[EURO] DC Sports 4-2-1 Headers [56K Warning]

[EuroAccord13]

Ok, I am not going to talk about the install as Matell has done a Fantastic Write-up on it... Just go to the Link Below to read up on his install.

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22539&page=1&pp=12

What I have here is the photo comparisons between the OEM one and the DC Sports Unit.

Installation took one hour with the help of a good mate and with Matell's DIY, it was helpful. My advise is not read the DC Sports Installation Instructions but the one from www.vtec.net (http://www.vtec.net/). Refer to Matell's DIY as well for further information. Although, what I'd also advise is that when you remove the O2 Sensor, wrap it up to prevent air from going in while it's exposed to prevent it from stuffing up the reading, it's not necessary but recommended...

Ok let's get on with it :D


First Up, Photo of the Primaries after the heat shield was removed...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/OEMHeader.jpg

DC Sports - Like Matell, mine had arrived scratched and being Mild Steel and Ceramic Coated, with the coating being scratched, it risked rusting on the Mild Steel, so I went and bought a can of Clear High Temperature Engine Spray (Because I don't know which Silver matches the coating) and sprayed the whole set (3 coats)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/WholeSet.jpg

The spray actually made the headers shiny!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/Coating.jpg

Here are two photos of the OEM and DC Sports Headers side by side...


Primary Header.. The OEM looks like it's a tuned length system, the DC Sports just had longer primaries...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/Comparison2.jpg

Secondary Pipe.... See how fat the OEM one is!! HOLY!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/Comparison1.jpg

I always recommend changing the gasket but I had no time to go buy one so I used back my original one..
Still looked clean to me...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/Gasket.jpg

Underbody view of the installed headers...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/UnderBodyView2.jpg

View from Engine Bay..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/TopView.jpg

Because I had coated the whole system, I let the engine run to bake it in and the smoke is normal so don't be frightened :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/EuroAccord13/EuroAccord/DC%20Sports%20Headers/Smoking.jpg

Ok! All Up...

I haven't gone for a test drive as yet, raining mildly now but like Matell, I can hear a whistle/gurgle on when I rev the car dunno why it's causing it, could be the metal ring gasket that came with the headers, I don't know....

CHEERS
Nick

[stephen8512]

wow....
very nice writeup there!
u gotta let us know how it goes so we can compare it with mattell's
btw, how much more is the comptech stainless steel one compared to DC? and how much more is the Maxim works one compared to DC?

[euro77]

Very nice! Can't wait to see it in person :D

[euro77]

Nick's header cost around AUD530 delivered. Not sure about comptech headers

[EuroAccord13]

Comptech Headers cost about twice as much but they are Stainless Steel as opposed to the DC Sports one being Mild Steel but Ceramic Coated to prevent rusting therefore it is cheaper....

[PNR888]

Very nice pictures.. Good on ya...

[jl88rl]

Nice write up!

Let us know if there is a significant power difference for over AUS$500?

[jl88rl]

p.s. What the hell is that 'spoon thing', like a beanie for something ! :D

Euro gets cold in the garage? lol :p

[Tobster]

I did once read a general recommendation that mild steel headers are better than stainless steel because the stainless steel are more brittle and more likely to crack with the extreme temperature variations. The mild steel expands and contracts better without cracking. Probably depends on the nature of the engine and the type of driving...

[baboo]

wow....
very nice writeup there!
u gotta let us know how it goes so we can compare it with mattell's
btw, how much more is the comptech stainless steel one compared to DC? and how much more is the Maxim works one compared to DC?


