Best Header
 

My searches turn up very old posts. I wish there was a sticky on the header for comparison.

I plan to buy a header pretty soon, so I've been looking around. Currently for exhaust I have the HKS single exit, and racing beat non resonated test pipe.

BHR long tube looks amazing, but its cost accounts for the test pipe/ catalytic that it eliminates. ($1625)

Racing Beat ($536) has my favorite pipe design. Looks like the runners are simple and equal length.

And then there are other headers that look decent with a low price like obx($270) and turboxs($250).

Is racing beat the best way to go second to BHR?

The best way to go is to leave it stock.

fiffy!

Have a read... https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-aft...thread-266914/

Why would you say that?
Don't just do a drive by without an explanation.

Because the tangible gains from off basic bolts ons is basically nothing.

Racing Beat's is probably the best off the shelf header, but power gain is limited to less than 5 WHP. Not even the most finely tuned butt dyno will feel that. Not worth the money, time, and trouble.

... people love to bang their head on the wall ... :)

Please share your thoughts.

He has a thread on header theory.

There you go BC

Yes, I know, however the OP asked for opinions, and short of analyzing Team's thread and fabricating his own , the question still remains.
I don't think it's too much to ask for members' opinions beyond curt responses.
I try to be helpful as best I can, but admit I'm not much help on certain things.
I've read many different header threads also, and I'm interested in the answers the OP receives as well.
We who have been here a while know all about certain members' opinions on some things, but new members don't, and new information may be available that we haven't read yet.

best header has a turbo bolted to it but 9k will tell you thats stoopid too

The problem is that there is no "best" way to go, it all really depends on the owners goals.

All I can say, is that I have seen healthy RX-8's with header back setups make as much or less than some stock RX-8's on the dyno. I have installed quite a few and the only gains I have ever seen when adding a header, whether it be RB, Turbo XS, and the Ebay knock offs, have been in decibels.

Now if you are talking, a good free flowing 3" (true) exhaust from the header back, Speedsource header or something equivalent, and a good tune and intake then sure you can add 20WHP on a healthy engine with the right tuner on the stock ECU.

Informative and helpful, thanks.

I've seen some claims made, but not a whole lot of real owner feedback.

yep, the best one is already on there from the factory. You can believe anything else you want. Just cut the rear off and make everything 3" to the rear with a full flow muffler system, resonator, high flow cat converter, etc. and there you go.

Or go bury your head in the sand and have wet dream fantasies about how bad@ss a bundle of long snake pipes is. Your choice.

Thanks for clarifying.

pretty much summed up my thread, so to speak

which it's not a theory unless you want to ignore the proven results ...

I don't care for the RB one in particular; 1.75" OD 14 Ga tube is only 1.584" ID, way too small imo


.

So, TLDR; Chop off the rear of the OEM header and make it 3" all the way back. That's a nice KISS approach.

It'll be ok, but larger primary pipes are better

Again, the RB header with 1.75" 14 Ga tubes is only a 1.584" ID, that's less than the flow area of the smaller siamese port, let alone the larger end ports.

but I don't expect anyone to start listening now any more than 10 years ago ...

im seeing some strong opinions in this thread.....however if the motor in question has been streetported, would everyone still be opposed to an aftermarket header setup or is it more practical for the application?

right on cue ... lol



.

"cue"

had that first, wasn't sure and edited it, lol

for some reason queue seemed to make more sense, but I just checked and see cue is right. meh ...

????