exhaust heats up and melts the plastic). That's how I knew there was a crack in the flex pipe. After I had it replaced you could see the crack on the inside but not through the braided mesh on the outside.

 

^ that's simple yet ingenious, mr. bond

 

Just purchased the Comptech Header
Do i need to order a gasket for between the header and cAt, or does it come with a gasket

 

No, only a slight hissing sound under 3K rpm; however, once I fixed the exhaust leak, I would feel the throttle "chokking" in between 3K-5K rpm w/ 85% throttle. Once I go full throttle, the chokking is gone. I'm guessing the flexpipe is done for its duty.

 

not sure if it comes with the gasket, but the oem unit should fit as well

 

I wondering if putting exhaust/header wrap around the flex pipe would be a bad idea. I think the hole is really small, and I've already had gone through a couple of a-pipes, so I'm wondering if this work.

Any Thoughts? Does that sound too Ghetto?

 

I think ill list my DC header on the black market.. Any takers?

 

Man i dont understand why DC cant just make the thing right.

 

 

That is NOT ghetto at all, in fact, alot of *Turbo vehicle has header wrap because it's has 2 benefits; 1. isolate the heat 2. Better trap of hot temp insider the header for a better exhaust flow (hot exhaust exit faster than cold).

I might think about it AFTER my flexpipe replacement; however, I wonder if it will fix the flexpipe problem @ all. (Maybe no hissing noise afterwards??)

 

Yeah, I've thought about it. I talked to my local muffler guy and he said that the only thing is that it's going to trap more of the heat inside.

Do you guys think the purpose of the flex pipe is just for durability and allowing the pipe to bend when the engine moves, or do you think it actually has other purposes/benefits too?

 

^^ IMHO its strictly for allowing the engine to move in relation to cat and exhaust.

 

What about Race header that does not contain a flexpipe, will it cause more vibration??

Can I weld a straight aluminum pipe to replace that flexpipe? I've already order the flexpipe but maybe a straight pipe will fix all the hissing problem?