Price of 4 DC header = 2 Comptech header = 1 MaximWork header

Performance wise I reckon it will be similar. When I got the MaximWork header, DC & Comptech are still developing it.

http://www.centraxauto.com.au/M-Bit/ex-manifold.htm

Now Euro owners have Toda, Spoon, maybe Mugen headers to choose from.:thumbsup:

[baboo]

Spoon

http://www.spoon.jp/jp/products/lineup_main.php?page=405


Toda

www.toda-racing.co.jp/new/2005-cl7.pdf

[kam]

EuroAccord13, are you someone who's had previous experience with engine work, or are you an amature? Id just like to know because i would never do something like that to my engine, looks too hardcore! Or is it a case of it looks hardcore, but is really quite simple ? thanks

[EuroAccord13]

EuroAccord13, are you someone who's had previous experience with engine work, or are you an amature? Id just like to know because i would never do something like that to my engine, looks too hardcore! Or is it a case of it looks hardcore, but is really quite simple ? thanks


It's a Hobby...... Self taught trial and error hobby.... :D

[vinhy]

p.s. What the hell is that 'spoon thing', like a beanie for something ! :D

Euro gets cold in the garage? lol :p

they r spoon socks. to absorb minor leaks of brake and clutch fluids, if they spill

[Matell]

Great work there Nick, looks like you had an easier time of it than I did ;)

[baboo]

Username,

Performance wise, all the header are probably the same. There's no dyno figures on all Japanese brand.

[BLKCRX]

yes there are dyno figures, its just no figures are released ;-) yet eheheh ;)
Some people have been doing much more research testing ;-) headers, cams, intakes and tuning ;) not 2 mention superchargers and turbo charing testing carried out thoughout the world ;)

Regards James

[Tobster]

Those photos are actually really interesting -- especially the secondary pipe.
No offence to those who've bought them and I realise that the extractor function is going to work differently to the stock system, but I think if I was going to replace my headers, I'd be wanting some that went to a slightly bigger bore pipe, rather than just replacing a part of the stock system.

That secondary collector on the DC looks pretty small!

[aaronng]

The stock's 4-1 section is actually quite flow limited (I think I saw an analysis on vtec.net). I wonder if any manufacturer will keep the tuned length primaries and improve on the 4-1 collector?

[hnm738]

thats quite true what you are saying there Tobster,,i find these extractor pipes abit small also so it wouldnt extract the air out as fast as extractor should

[EuroAccord13]

From the Information given on the VAFCii, the whistle starts to come on at 30% throttle in all gears.... Interesting....

[EuroAccord13]

No idea where the whistle is coming from, I've triple checked and found no leaks which is normally the cause exhaust whistle.. I am thinking it has something to do with the flex pipe... mmmmm......

[hnm738]

from what i read on fto forum about their extractors is that it whistles also and to cure the problem they use exhaust heat wrap to wrap around the flex and the whistle is gone.....they find that the whistle sound gets annoying after a while

[hnm738]

something in the line of this
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50140&item=4558532238&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

but probably of denser material to cut the whistle noise

[hnm738]

but i dont want ppl buying it without researching if it would work or not...i dont want to be held responsible and wasting your money...its just something i read

[hnm738]

this is just part of the discusion

"The Y-pipe (or downpipe) is on, and resulted in a good whack of extra torque between 5500 to 7500rpm.

But it was noisy in terms of hissing 'bees in a can' sound on throttle off between 3200 and 4000rpm. I wrapped the flex joints in header wrap, and that cleared up most of the hissing noise."

he did write a longer diy heat wrap to treat that noise but i forgot where it is

[EuroAccord13]

I have some high quality heatwrap.. I think I will try it..

Being mildsteel and ceramic coated, if there is any scratches on the coating, it will expose the mild steel and water and air will start doing it's job in rusting the mild steel.. The heat wrap absorbs water so I will have a closer inspection of the flex pipe before I wrap it up...

[hnm738]

reading about the heat wrap review...he mention that it should be wrapped really tightly no loose ends otherwise it would be effective

[EuroAccord13]

reading about the heat wrap review...he mention that it should be wrapped really tightly no loose ends otherwise it would be effective

Do you mean wrap tightly or it won't be effective?

[hnm738]

sorry bad wording.....if you wrap it tightly it will be more effective....so basicaly tighter the better

[PERTH_EURO]

sorry bad wording.....if you wrap it tightly it will be more effective....so basicaly tighter the better

****** insert childish laugh here ******

[EuroAccord13]

Contacted the seller I got the Headers off and he told me that it's normal as he said the TSX owners with the headers have whistling noise coming from their headers as well....

