OBX Solara/Camry 1MZ-FE Headers/Y-Pipe (Review)

[Eye8Pussies]

So, finally, after many many weeks/months of waiting and planning, I got a chance to install the new set of headers/y-pipe that OBX released as a copy of the 2.5" JPP setup.

So here's my review...

Performance-wise- I can now seem to do things in 5th gear that I couldn't do before. Basically, from throttle feel and butt-dyno feel, it seems as though the powerband now starts lower in the rpms than before. A lot closer to 3K than 4K as it usually is. For top-end power, it's hard to say, and only a comparison dyno will probably be able to determine that. My car feels faster over all quite definitely, but I can't attribute that solely to the headers since I just put a newer and lower mileage (and better running) motor into my car. Also, I haven't been able to retune either since the display on my safcII died on me....

Fitment-wise - The fitment is pretty great on the headers, and the quality of the welds is superb. The headers fit great, but comes with fiber gaskets that I replaced with new OEM metal gaskets just in case. They also come with nuts and bolts to bolt the y-pipe to the headers. The only thing is that the y-pipe needed a lot of pushing and shoving to line up perfectly. If there were studs welded into the headers it would make it a lot easier to line up, but since I had to struggle with inserting the bolts as well as lining up the fiber gaskets at the same time, it was an absolute bitch and it probably took me around an hour just to install the y-pipe. The hanger was in the perfect spot as well, so that wasn't an issue. I can't speak as to how the egr pipe to the egr "cooler" on the block will fit, as I blocked off my egr at the header, but from a quick place on top fitment, it looks like it should be fine.

Installation - well...long story short, I can't really judge on this one, since I installed the headers with the motor out of the car. All I can say is that it will be an absolute headache and not any fun at all to try and install yourself at home. The OEM headers should come out fairly simply since you can easily access the nuts holding them and the shape would be possible to slip out the back of the engine bay with some patience, but the new headers take up a lot more room and I have no idea how somebody would be able to really slip them into place, much less bolt them up and torque them properly since a number of the nuts are hard to reach. I could only use a ratchet on about half of the nuts and had to use a combination wrench on the rest. If you have ratcheting wrenches, that'd make things easier as well. But if you decide to install them yourself, all I will say is good luck. Book time on replacing the oem headers is 6 hours....and I'm sure that it'll take you at least that long to remove the oem ones and install the obx ones....if you're lucky.

Customization - For the gen4 guys who want to run the resonator, I'm sure that it should just bolt up to the rest of your exhaust. For me and the gen3 it was a bit different, but I have it all clamped up right now.

Sound - The sound of my exhaust not has changed for sure. I can't decide for the better or for worse but it seems to be quieter. It's a bit raspier and burbbly than before, and not quite as deep either. I'm not sure if its because of my specific piping and clamping (I got the end of my y-pipe with resonator cut off clamped to the rest of my piping instead of welded since I plan on replacing my 2.5" with 3" piping soon).


Long story short though- well worth the money I'd say. Real performance gains are felt from my butt-dyno, but we'll see once I re-tune and re-dyno, etc etc. And in addition...they also look great in the engine bay lol.

[1gSE]

sweet, i might just have to order a set and a 30 pack to go along with it

[Midias]

Awesome when the weather starts to get better I may throw the lara on a lift and install these.

[ptballer]

glad they worked out for you king

[Dawgz]

sweeeeeeet

[Eye8Pussies]

paul!!! do you have your engine back in the car yet??

[JvR]

Good news, thanks for the sharing!

My OBX is still lying on the attic waiting for me to install.

What have you done with the second 02 sensor....normaly after the catalytic converter?


thanks again!

[ASG14]

[Eye8Pussies]

Good news, thanks for the sharing!

My OBX is still lying on the attic waiting for me to install.

What have you done with the second 02 sensor....normaly after the catalytic converter?


thanks again!

no prob- I'm here to jump and take chances for the camy/solara community lol.

as for the o2 sensor, nothing was changed about it. I kept my stock cat by cutting off the resonator on the obx y-pipe and then had the y-pipe clamped to my existing piping right before the cat. so, no codes, no emissions problems (for ppl who run emissions), etc.




and yeah...forgot to mention that a downside to the headers would be that the y-pipe hangs pretty low, so if you're slammed...be careful.



damn engine bay's a mess....but that's what happens when you swap in a new motor, fire it up on a friday, finish the exhaust work on the monday, and then head out on a 1000km roadtrip that same night

[akora12]

Nice writeup King, everything looks good.

What hose do you have running into the egr plate on the s/c?

[Eye8Pussies]

^ ryan, that's for my a/c idle-up

on the gen3, it uses a solenoid that takes post-maf air from pre-throttle body and adds it to post-tb for idle-up, whereas the gen4 and solara's ecu automatically idles-up

[SleeperSolara]

Nice review man.
Looks like the OBX headers is my next mod.
Can you tell me more information about your oil filter relocation kit??
Also if you have a oil cooler also.
Thanks.

[Eye8Pussies]

the oil filter relocation kit that I have is from transdapt. I got it mostly because I needed a way to install the brass fittings that I needed for the my gauge sensors (oil temp and oil pressure). I had thought of a sandwich adapter (which transdapt also sells), but this was before I switched to an electric fan and with my hydraulic fan assembly and the lines, etc. I barely had enough room to change my oil filter as it was, much less having it stick out an extra 2 inches from the sandwich plate.

the added bonus of the relocation kit is that it increases your oil capacity about 1L or 1qt, allowing for more heat dissipation through a larger amount of oil. I relocated my oil filter into the bumper for better cooling effect since air directly blows onto the filter when I am driving. I have an "oil filter cooler" with fins on it to protect the filter itself from debris due to its location.

I will be installing an oil cooler probably in the spring in prepping it for the coming summer when I will bring the camry to the track. With the oil filter relocation kit though, it'll be a simple issue of using more fittings to run the lines for the oil cooler.

[Midias]

Looks awesome makes me want one but not now because money is tight saving for a house.

[SleeperSolara]

the oil filter relocation kit that I have is from transdapt. I got it mostly because I needed a way to install the brass fittings that I needed for the my gauge sensors (oil temp and oil pressure). I had thought of a sandwich adapter (which transdapt also sells), but this was before I switched to an electric fan and with my hydraulic fan assembly and the lines, etc. I barely had enough room to change my oil filter as it was, much less having it stick out an extra 2 inches from the sandwich plate.

the added bonus of the relocation kit is that it increases your oil capacity about 1L or 1qt, allowing for more heat dissipation through a larger amount of oil. I relocated my oil filter into the bumper for better cooling effect since air directly blows onto the filter when I am driving. I have an "oil filter cooler" with fins on it to protect the filter itself from debris due to its location.

I will be installing an oil cooler probably in the spring in prepping it for the coming summer when I will bring the camry to the track. With the oil filter relocation kit though, it'll be a simple issue of using more fittings to run the lines for the oil cooler.

Thanks man.
Can you take a picture wheneva you have time, cause i've been lookin' for a place to mount the oil filter to a better spot.
I would like some ideas.
I've seen "TonytheTiger" placement of his oil filter location, but the cam sensor [ i think that's what that sensor is] is in the way, same for my cruise control.

Sorry for thread jack.