Danger Mouse

iTrader: (3)

OK, so I bought this header from a company on 7thgen (nameless) and it was shipped rather fast.. A+ for them.

But here is where the problem lies when it comes to these headers and the Civic. I have read other threads on the forum where people have shave/cut part of their sub-frame to get this thing into the car, which you should not have to do (as there is tons of room between the header and engine block & HP could have started the curve earlier than they did). Next issuse is that when we went to connect everything together, the exhuast, header and cat would not line up properly. According to nameless company, the HP Race Header is supposed to work with ANY Cat-Back system... Though according to HP, their Race Header & High Flow Cat combo will only line up properly IF and ONLY IF you use their Cat-Back system (total BS is you ask me). So there was this huge exhuast leak they we where unable to fix (Strike 1).

Next inline was the O2 Sensor Module, the instructions sucked horribly! When you are paying a mechanic that builds and repairs RX-7's, Toyota Supras and such and they can not even figure out the design there is a problem. So I called HP to get help with the schematic and they told me that if I needed help installing THEIR product that I need to call nameless company to get help (BS yet agian, its their F'ing sym... they should know how to install and be willing to help me figure it out. Strike 2).

So finally we go to take the header back out (total drive time in the car was something like 1 hour to 2 hours max, testing the car idle and test driving it) and when we went to remove the front O2 Sensor, the screws had MELTED to the HP header. According to my mechanics best guess, is that HP did not heat treat the metal so that it would not expand and contract as much when it was heated up (Strike 3).

All in all, this is a horrible product. Buyer Beware.

$280.00 for header
$263.00 for install
$112.00 for removal
$115.00 for new O2 Sensor
And if I am lucky, $182.00 refund from Nameless Company for sh|t product testing.

Sick Cycle

holy ... $375 for installation and removal labor???? I would've done it for $100 ... hell, I would've done it for $50.

why didn't you DIY!?

everyone else's seems to be fine ... perhaps the guy who was installing it for you just couldn't figure it out.

shmik1

iTrader: (6)

I cant believe you paid 375. no offense.. exhaust was the first DIY I did. its so simple.

nick95673

iTrader: (13)

yup its straight bolts. and no moving parts. its not like you can bust anything. just dont torque the engine studs too tight.

spudracer326

iTrader: (1)

thats rediculous. thanks for the warning. maybee ill just go with the megan racing.

scizod

Don't feel like you are the only one this happened to. I purchased an HP racing header from a company off of here and I went to install it at my shop since I don't have the time to install it and no room to install it. Well they went to put it on and it was sitting on the sub-frame. Well I emailed the nameless company and HP and they told me that I should cut away part of the sub frame so it would fit. I refused to cut away at the frame so I asked HP to refund my money or give me a header that would fit. Well I have never heard back and now its too late to refund my money.

Danger Mouse

iTrader: (3)

who ever can DIY the HP Race Header and High Flow Cat is a god in my book. the car has to be put onto a lift and the top driver motor mount and bottom passanger motor mount was removed and used a lift on engine to get them in

bOoStEd042dr

iTrader: (2)

^^^that's crazy....everyone might as well skip intake/header and just go turbo....that's the conclusion i've come to

Sick Cycle

someone did a DIY on this site already.

HeHateMe

uhh..I installed my HP racing header and high flow cat myself without any problems..it bolted right up to my GReddy evo 2 catback.

texascivic2k1

iTrader: (10)

^^^ Want to see pics.

Danger Mouse

iTrader: (3)

thats the same cat back i have.. and according to HP.. the header and high flow cat only works with their cat-back (my theory is, its them trying to make a buc off of me).. plus i think the one i got may have had crapping welding done.. but none-the-less, when it was all installed, the header and cat would not line up proper..

the main point im trying to get across in here though, is that HP is selling a sub-par product. my thread from my O2 Sensor literally melting onto the header in 2 days from extreme heat transfer. and even after cutting like 2 inches off of my subframe to get the header from rubbing.. it still ended up rubbing all over the frame when it expanded from heat.. the header was poorly made and was not heat treated.. i don't think it was even made from the proper metal materials it should have been contructed with. after we had the car on for 3 mins, the color changed from a bright shinney silver to a bright shinney gold. totaly baffled the tech that was helping me with the install.

PennyKnotOff

iTrader: (13)

Damn thanks for the warning I was seriously considering buying it too. I'll rep you for that one

Sick Cycle

hmm... this could be a long shot, but I don't think your installer knows what he is doing ... people on this board have installed it just fine. Hondaluver is a fine example as well.

turning from a silver to a gold is NORMAL for ALL stainless steel headers and exhausts. and if it gets hot enough, it'll start to turn blue. anyway, why was he baffled by that? he should already know that.


edit: I am NOT vouching for the HP header ... I just fail to believe that a header that has been out as long as it has, and pleased as many people as it has ... can all the suddenly be a very poor product. I just don't believe it.

personally, I would rather go with a DC Race 4-2-1 full header than the HP.

Danger Mouse

iTrader: (3)

he was mainly baffled by the fact that my o2 sensor threads melted onto the header.. that was nuts... i am pretty sure the installer knows what he was doing.. i was there watching and helping.. plus he works at one of the best known RX-7 shops in the USA.

