I'm really interested in getting aftermarket headers, but there is one thing I don't understand. Why don't manufacturers put them on their stock cars? It can't be the cost. It couldn't cost more than a couple hundred dollars a car extra and it provides an additional 40 HP. I mean, how many people wouldn't spend that for that increase in power? In addition, people on this forum have said the additional noise is inconsequential, so that can't be it.

So what's the downside? Is it reliability?

Albert

 

The only real downside is that your fuel mileage will suffer a little. This is probably the main reason car companies don't offer less restrictive headers to begin with. When they release a car, A LOT of emphasis is placed on the MPG. It looks better releasing the car with 260hp and a 29 mph (highway) estimate then with close to 300hp and a 22-24mpg estimate!!



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1998 Acura CL 3.0 (Iced Blue) ** Some mods, but who cares,
I want a Type-S... (CL or TL)!!

Moderator - 1st Gen Forum @ www.acura-cl.com

 

I would imagine there is a good couple of reasons why manufacturers don't add on
the aftermarket goodies up front. First off,
people will still buy there cars if they don't. Secondly, after-market parts is probably a several billion dollar a year
industry. They don't need or want to eliminate/compete in that market.
The Type S shows that Acura is willing to
step up and make "souped" up version of
there TL. By building a car with a higher
flowing intake and exhaust they in effect
probably did take a small piece of the pie
from the aftermarket industry. I for one,
don't now feel the need to rush out and by
an aftermarket exhaust and intake because
the gains would probably be minute.
My last thought is this.... Acura (or any
car company for that matter) could make a
300+ HP car in the TL price range anytime
they chose. But looking at the big picture,
what would they follow it up with in the
following years. They have to take baby steps
when it comes to adding power to cars, but
the consumer will always want something more
powerful in the following years.
My 260 cents worth.

Dan

 

...there is also a durability issue w/ headers. i have never had a reduction of fuel economy after i installed headers on any car i've owned over the last 20 years...imho.

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'97SS,intake and exhaust modified to enhance breathing,6M Hurst w/ short stick,Ed Wright's dyno tune. 360 rwhp,360 rwtq, 6200 rpm redline.

 

If you take a close look at a Comptech header system you will quickly realize that these headers are hand assembled and welded by a process known as TIG.This is painstaking work and requires utmosts attention to detail to get good results then the headers are polished and prepared for shipment.This is all manual labor and hugely expensive.Far too expensive for the production line where a simple cast iron header is used.Cast iron is simple to work with and infact the whole process for making a cast iron header is fully automated and very cheap.This helps explain why despite the high content of our cars and their excellent performance the cars are still priced very reasonably.Whenever there is a lot of manual skilled labor involved costs skyrocket and this would put a car's price beyond the reach of most.Look at a Ferrari as an example these vehicles have a high content of parts that are handmade now consider the price of one of these wonderful cars.Jens

 

Same thing would apply to the mid-engined Acura NSX. This car has an Aluminium intensive construction and is hand-made. In fact, the Takanezawa plant where the NSXs (and S2000s) are built, is the only Honda plant in the world where there is minimal automation.... also, among Honda associates, it is a great Honor to be chosen to work at the Takanezawa plant.



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2000 Naples Gold 3.2TL/Navi - Factory Stock but with up-graded tires

 

Headers are also manually cut, bent and welded.
Manifolds are manufactured by a machine, much cheaper
and with a lower chance of failure.

 

Several potential problems with headers on a mass produced car, at least from the car company's standpoint.

More difficult and expensive to make. Most folks wouldn't pay that extra $x00.00 for them, and the less thay make, the more they cost. Would probably also require retooling the production line to handle two different installations.

Noiser than cast iron...not just at the tailpipe, but under the hood.

More likely to fail. Even a stainless header is more likely to have a failure (cracked weld, burnthrough)than cast iron. Non-stainless will rust through in a few years unless coated (at more expense).

It's just not worth it to the company unless they are making special cars as tech leaders instead of for profit.

We should be thankful that Acura and Comptech have such a close relationship, and that the Comptech parts can be installed and warranted by Acura dealers. That's a lot better than most.

 

I think it's also because of polution?
If you have header, it will take in more fuel and release it at a faster rate, and will likely have bigger exhaust. Result= more polution. So it MAY not meet the emmission std.

 

With regards to the TL headers, aside from the weld failure disadvantage, the other one that I see is the lack of the heat shield - loses performance a little when the engine compartment is hotter.

As for the NSX, prior to 97, the NSX had cast iron exhaust manifolds as well. In 97, they went to SS ones.

 

Do you guys really believe you get 40hp out of a set of headers You might get 15 fwhp, but not 40. It's not like the setup on the TL-S is massively restricted with bananas or something. I'm pretty sure Honda did their homework to make the stock manifolds perform.

Headers aren't offered on cars for many reasons with emissions being probably the single biggest reason. Headers don't warm up as quickly and don't hold heat as uniformly as cast iron peices therefore slowing cat converter "light off". Headers are VERY noisy compared to cast iron. They've got thinner tube walls therefore more noise escapes. Headers are more prone to leaks and cracks. Headers generate a large amount of underhood heat and will quickly melt anything touching them. Headers are expensive to make.


Dave

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96 Maxima SE
14.73@93.93mph
y-pipe, b-pipe, drop-in filter