Just for clarification the HP H26 header with "High Flow Cat" is not a cat at all. It is just a nice looking resonator. That way when the local police look under your car to see if you have a cat, it appears that you are legal. When in actuallity you are far from it. I have the H26 with the long sweaping down tubes and the high flow cat look a like pipe. A BORLA boomer muffler and a custom made 2 1/2" piping. It is a little loud for some but I like it.

will the dc sport header be the quietest????

obviously the megan headers are going to be alot louder right? I have a LX so I'm thinking of getting DC sports header and put that on a random technology high flow cat and weld it to my cat-back magnaflow exhaust. I know it will all work and ive talked to a shop that will do it a long time ago. So for me, its either DC sports or Megan..but I sure dont want it being LOUD,

If you have an LX, do what I did. Get the EX shorty headers, then just get an EX downpipe and midpipe and bolt your factory axleback right back up. If you want, go with the HP "race" header with the "high flow cat", and then all you need is the EX midpipe and your factory axleback will bolt right back up. If you go with any 4-1 or 4-2-1, prepare for your car to smell like an old cadillac. haha

nah, i dont want to do all that crap. I already have magnaflow exhuast. I thought about doing what you said before...but I just want to know if I should get dc sport header or Megan header w/my random tech. high flow cat set-up
thanks for the help though

im thinking im going to get dc sport header because i want just a little more hp out of my car...but not if its going to be loud lol. Im trying to keep the noise to a minimum but still get better acceleration.

Im thinking: (EX) DC sport header
Random Tech. High flow cat for EX (direct bolt-on)
Ingalls "Stiffy" engine torque damper
Apexi SAFC-2
AEM cam gear? maybe not the cam gear idk

Kinda tempted to do a EX head swap, but i wouldnt have enough money for stage 2 cams/springs/retainers. So idk.

Do you guys think it would be better to do my first set-up kit^ above^
-OR- do a EX head swap and stage 1 cams + VAFC2???

Well I know its just saying what's been said before, but someone needs to pony up the DC Sports header measurements so we can have a good comparison. I'm starting to like HP more and more, but megan has them beat on price.

ya, but the HP header is longer or w/e. So its more header lol the Megan header is just that one part that connects to stock downpipe. HP you need the highflow cat piece, correct me if im wrong but i think thats right..

That is correct if you get the H26. There are two diff for the 7thgen vics. The H26 is the one I have it has the long runners. The other is just a shorty like the megan and is cheaper. Check them out at Truehonda.com

wait so ur saying that the -"HP Racing Header 4-1"- is the shorty header??

If so, does any1 here have just the shorty??>
Is the HP shorty better than the DC sports?>
Is the 5.25 or w/e size pipe of the HP for the shorty or H26?

OK look, im going to try and sum this up for you and try to answer all your questions with one post.

Some people are going to disagree with me on this, and thats fine.

The HP shorty header allows you to re-use your factory cat and remainder of exhaust system. Also known as the 4-1. Looks like this:


Now, if you go with their "race" header setup, you get the header with the longer tubes and the high flow cat, which isnt really a cat at all. Looks like this:


You can see the header and "cat" in that pic.

Now, HP is the same quality as the Megan stuff. Its the same deal with megan, you can get their shorty header:


Or you can get the shorty header with their test pipe:


Now, which ever one you choose....be careful. Neither Megan nor HP properly heat treat the bungs where the o2 sensors go, and majority of the time, youll find you end up ruining a sensor or 2. Anyone who has had this problem know exactly what Im talking about.

Whichever you should choose, if you go with a full length header and high flow cat, expect lots of noise, and nasty smells. Thats just the way it goes with them. ANY shorty header you choose, is not going to sound any louder than stock. Headers dont make much of a sound difference. Its mostly in your muffler / resonator.

As far as DC goes, just because they are about the same size as stock does not mean they arent a good header. DC spends alot of time in R&D on their product and there is a reason why they are a much bigger name than Megan or HP. That, and the fact that they are 50 state legal.

As far as performance increases, you will feel a SLIGHT increase over stock. The differences between the brands however, you will never notice. Obviously going with a full length header, you will feel a bigger difference than just going with a shorty header. Either way, dont expect any noticeable gains. They just allow better airflow and allow the car to run smoother, all the gains you "feel" are mostly in your head. I say that because I have had every header discussed in this thread, and none of them gave a big enough performance increase to hoot and hollar about. Anyways, hope this helps you out in your decision.

Great explanation SpoonEM!

Will you be able to pass emissions with a shorty header? Cuz doesnt the header eliminate the 1st cat????? Ohh yeah btw I have a 01 EX and im looking into getting a shorty header (4-1)

If you live in Cali you won't pass emissions bc it's not C.A.R.B exempt except DC. If you have an EX the cat is under the car so you will still pass smog with just the shorty header.

Exactly.

Just make sure if you want to stay legal it has a C.A.R.B number on the product and alot of times it comes with a certificate too.

When i had my HP "race" headers, I got pulled over and when the cop looked at my headers, he was like "thats not legal". So, of course, I played dumb and said I didnt know. Luckily for me and a stupid cop, on the HP header, their logo is tack welded on one of the tube down a little ways, and that cop couldnt read what it said and he thought it was the CARB number. haha. I got lucky.

^Nice!!!!
Ive got the megan headers on my ex and they are way louder than stock under load, fyi.

The only reason DC is C.A.R.B. legal is because it's just a nicer looking stock header. Nothing else too it...just remove the heat shield and paint your stock header...slap a DC logo on it and there you go...home made DC HEADER. HAHAHA

...except not even close.

So what header do ya'll recommend to get than? A DC shorty .

I dont suggest any of them. Its up to you. If you want to stay legal, go DC, if you dont care, then it doesnt matter. Either way they are all a waste of money IMO. lol. Im just running the stock one now.

I will repeat, GREAT POST SPOONEM, thank you very much!

I really dont care if its legel or NOT, I just wanna be able to pass emissions and thats it. I think a eBay header should be fine.

If you want to pass emissions, any of the shorty headers SHOULD be fine, but to be on the safe side, go DC.

thanks for the advice spoonEM, I was already thinking if i get headers i would do dc sport 4-1 and random tech. high-flow cat..but was considering the megan header because of this post lol

I would have already had headers on my car, but decided not too because installation fee. DC sport header+highflow cat+ welding onto exhaust : /
kinda alot for a few horses, but idk i might still do it

Well, if you go with a high flow cat, you wont pass smog. So , your best bet would be to get all new piping done from your axleback up to the cat, that way, when you have to go get smogged again, you can unbolt your exhaust and re-nstall the stock pieces. Altho, I just realized your not in CA, so Im not sure on your smog laws out there. I hate CA emissions. :thumbsdown:

No Smog Laws on OK either. You can run strait headers and get away with it. Well that is what the PIG LOVERS do.

well, idk..my friend didnt pass his emissions test w/his 325i BMW and he has racing headers and exhaust. no cat lol but they messed with his car and got the readings to come out positive,...he didnt know what they did to it but he passed so he didnt care. Does any1 know wtf they did to make him pass??, I kno there are a few tricks they do, and you can do before going to get tested to get a better reading

So I gave in and bought the Megan Racing header instead of the Kamikaze one I wanted to originally. I'll let you know how the car responds to two more whp haha. Also whether it sounds super cool or not through a stock exhaust.

So basically most of you guys would agree that a HP header or a megan would be better than the 4-2-1 DC Racing header?

For the money and emissions yes. It's not necessarily better in terms of performance as you've read 8 pages of this dispute.