Buddy Club Race Header Review [DC5R]

[AUDMDC5R]

I’ve read a few reviews on CRSX, DOHCtor and Evan really had inspired me to get this set of header opposed to Toda, which has been quite common since the group buy, and I wanted to try something alittle different.

I had also replaced the stock exhaust manifold gasket, just to be on the safe side, no matter how good of a condition the one I’m using was in… and I’m kinda regreatting it now.. haha the stock one I had was in pretty dam good condition, pix below

Special Thanks:
Thanx to “FEL12X” from OzHonda.com for sourcing me the buddy club header and for being patient and just an overall great trader! Great guy and can vouch for his honesty!
Thanx to "AllStar Garage” for the installation of the header and front sway bar. Absolutely great guys!! Finally, I’ve found some pretty dam decent mechanics who are VERY willingly to help and informative to a DDIY (Don’t Do It Yourself) type of guy like myself.. hehe
Thanx to “Adrian” from “Toda Racing” for sourcing me the EP3 front sway so quickly and efficiently and at a great price even with the shipping to perth!!

Anywho, on with the review, enough with the thanx already!! Haha

I’m no mechanic so I can’t say whether the welds and the fitment is great/good/or whatever, but from what the mechanics said, the construction was well made and fit perfectly except for the hangers, as it was hitting the subframe or something.. I didn’t know what he was talking about.. haha but he fixed the problem so it won’t be rattling or banging against any part of the car!


Pre-Pix

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00096.jpg
Three Piece Design

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00099.jpg
Full Race Length Header

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00100.jpg
Spring Attachment

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00107.jpg
Exhaust Number 1100, what a number!! :D

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00109.jpg
Inner Workings

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00097.jpg
Inner Workings

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00111.jpg
New Exhaust Gasket

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00112.jpg
Ordered Exhaust manifold gasket

[AUDMDC5R]

The response from the header was GREAT!!! Mid range has definitely improved and peak power has risen! In 2nd gear 3,000RPM then floor it, you can definitely notice that the car picks up immediately and goes!! Revs climb quicker and when the wild cams fully engage… you notice that power has increased, but its not mind blowing.. perhaps I’ve expected too much? Everyone knows that by changing the header on a DC5R, you release the bottleneck of the power… but I dunno. Its good and definitely and improvement from stock but its not earth shattering, but then again I can’t expect too much.

The header has definitely changed the note of the exhaust. I’ve got a Trust Power Extreme II, and at idle its as quiet as stock, with the header its slightly louder but very discrete! Throughout the rev range the note of the sound is completely changed, but when it hits about 5,000rpm (vtec fully engages at 6,000rpm) and then all the way to redline… OMG!!!!!! The exhaust note is out of this world!!!! Kinda like a fully loaded race car!! Muahahahaha I’ll take a short clip of the car with load on the engine soon, its absolutely crazy!!!! Entering a corner and heel and toe while down shifting.. wow.. the response is magnificent!! The rev jumps beautifully and very much in time with accurately smooth rev matching!!

I don’t know if its my exhaust, but I did notice once the header was installed, at tip of the exhaust was ever so slightly sticking out, perhaps maybe less than 1cm more? Nothing to worry about, just something I noticed, and still looks mint (I’m alittle pedantic =P )

The header made the exhaust system hang ever so slightly lower than usual, but nothing to worry about. My mechanic offered to cut the bpipe every so slightly to correct this, but I wasn’t too phased about it. The complete exhaust system sits very nicely below the car, and clears the bottom of the car with heaps of room to spare, so no rattling or exhaust hitting the car.

The dam stock shorty is a heavy biatch!! It’s a two piece 4-1 design, I tried to lift the “4” section.. and had trouble lifting it, while I could grab and lift the entire buddy club header with relative ease, dam cast iron crap (or whatever its made our of)! More weight reduction, woOOhOOoO!! :vtec:

And best of all, no CEL light… yet… :handsup:

Verdict: Great! If I had to do it again, I would have gotten a set of header first before any other mod. Yes, it is one of the more expensive mods to do to the car, and it is hard to save up this type of money as you can buy so much more things for the car, but farken dam worth the wait!!


I’ve only just got it installed 2hrs ago, will write another follow up review in about a weeks time and see if the header has improved at all. But butt dyno says :thumbsup:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00124.jpg
Ain't she a beauty!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00125.jpg
Sway Bar?? Who Needs A Sway Bar!?! :vtec:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00126.jpg
Err... o2 sensor... maybe...? hahaha

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00128.jpg
Used Exhaust Manifold Gasket, Dam... Such In A Good Condition!!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/DSC00127.jpg
Hunk Of Crap We Call An Exhaust Manifold On A Stock Aust Spec DC5R

[EK4R]

hey can i ask wats the springs for?

[[CRA23]]

very sexy header you have their!!! nice write up!




hey can i ask wats the springs for?

they do the same thing as flex pipes as used on other cars, it lets the engine move and the springs will strech so it doesnt put huge amount of strain on the welds and joins of the rest of the header and exhaust.

[dynosaur]

hey can i ask wats the springs for?

to connect the three pieces manifold together.....:)

[jdmlvn]

nice writeup +repx100 ahah

[phantom_civic]

Also it makes alot of rattling noises.

[AUDMDC5R]

thanx for the responses guys!


Did you loose your converter or is it in a different spot now?

shHHhhh ;)

phantom_civic: wat rattling noises? i don't have any, and it does hiss or anything either, but maybe i haven't driven it enough yet
overall, i'm pretty happy with it :thumbsup:

[egSi]

hot shit :thumbsup:

felix :thumbsup:

[Chi]

nice, dyno chart asap please =P

[AUDMDC5R]

i really wanted a power run before and after, but my mechanics dyno meter will be in hopefully mid jan.. :(
so i if remember by then and can still find this thread, i'll post it up.. haha

[AUDMDC5R]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/IMG_3119.jpg
Full View

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/IMG_3122.jpg
Comparative with Battery at Rear (don't like those the looks of those rusty welds.. hrmm...)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/IMG_3121.jpg
Comparative with Battery at middle

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/audmdc5r/Buddy%20CLub/IMG_3123.jpg
Comparative with Battery at front

i've still got roughly 90mm clearance

[Chi]

geez thats low......

Hope you dont have alot of speed humps over there.

[maracer]

Great write-up and pic's :thumbsup:

[ek22a]

Hey

i want to know what else have u done to the dc5r?

[TYPE-ONE]

post some vids yo