My wife is finally getting her catback exhaust installed this weekend (it's the Megan Racing one, and the one hangar needs to be moved so we couldn't do it). I'm figuring it'll only be a matter of time before she starts thinking about what else to do with her car, and we've already talked about putting a header on it. From what I've read there's several options for the 2200 and it seems that most people seem to prefer the Pacesetter over the others, but it's usually a matter of "OBX sucks and turns colors, get a Pacesetter." However I'm not finding anything reasonably clear cut as to what kind of gains or anything to expect from the different headers for the OHV (I know you're not going to pick up 30 whp from any of them, I'm not expecting that). So here's my major questions:
1) Pacesetter appears to only be a 4-1, right? A few places (even Summit Racing) I've seen a 4-2-1 mentioned, but the pics to me still look like a 4-1.
[URL=http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1∂=PSM%2D72C1276&N=115&autoview=sku]Pacesetter Armor Coat 4-2-1 from Summit Racing?[/URL]
2) Does OBX make a 4-2-1 that would work on a 2002 Sunfire (2200 OHV)? Or is theirs only a 4-1? Is the collecter on the OBX 2.25"?
3) As far as gains, is there much of any difference between Pacesetter and OBX? We live in Ohio and anything that's exposed to the elements here will end up looking less than perfect, so if the only difference is that the OBX turns colors...well, they'll probably be covered by road grime thrown up into the engine bay anyways.
4) I found
this header while searching for info on here, but no one showed up in that thread saying they have it. This
is a true 4-2-1. Anyone know anything more about it...if it's even being made from what it says at the bottom of the page? It looks great (and includes a high flow cat) but it's a lot more expensive than any of the other J-Body headers I've seen. I'm thinking it could be worth it though for the low end gains - but then again $400 more just to see a slight increase in low end torque? If someone could vouch for it that'd give us more to think about.
5) In the future we may put either a turbo or supercharger (RSM...save the turbo vs. supercharger argument for a different thread...lol) on the car. Obviously with a turbo the header would have to come off, but if we supercharged it, which header do you believe would work the best with the RSM 'charger, and why?
As always, pics to prove points are helpful, i.e. a pic of a 4-2-1 Pacesetter or OBX header installed that'll work on the 2200 would be good evidence (everyone loves to speculate or say "well I've heard that..."). Thanks for the help...sorry about the novel.
i have the stainless obx header on my car. 4-2-1. it is 2.25" collector.
it turns bluish in color because it is stainless steel. i don't mind really but from when i talk to the shop guys all stainless steel does that.
i noticed a really really nice gain in my car with a full system. my wife did too and for her to notice it must have made a difference. i know some people say obx sucks but i think it was worth every penny.
i went with 4-2-1 because it is an every day driver and it gives me better response in the lower end which i like better.
http://www.helpelijah.com
Sean - do you know if the OBX you have is the same one that's sold on eBay for the 2000-2002? I thought I'd heard about different ones for different years but maybe I'm confusing the OBX with another header. Yeah I've been told that the OBX header sucks for the I4 and V6 2000+ Eclipse (supposedly the gains on those cars are crap) but I didn't know too much about the J-bodies...it sounds like a decent number of people have them and think they're fine. If all the OBX are actually 4-2-1 that's something to consider.
Steve - yeah I've heard some things about RSM that were a little troubling. Unfortunately they're the only company with a supercharger for the 2200 (right?). Like I said this wasn't really meant to be the turbo vs. supercharger discussion, but I was starting to think that perhaps the supercharger would be more friendly for a daily driver - less to worry about than the turbo and its tuning. However I know that whenever you do FI to a car that isn't FI in the first place, you can expect some complications from time to time. That'll all be taken into consideration if/when we'd go that route with her car.
mine is a '96 2.2. i don't think that they will fit a 2000-2002. i just searched up "cavalier header" on ebay and just looked for one for my car.
http://www.helpelijah.com
I also found the DC Sports 4-2-1 for the 96-99 2.2L on eBay. Sucks though because I believe that won't quite fit right on a 2002 2200 motor, right? Otherwise it looks like a kick ass header. Could you simply grind or file down the ports to make it line up right on a 2200
or are there other problems with fitment?
Another question for everyone (that I didn't think of in the 1st post, long as it was) - are both the Pacesetter and the OBX bolt on, or is fabrication/welding of some kind needed? I've read about having to have a section of pipe welded for the Pacesetter to connect to the cat, but I'm not sure which cars that pertains to. Keep in mind we're talking the 2200 OHV on a 2002. We'd like to be able to keep it to something we could do on our own in an afternoon with a 12 pack
I finally got my header set about 4 weeks ago and i love them pace setter headers and my 2.2L has been running great... see if someone else stocks pacesetter and do what i did summit price match them so that you don't have to pay for the shipping and can get them for around 170...
Roy Niemann wrote:I finally got my header set about 4 weeks ago and i love them pace setter headers and my 2.2L has been running great... see if someone else stocks pacesetter and do what i did summit price match them so that you don't have to pay for the shipping and can get them for around 170...
Well if we go with Pacesetter in the end, we won't have to worry about shopping around actually for a price. My wife just started working in order completion at the Summit Racing retail store in Ohio, and she gets things AT COST. So the price difference between the Pacesetter and the OBX isn't a factor in deciding between those two - the ceramic coated Pacesetter will likely run her $125-$150 through Summit.
Were they completely bolt on or did you need to do some kind of fabrication?
semi-bolt up the only thing is where it bolts to the cat it does not exactly clamp down and seal that great so i welded it to it... however the problem with this thing is that you have to take the starter out the altenator the belt off... everything.... it sucked...
