Buddy Club Race Header Review [DC5R]

[Black_Spirit]

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


Three Piece Design


Full Race Length Header


Spring Attachment


Exhaust Number 1100, what a number!!


Inner Workings


Inner Workings


New Exhaust Gasket


Ordered Exhaust manifold gasket

[Black_Spirit]

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!!

And best of all, no CEL light… yet…

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


Ain't she a beauty!!


Sway Bar?? Who Needs A Sway Bar!?!


Err... o2 sensor... maybe...? hahaha


Used Exhaust Manifold Gasket, Dam... Such In A Good Condition!!


Hunk Of Crap We Call An Exhaust Manifold On A Stock Aust Spec DC5R

[matt]

looks real good eddie, what cat back you runnin again spec 3?

[Black_Spirit]

nah nah, my exhaust is Trust Power Extreme II

[endymiony2k]

good review, Black_Spirit. Did your mechanics offer you alternative fitment solution other than cutting the b-pipe to fit in the header? how well do u reckon is the header fittment? i have got a mugen cat-back and wouldnt want to cut the b-pipe for a buddy club header =p

btw have ya got the ESSM or the aftermarket engine mount? some crsx members suggested that replacing stiffer engine mount may help to prevent header from cracking.

[TeMp]

Nice review. Looking at the angle where your header joins your b-pipe, it seems quite steep. Meaning your b-pipe seems quite low? Got a pic of the actual b-pipe running down to your muffler? All this is said in comparasion to mine.

endymiony2k: heard both sides of the story and to me the numbers who have no problems with header cracking without changing to stiffer engine mounts, way out number people do have the problem. And im talking about people who have had their aftermarket header for more than 3+ years. But I guess if you can stand the vibrations and want to be safe, why not.

[Black_Spirit]

cheers guys

endymiony2k: Nah, other than cutting the bpipe, i don't think theres too much else you can do to make the exhaust hang higher.. if there is, i'd like to know what it is
yeh, i've got Energy inserts for awhile now, and altho i've only had the header only installed for a day, it seems the car doesn't vibrate that much.. will see how things go and update.

Temp: yeh, the bpipe is definitely lower than with the buddy club header. I'll take some pix in the morning and will post it up and hopefully along with the sound and small clip of the exhaust with some load on it, should be fun!! hehe

[endymiony2k]

I have asked DOHCtor from crsx, there is no need to cut the B-pipe to fit in the buddy club race header.

does any buddy club race header owner have fittment problem with their dc5? i.e. have to cut the b-pipe to fit in the header?

DOHCtor:Well I'm going to post it in here to just so people don't make the same mistake.

Make sure this part is pushed in all the way like how I have mines. I heard people not putting this in correctly where it's still sticking out a bit and having problems mating the header to their b-pipe.

originally from http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread...=header+review

[Black_Spirit]

didn't see that, thanx endymiony2k!
but i don't think i'm gonna worry about that, its only ever so slightly sticking out more, hardly even notice it


Full View


Comparative with Battery at Rear (don't like those the looks of those rusty welds.. hrmm...)


Comparative with Battery at middle


Comparative with Battery at front

i've still got roughly 90mm clearance

[urbanracer.com]

not bad.. ive got about 80cm clearance with the toda/whiteline setup.

[mecca]

So, out of curiosity ... where is the cat?
Or, you runnning without one?

I hear a lot of issues changing to aftermarket headers and cat fitment. Something has to be cut, either header or exhaust, which did you choose?

I think, MBit or Mugen offer a metal cat with their header but the cost is bling!

[Jingers]

2.8/3k for mugen/maxim

[tinkerbell]

i cant find/see the cat converter either?

[3r1k]

No Cat

[Black_Spirit]

shhHhh =P