OBX header install (a few pics)
04-13-2003, 11:07 AM
#1
still a Masshole
Thread Starter
OBX header install (a few pics)
OBX header install (a few pics)
First let me start off by thanking my buddy Ray who is the shiznit!!! My headers were installed by two great Audi guys (buddy Ivan and Ray)
The header install was not smooth but these guys got it done. Took about 5-6 hours but that included almost taking the stock header off(got to the last two bolts and they were stripped...couldn't get them off and needed a blow torch, which we did not have), putting the stock header back on, driving 15 minutes to midas, waiting 15 minutes for midas to take the bolts off and put new ones (they hooked it up and did it for free), driving back to Ray's, taking the header off again, and finally installing the OBXs. These are part of the original batch of OBXs from last fall so there was a misalignment with the back header. The screw holes had to be drilled a little bit more to make them fit. Everything else was a pretty good fit. Only thing I would suggest to people wanting to tackle a header install is make sure you have the right tools (with OBXs that might include a drill). I think now that these guys did my headers they can bang it out in about 2 hours and with some power tools probably less! We used Jack stands by the way so it was a little tight.
Now for the performance. After a few WOTs I can definitely feel the power. The car does feel stronger but I will admit that it doesn't feel like a monster (I guess I'm used to the car's speed in general). Its hard to gauge how much more powerful the car is for a few reasons though:
A. I hadn't been driving the car hard lately.
B. I haven't had the car to myself yet since the install (always had passengers)
C. My two cheek dyno is not very accurate
I do have the typical OBX resonance between 2500-3000 rpms but I will admit that I kinda like it! Car sounds aggresive for a second and then it goes away. Its almost like a CAI. I can see how people might get annoyed but I will say that I usually drive with the music on so I won't hear it or I'll wanna hear it because sometimes I just like hearing the sound of the engine purring! I thought the sound could be a leak but I only hear it for that RPM range and I would expect to hear it at idle if it were.
All in all I am very happy and the car does feel stronger. Now if I can only get an icebox for my birthday then I'd be a very happy camper indeed!
Below are some pictures of the headers and then of the cars there (couple A4s and my friend's new Prelude). Unfortunately my friend with the Prelude has an auto and was following me home after the install...I had to smoke him for sh!ts and giggles! Getting on the highway I floored it and he tried to keep up but told me later that he couldn't
mini meet
First let me start off by thanking my buddy Ray who is the shiznit!!! My headers were installed by two great Audi guys (buddy Ivan and Ray)
The header install was not smooth but these guys got it done. Took about 5-6 hours but that included almost taking the stock header off(got to the last two bolts and they were stripped...couldn't get them off and needed a blow torch, which we did not have), putting the stock header back on, driving 15 minutes to midas, waiting 15 minutes for midas to take the bolts off and put new ones (they hooked it up and did it for free), driving back to Ray's, taking the header off again, and finally installing the OBXs. These are part of the original batch of OBXs from last fall so there was a misalignment with the back header. The screw holes had to be drilled a little bit more to make them fit. Everything else was a pretty good fit. Only thing I would suggest to people wanting to tackle a header install is make sure you have the right tools (with OBXs that might include a drill). I think now that these guys did my headers they can bang it out in about 2 hours and with some power tools probably less! We used Jack stands by the way so it was a little tight.
Now for the performance. After a few WOTs I can definitely feel the power. The car does feel stronger but I will admit that it doesn't feel like a monster (I guess I'm used to the car's speed in general). Its hard to gauge how much more powerful the car is for a few reasons though:
A. I hadn't been driving the car hard lately.
B. I haven't had the car to myself yet since the install (always had passengers)
C. My two cheek dyno is not very accurate
I do have the typical OBX resonance between 2500-3000 rpms but I will admit that I kinda like it! Car sounds aggresive for a second and then it goes away. Its almost like a CAI. I can see how people might get annoyed but I will say that I usually drive with the music on so I won't hear it or I'll wanna hear it because sometimes I just like hearing the sound of the engine purring! I thought the sound could be a leak but I only hear it for that RPM range and I would expect to hear it at idle if it were.
All in all I am very happy and the car does feel stronger. Now if I can only get an icebox for my birthday then I'd be a very happy camper indeed!
Below are some pictures of the headers and then of the cars there (couple A4s and my friend's new Prelude). Unfortunately my friend with the Prelude has an auto and was following me home after the install...I had to smoke him for sh!ts and giggles! Getting on the highway I floored it and he tried to keep up but told me later that he couldn't
mini meet
04-13-2003, 06:07 PM
#2
Instructor
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Birmingham, Al
Age: 42
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes
on
11 Posts
Hey man, congrats! Sounds like the job wasn't too awful. When are you going to race Ray? A few of us S3 A4 owners went to the track on friday. I was running 100 octane and my friend was running 93. I only got 3 runs in, but managed a 13.3 @ 104.1 and my buddy who was on pump gas pulled a 13.55@ 101.2. Not bad for a little old A4
Anyway, am I imagining things, or do the ports on the stock mani look bigger?
