Headers for a daily driver AE86?

[Grant]

My stock manifold has a small crack in it, and for now Quiksteel is holding it together, so I'm looking into headers and eventually a new exhaust system. Are OBX headers any good? I just want something that gives decent performance without having to rev the crap out of the engine. I'm not really sure which brands are good, but I am looking for something stainless.

[SolidSTI]

I'm running a KMS header which is setup for higher rpm exhaust velocity and it doesn't negatively impact the street driving. What is your budget, as the quality material headers are pricey and don't offer a whole lot of gains?

[Grant]

I'm running a KMS header which is setup for higher rpm exhaust velocity and it doesn't negatively impact the street driving. What is your budget, as the quality material headers are pricey and don't offer a whole lot of gains?

Yea I realize a quality stainless header will be pricey, but I will settle for something more modest if the price is right. My budget is something less than $300.
I am just curious what other people are using in their cars.

[gotzoom?]

I was in a pinch and bought a Pace Setter 4-2-1 header. It really worked well for road driving and the fitment was good, with exception of the heat shield mounts. The little tabs are completely in the wrong place to use the factory heat shield. It provides good mid range torque and it really makes the car feel more peppy when you pull away from a stop sign. It does, however feel choked off at the high rpm. If you decide to get one, I would spend the extra money to get the coated version. The normal painted version may as well not be painted. After about 2 min of idling, the paint starts to burn and makes a ton of smoke until the paint is all burned off, so make sure you're outside for the first startup. You should either weld the slip fitting or get a strap clamp to hold things together.

[BakaBaka]

I'm just running a cheapy OBX copy of the TRD copy. I got it for $100 and thought "why not?". The fitment is horrible. If you have stock powersteering, the steering ujoint will hit the header rendering it impossible to turn your wheels. The downpipe just barely* clears the footwell/firewall. I guess I was lucky enough to avoid that issue. My fix? I had to bang a good 1-2in size indentation into the header to clear the steering issue.

[Grant]

I was in a pinch and bought a Pace Setter 4-2-1 header. It really worked well for road driving and the fitment was good, with exception of the heat shield mounts. The little tabs are completely in the wrong place to use the factory heat shield. It provides good mid range torque and it really makes the car feel more peppy when you pull away from a stop sign. It does, however feel choked off at the high rpm. If you decide to get one, I would spend the extra money to get the coated version. The normal painted version may as well not be painted. After about 2 min of idling, the paint starts to burn and makes a ton of smoke until the paint is all burned off, so make sure you're outside for the first startup. You should either weld the slip fitting or get a strap clamp to hold things together.

Haha I read that about the paint on their website. Why would they even bother painting them with non-high temp paint? Anyway this header looks like my best option, thanks for the tips.

I'm just running a cheapy OBX copy of the TRD copy. I got it for $100 and thought "why not?". The fitment is horrible. If you have stock powersteering, the steering ujoint will hit the header rendering it impossible to turn your wheels. The downpipe just barely* clears the footwell/firewall. I guess I was lucky enough to avoid that issue. My fix? I had to bang a good 1-2in size indentation into the header to clear the steering issue.

Yea I was reading the reviews on the OBX headers, and most of them are not good. I just want a bolt on part without having to get out a hammer.

[RLZ]

I have had Pace Setter 4-2-1 on my car, it works fine other than crack, had it weld for $25 used it for few months but replaced with TRD 4-1 now.

[Lowtekk]

Yea I was reading the reviews on the OBX headers, and most of them are not good. I just want a bolt on part without having to get out a hammer.

I've had both OBX's currently available and they've both been complete and utter sh*t. The "Tri-Y" looks cool but doesn't fit together let alone clear the steering shaft OR footwell. The TRD copy unit is a little better but rubs on the floor AND leaks, filling the car with fumes. Stay classy, OBX.

I'll be switching out the TRD copy OBX shortly for a CX racing header, so we'll see how that goes. If all else fails, I may have to find a used TRD and modify the flange for 20v use.

Good luck though, the reasonably priced header market for our cars sucks!

[MisterJerk]

Cx racing header.... check out the primaries. in other headers for 4age, TRD and 4-2-1 copies(pace setter) 1&4, 2&3 merge.

CX racing doesnt do it this way, i think they have 1&2, then 3&4...

im betting that toyota did more R&D to determine how the primaries merge, taking into account firing order, etc.
in other words, from my view, CXracing header is designed to look cool, rather than run well.

[SolidSTI]

I think you'll be ok with a lower quality header considering the EGTs on our cars won't be as high as boosted applications. I've run cheap headers on Honda's for years without the stainless cracking. I cannot same the same about turbo subaru's