Roy Niemann wrote:semi-bolt up the only thing is where it bolts to the cat it does not exactly clamp down and seal that great so i welded it to it... however the problem with this thing is that you have to take the starter out the altenator the belt off... everything.... it sucked...
I hear ya...an exhaust leak would suck.
You've got to take off all that stuff? I mean, just looking at the stock manifold it looks like it'd be easy to install a header on this car - seems like there's plenty of room. Of course I've just been looking at the manifold itself and how easy/hard it'd be to get to the bolts on there - I didn't think about further down the line, I just figured the stock crap would pull right out, and the aftermarket stuff would just slide right in. The Pacesetter is 2 pieces isn't it?
hey marcus, can you set up something so we can all share the great opportunity saving?
firewolf23 (Kevin) wrote:hey marcus, can you set up something so we can all share the great opportunity saving?
I've actually mentioned something like that to her - she's also a member on here but I've posted more than her. She's currently working a temp position at Summit but she'll probably get hired in permanently sometime this summer. At that point I think she might be able to work something out for some kind of group buy or two - probably not quite at the cost she gets things but she should be able to work some kind of discount.
i have pacesetter's 4-1 black coated header, which i plan on taking off and putting on the armor-coated header, make it look a lot nicer in the engine bay. i like my pacesetter, just that i dont recommend getting the black powder coated one.
marinecavy wrote:i have pacesetter's 4-1 black coated header, which i plan on taking off and putting on the armor-coated header, make it look a lot nicer in the engine bay. i like my pacesetter, just that i dont recommend getting the black powder coated one.
Well that's cool - if you've got the black coated one and you're going to replace it with another Pacesetter, just armor-coated, you must like it quite a bit.
Like I said in my 1st post, I know none of them are going to give you 30 whp - but has anyone dynoed before/after installing the header (either kind) that would have some kind of idea how much HP gain might be expected? I know other mods will affect this as well. Are we talking 8 whp, or 15, or what?
Well we've got the Megan catback installed now, and just like I figured, now she's looking for the header soon
Anyone - would the DC Sports header for the 96-99 work on a 2002 2200 OHV, flange-wise? Like I said could you just file a bit of the flange to make it line up with the exhaust ports? And one other header, the Weapon R for the 95-02 2.2L, is it crap or is it decent? If what I've found is true, it's basically a copy of the RK Sport, which has shorter primaries - gains won't be as high and not over as wide of an RPM range?
It'd be nice when she gets the headers if we could get the HFC at the same time (if the header isn't like the DC Sports one and eliminates the cat altogether) so that we could just bolt it all up together and then later have it welded. Probably looking at Magnaflow, Catco, or Pacesetter universal catalytic converters for that...
i contacted megan's to find out if they are producing a header system for the cavalier, still waiting on a reponse, but i like the pacesetter header alot, but if megan comes out with one i'll be looking forward to buying that intsead of the pacesetter, but that's after i look at dyno results, by the way i have the megan's catback and i love it, how do you like yours? but this will always be a battle over companies with this whole header issue, it's just which do you feel is montetarily sound, but one thing i learned YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
I have the ceramic-coated Iperformance 4-2-1 header installed on my '02 coupe. Install was from underneath with the car on a lift, and it was a tight fit. We removed the starter and alternator/alternator bracket to get it in. We also had to remove the oil fill tube. I love the gains from the setup. On a side note, I also installed the cat-back at the same time, so my gains are from stock to full exhaust. With stock exhaust and a CAI, my powerband usually kicked in around 3500 rpm. After the install, the pull is more gradually, but much harder. The powerband become more noticeable around 2800 rpm. One tip for install is to make sure you use a tap on your sensor bungs. If not, you probably won't be able to get them to thread. Iperformance treated me well. Follow the ordering directions on the site. Turnaround for my setup was roughly 3 1/2 weeks from placing the order to receiving the setup.
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"The J's weren't designed to be sports cars, the suspension sucks, the brakes are tiny, and the target market for our car doesn't need to be able to do any more than 65mph." - Shifted
A more accurate observation has never been typed. These should be the starting points before any serious performance modification. What's the point of making a serious performer if you can't control it's power?
Xaiver Canon, is it possible to post a pic of your setup. Does the system from iperformance come with all the necessary hardware for installation?
i have the pacesetter ceramic coated header. i think that it is really good. i like the nice surge in power that the car has now. the fuel economy is a nice bonus. i now get about 100km more on a tank of gas, when i am not going fast.
I just got a "X3Racing" stainless header off Ebay for $122 shipped. But, I haven't had it put on yet. I found out about them from March 06 Super Street "Ultimate Buyer's Guide" issue. Checked em out and found them listed on Ebay. I'll keep you posted when I get them on.
Sorry it took so long for the pics, but here they are.
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"The J's weren't designed to be sports cars, the suspension sucks, the brakes are tiny, and the target market for our car doesn't need to be able to do any more than 65mph." - Shifted
A more accurate observation has never been typed. These should be the starting points before any serious performance modification. What's the point of making a serious performer if you can't control it's power?
and all hardware was provided, minus studs for the exhaust manifold. I reused the stock ones.
*****************************************************************
"The J's weren't designed to be sports cars, the suspension sucks, the brakes are tiny, and the target market for our car doesn't need to be able to do any more than 65mph." - Shifted
A more accurate observation has never been typed. These should be the starting points before any serious performance modification. What's the point of making a serious performer if you can't control it's power?
That's one hawt red Xavier. Nice clean car.
Thanks for the kind words.
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"The J's weren't designed to be sports cars, the suspension sucks, the brakes are tiny, and the target market for our car doesn't need to be able to do any more than 65mph." - Shifted
A more accurate observation has never been typed. These should be the starting points before any serious performance modification. What's the point of making a serious performer if you can't control it's power?