Anyway, am I imagining things, or do the ports on the stock mani look bigger?
04-13-2003, 06:39 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
ferizzo, Nice write up. Good to hear everything went well. What year is your TL ? I remember doing my exhaust on my old Z and it took about the same time to get the old bolts off. They were rusted and fused on.
04-14-2003, 07:25 AM
#4
Racer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Boston (Stoneham) MA
Age: 47
Posts: 473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The first nice spring weekend is not a time to race in Boston...everyone and their mother was on the road. Especially when my car is only making 17 psi...that isn't fair. Althouh less boost and more timing does make the car feel good. Better than before with no timing but 20-21 psi of boost. I have a feelign I'll be very happy when I find this boost leak and have the full power. That's next weekend's project for me since we didn't have time to look at my car saturday.
The header install was a bit of a pain, but like any mod you do the first time there is a learning curve. We could do it again in half the time next time. Compared to getting the cat off the DP in an A4, the Acura is cake! you can actually reach the parts with conventional tools. I only had a brief ride in the car, and I'm not really used to it, so I can't comment on performance. As for the port sizes, we measured them all with my calipers. The inlets are definitely smaller on the OBX than stock. The outlet is a bit bigger ont he OBX. I don't see why in the design it would make any sense to make the inlets bigger, but then again I don't have a clue how they design these things. Luckily making the bolt holes bigger was a task a regular drill could handle easily. We wrote the numbers we took on the OBX box, so if Ferizzo weren't so lazy as to walk 15 ft fro the computer to where the box is, we would all see them.
The header install was a bit of a pain, but like any mod you do the first time there is a learning curve. We could do it again in half the time next time. Compared to getting the cat off the DP in an A4, the Acura is cake! you can actually reach the parts with conventional tools. I only had a brief ride in the car, and I'm not really used to it, so I can't comment on performance. As for the port sizes, we measured them all with my calipers. The inlets are definitely smaller on the OBX than stock. The outlet is a bit bigger ont he OBX. I don't see why in the design it would make any sense to make the inlets bigger, but then again I don't have a clue how they design these things. Luckily making the bolt holes bigger was a task a regular drill could handle easily. We wrote the numbers we took on the OBX box, so if Ferizzo weren't so lazy as to walk 15 ft fro the computer to where the box is, we would all see them.
04-14-2003, 09:21 AM
#5
still a Masshole
Thread Starter
SK2003, I have a 03 TLS with about 14800 miles on the car.
I can definitely feel the added power from the headers but I am still taking it somewhat easy (can't afford another ticket). Now I just need to get the supercharger so I can hang with Ray (but barely!).
A418t81, great times! I read those earlier on audiworld. btw, do you have any pictures of your car? I haven't really raced Ray yet although we have been playing follow the leader a little. Once he takes off I can't reel him in and his car keeps pulling. I think on the highway its closer than from a stop. From what I can tell he pulls a little on the highway but we haven't actually gone at the sametime (one of us always jumps first) not to mention that traffic this weekend was somewhat heavy so we didn't want to mess around. I'm afraid because after reading your thread on Audiworld, once tuned I am in trouble (and so is every TLS regardless of what they have short of a custom turbo). Ahhhh, the beauty of forced induction...modability!
I can definitely feel the added power from the headers but I am still taking it somewhat easy (can't afford another ticket). Now I just need to get the supercharger so I can hang with Ray (but barely!).
A418t81, great times! I read those earlier on audiworld. btw, do you have any pictures of your car? I haven't really raced Ray yet although we have been playing follow the leader a little. Once he takes off I can't reel him in and his car keeps pulling. I think on the highway its closer than from a stop. From what I can tell he pulls a little on the highway but we haven't actually gone at the sametime (one of us always jumps first) not to mention that traffic this weekend was somewhat heavy so we didn't want to mess around. I'm afraid because after reading your thread on Audiworld, once tuned I am in trouble (and so is every TLS regardless of what they have short of a custom turbo). Ahhhh, the beauty of forced induction...modability!
04-14-2003, 01:15 PM
#6
Instructor
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Birmingham, Al
Age: 42
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 21 Likes
on
11 Posts
FI is a double edged sword. Its great most of the time, but when something starts screwing up, its a huge pain in the ass (ask Ray about the ellusive boost leak). Every now and then I want to drive my car into a wall 
My ideal situation would be a fairly highly modded FI car and a larger displacement NA vehicle. The TLS is definitely alot of fun to drive and I don't feel like I'm beating on the car when I floor it everywhere I go
My ideal situation would be a fairly highly modded FI car and a larger displacement NA vehicle. The TLS is definitely alot of fun to drive and I don't feel like I'm beating on the car when I floor it everywhere I go
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
JarrettLauderdale
2G CL Dynograph Gallery
5
09-21-2015 07:51 PM
DiamondJoeQuimby
Car Parts for Sale
1
09-10-2015 11:40 AM