Sick Cycle

I highly highly highly doubt that the o2 sensor threads melted to the header. They just don't get hot enough. Unless you are running some insane turbo setup that heats up to 10,000+ degrees, I don't think it would melt. But we already know that this is just a simple n/a header. o2 sensors threads on full track cars with 800 hp don't melt.

he probably just tightened them too much when he installed them ... either that, or he didn't use the right tool getting it off (o2 sensor socket).

nick95673

iTrader: (13)

this is just for the hp header on non ex models. if you have an obx or kamikazee(sp?) header you will be safe. so the problem with hp is the bend at the bottom of the down pipe section of hps header isnt the correct angle? because i could install my exhaust with 2 ramps and 2 jack stands. the main problem i had was getting the o2 sensors to reach without the risk of the wire melting by resting on the header.

ManUtd0018

iTrader: (1)

Yo, HP customer support is retarded. When i called them to ask about the o2 sensors and why they weren't working they said to take it to a shop. End result was that they sent the wrong directions in the package.

Also, i think that its bullshit that you have to cut away at the subframe to make it fit. If HP says it is for a Civic, it should be modified by HP so that it does fit properly.

I also noticed that i get a slight buzz canny sound from their cat as well. I have the RS*R ex mag and i doubt that its coming from there. Does anyone think that wrapping the cat in thermal wrap would help that noise?

Sick Cycle

what are you talking about?

obx/kamikaze headers are shorty headers ... only the top portion of the EX header.

HP's RACE header is a complete header/downpipe that goes straight to the ex exhaust. the top portion of the hp RACE header will not bolt up to the ex or lx/dx downpipes.

Sick Cycle

when you mod your car, you take the chance of something not fitting. sometimes the best designs are ones that don't fit perfectly ... HP probably tried to get the race header to flow the best with that design .. if a person really wanted high flow, they will do what it takes.

if you want to swap a k20 in and want to keep power steering, you will have to modify your hood.

if you want a turbo, you will mostly likely have to cut away at your bumper to make the intercooler fit.

if you want a Bisimoto header on your GSR or EM1 Si, you will have to sacrifice your a/c to make it fit.

would you like more examples?

nick95673

iTrader: (13)

nope obx and kamikazee make a complete header for lx/dx models that bypass the cat and bolt up to the mid pipe like the hp header. they both bypass the cat.

so couldnt ex models just use the lx kam or obx header then bolt up the aftermarket exhaust to that?

Sick Cycle

have you ever compared an lx/dx exhaust to an ex exhaust?

the full exhaust/header system for an LX/DX is 3 piece while the EX is 4 piece. The LX/DX exhaust is MUCH longer than the EX exhaust system ... in reference to the b-pipe.

the reason why the LX/DX kamikaze/obx header bypasses the cat is because the cat is built into the stock LX/DX exhaust manifold, unlike the EX.

yes, an EX civic -could- use an LX/DX kamikaze/obx header ... but they would have to buy an LX/DX exhaust sytem (or tanabe extention) .. not to mention either way, the HP race header is going to flow better than that setup anyway.

nick95673

iTrader: (13)

ok. thats what i was trying to figure out. What i have learned is dont buy a header and blow 588 bucks that could be better spent in a turbo fund/coilover fund.

Sick Cycle

LX/DX Kamikaze/OBX:


HP Race header:



compare the size and lengths of the runners

you can buy an lx/dx obx header, but like I already said, you would need to buy an extention from tanabe to make it fit. the lx/dx header is way too short. most people who change out their headers already have an aftermarket exhaust.

ManUtd0018

iTrader: (1)

I disagree, if a key company says, "yeah, we sent you a key that will work for your door with no problems. please send us the check"; but, when you get the key it doesn't fit or work properly. You call the company and they say to make some modifications to it to make it work. Well, isn't what i am paying the company to do?! jesus christ, if i pay someone to do something, and they say it will work, then it should. i should not have to do more work for it. They should say that it won't fit.
As far as HP's craftsmanship, it is apparent that it is poor. I have heard accounts of people that purchased the ceramic header and it began cracking a month later, and it was on a n/a motor.

The engine swap is NOT meant for our civics, nor is the turbo so those examples are not relevant to this discussion.

nick95673

iTrader: (13)

so is hp 4-2-1 or 4-1?

Danger Mouse

iTrader: (3)

you act like i took my car to your neighbors shade tree service or something..
like i said.. the shop i take my car to is one of the most respected RX-7 shops around.. and yes he use the proper tool to but it on with and to try and take it of with.. we ended up using a air ratchet to take it out with.. after about 40 mins of trying different methods.. and yes the threads from the sensor had become part of the header.. i was there when he re-threaded the thing.. once agian... Crap Product

ManUtd0018

iTrader: (1)

i have 215.40.17 tires. I don't go to goodyear and say i need that size and expect to have to modify a tire that is supposed to fit by shaving it considering everything else is similar to stock.

customer service is key, especially when its your product. i find it strange that hp cannot give tech advice on their own product. It's probably because they know that each header is not uniformally made. its a crap shoot.

ManUtd0018

iTrader: (1)

the full race header is 4-1

Sick Cycle

do you wanna cry now?

you sound like you're 16 and are blind to the fact that things don't always work out the way you want it.

ALL ceramic headers are suseptible to cracking. don't think that HP headers are the only ceramic headers that crack. There is a reason why good JDM headers are never ceramic (except for dc ... but dc sucks anyway).

plus, HP doesn't make any ceramic race headers ... only shorty 4-1 ex headers.

this is the FIRST account of a poor header installation that I have heard of with the HP race header. I have never heard of any other problems like this ... like I said earlier, I think the installer is at fault.

I don't think you should blame the company. You paid $375 for some shady techie to install your header when you could've easily DIY'ed and asked questions on this site for help.