Review: Pimped6gen's Header, The Good, Bad, and Ugly (EDITTED) + UPDATE Options

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

A while back I made a deal with Pimped6gen to purchase one of the headers he and his friend had made and try it on my car. I agreed to write a review about it and he agreed to let me have it for a lesser price. The price on these is $215 shipped, with all gaskets enquired for install (price subject to change). After making the deal with him, I ran into my first issue, the lack of communication. He is a busy man, and didn't keep in touch well at first. It took awhile to get things really rolling, but once they did, things worked out just fine with the payment and shipping.

I have a CAI and light weight fly wheel on my car, and these mods have shown a little improvement for me, especially the CAI. Before I installed the header, I put heat rap on it. I did this mostly because of concern of burning up the plastic fans and the wire to the alternator. It is supposed to help with performance though. I also installed a 2 1/4 inch strait pipe with the header. I had 2inch strait pipe before with a gutted cat.

Install was pretty easy. I did not need to cut the O2 sensor and extend it like I was told that I would have too, and that was a plus. It was something I wasn't looking forward to doing. But the bung for the O2 sensor did not match up with my stock sensor. I drilled it a little, and it fit. The gasket was made to fit with the bung, but was also easily modified. The mounting hole closest to the alternator also needed redrilled to make the header fit on. It was too close to the back (right side if looking at it) of the motor. Most call it the right side of the motor, but try buying a mount for the right, and see what they sell you. The end with the pulleys is the front, and the opposite end is that back. The header does not bolt up to stock exhaust. I Knew this when I bought it, and that's why I went ahead and put the 2 1/4 inch pipe on while I was at it.

Now for the good stuff, the entire reason that people get a header for their pathetic 4 cylinder motors, the POWER! Sadly, there wasn't as much as I expected in gain. But, remember, I had a gutted cat and strait 2 inch pipe. The motor hasn't really reset it self yet either. I need to reset the ECU to see if the results are there. I actually don't notice much of a gain at all. And I hate to say that. I don't like saying, "hey, I just spent $400 on something that doesn’t really do anything except make my car louder." These are only butt dyno results, and may vary from person to person, or car to car actually. But one thing that could easily throw my numbers off is the fact that I don't do a lot of high rpm driving. I mostly have measuring points down low. And the power comes on smoother now, so there could be more there than it feels like. I would like to run my car against a stock GT to see what kind of performance I have. Any dyno numbers would be good at this point.

In conclusion, we don't have a lot of options for headers. Everyone who wants one knows that. Any SSautoChrome header is a gamble. The Hotshot ones are way too expensive. And the MR2 ones need modified pretty heavily to fit out GT's. The header I got was hopefully a tester models, and even if not, it's still one of the easier and cheaper fits for our cars. Anyone with a 1/2 drill bit can make the modifications I made. To make it really worth while, I would say make it bolt up. That would make this thing a sure buy in my book.


EDIT: Upon futher testing, I'm getting some decent gains. I think I was just too afraid to get into the throttle because of the sounds (very very loud), as well as the smoothness. Let me test it for a couple days. I just put it on and drove the car a little bit today. I'm a sceptical person, and I just didn't get the night/day feel I was looking for. But, I still think this thing is worth it now. I would most likely buy this again if I still had the money. I'm pretty sure I would. If not this, then a SAFC2. Which I know I really need.
-Nate

Feel free to ask any questions

This post has been edited by Bigmeanbulldog55: Sep 24, 2006 - 10:47 AM

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

Update. I had a chance to test it a little more this weekend. I got on the interstate and checked the max speed. I've reached 120 pretty easy before, but didn't go much farther. Although the car would probibly have done it, it was so slow I felt it pointless. When I tested this this weekend, I hit 130 pretty easy. So, I now have some actual evidence that this thing works.

I added a 22inch resinator to the 2 1/4 inch strate pipe today, and it really helped out. I don't think it made it faster, in fact, I'm pretty sure it didn't. But it did make it alot quieter. So, header and 2.25 inch exhaust with 22inch resinator and Megan Racing muffler with silencer. Makes the car as quiet as stock, but a good bit faster. Silencer out, the car has a nice low mellow tone.