[EuroAccord13]

Digging up my old post...

I know Matell has it, who else? Today, I found out that the flex pipe on the Headers is rattling at a certain RPM irregardless of the car in motion or stationary.. BUT when the radiator fan comes on, the rattle disappears... But the moment the radiator fan goes off, the rattle is back again, any ideas????

I'm gonna try and find time tonight to jack the car and have an inspection... Hopefully it's just a loose screw somewhere and not something else....

[Tobster]

I don't have the headers and I don't know what RPM things are rattling (I assume its more or less at idle) but here are some thoughts:

At low RPMs, there's just enough exhaust flowing to move the pipes around -- kind of like a lumpy idle. As soon as the revs rise, things smooth out. When the fan kicks in the revs generally rise slightly.

Another thought: despite reaching "operating temperature", when things are at idle, the small amount of exhaust gas isn't as hot. I once read that mild steel headers expand and contract a lot more than stainless. When things are hot, the headers expand and it makes a tight fit. When they're a bit cooler, there might be just a tiny bit of movement.

Or: it's quite simply the natural interference headers are designed to make causing resonance which making the rattle at certain rpm. Temple of VTEC discussed the TODA header (http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-article?article_id=401733&page_number=2):

With the lower back pressure and better tuned lengths of the Toda header, we also needed more cam advance. Advancing the intake cam allows for pressure waves from the exhaust to travel into the intake. At the right RPM range, this can assist the movement of the intake charge into the cylinder.

Air travels into and out of an engine not smoothly, but in pulses. Think of blowing across the top of a beer (or wine) bottle. You will hear a note cause by the vibration of a column of air inside the bottle. An intake is the same. For a given diameter and length of tube, there is a resonance frequency. Where this matches the RPM of the engine, you will find a torque hump and lean spot. When we switched to an Injen cold air intake, we found the resonance point to be around 4500-4700 RPM.

Or it could just be something loose...

Just chucking ideas out there! :)

[TypeG]

so the overall performance is good?

[Matell]

I didn't post this here, and forget to tell you!. Sorry!!!!!!http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26461&highlight=failure

I haven't had my header on since. I've been using the OEM. I plan on getting the DC fixed with a larger section of flex pipe from a highly reputable exhaust place up here, for which I budgeting about $300. I should've just got the comptech...or waited and purchased the Mugen had I known it was coming.

I suggest you check your flex pipe ASAP. You should be able to do this without removing it from the car by pulling down on the pipe and shine a torch against one side of the pipe while you look for any light coming though the braided wrap. If you see light, swap it back to the OEM header and you might avoid the primary A/F sensor failing.

Besides the OEM has more driveable torque below 3200rpm...go above that and it's gutless.

[EuroAccord13]

Tobster, thanks for the information! I wish it's just the pulses creating the rattle...

Matell... Read your link, is CEL Check Engine Light? If it is, I haven't got the light on. I haven't felt any loss of power yet but the problem you have I fear for mine. I'll go have a good look inside the flex pipe...

One thing I like to ask is, when you did the install, did you wrap up the O2 sensor while it was out of the car? Because if you didn't, it stuffs up the sensor and that could be part of the cause of the CEL?

[Matell]

Read your link, is CEL Check Engine Light?

Yes


Ddid you wrap up the O2 sensor while it was out of the car?

Yep, I was actually very careful (although I didn't go into much detail in my writeup. I used an old plastic multi-vitamin container (Swisse), and some closed cell foam to protect the sensor. The only occasion where the end may've come into contact with anything was when reinstalling it. It may've picked up a minute amount of anti-sieze leading to the problem....I' can't really say as the service guys didn't comment or show me the failed sensor. (Though when I reinstalled the OEM manifold the tip didn't look any different)

Fingers crossed your flex-pipe is ok!