eBay headers, opinions

[ozone]

Anyone use these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-Camry-Solara-99-03-SLE-V6-3-0L-Exhaust-Header-/150607383451?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ASolara&hash=item2310e64b9b

Inexpensive. Look good. I wasn't planning on switching out exhaust, but swapping the transmission may require cutting out the old one if I can't get the bolts off. If I'm that far, might as well add a performance bump. Anyone used these headers? They are from a place called Tuning Pro's.

If so opinions please? I've heard some people complain about the OBX headers cracking.

Thanks.

[ToyoSolV6]

I wouldnt do it, just get obx for like 100 more, these sometimes dont line up correctly, trust me you wouldnt want to go through those headaches.

[1gSE]

^^^ what he said. I'd rather get a cracked header re-welded than take the chance of headers not lining up at all. Its hit or miss with ebay headers

::edit:: You shouldn't have to remove the headers to drop the tranny. You're thinking of the y-pipe.....

[ozone]

Doesn't matter which part of the exhaust I remove. I might be cutting exhaust pipe anyway you look at it. Why weld it back or replace a part when I could just pop some headers on it. I need to replace the valve cover gaskets too, so the intake manifold will likely be coming off. It's not much more work to get to the rear manifold at this point or at least it would be easier now than from scratch.

The OBX headers require you to remove the cat. I have this long standing addiction to air so I thought I would keep the cat. I suppose I could get the OBX headers and cut the test pipe off and weld a flange on, but that's kind of back where I started right? Also, I would be cutting off those nicely coated headers.

I hear what you are saying and usually you get what you pay for, but have either of you actually used them? Do you know someone that has or is it just speculation that they are cheap?

[1gSE]

if you search you can find the answers about them. I didn't say anything about welding you exhaust back together. What I meant by re-welding (if it happens to crack) is it's easier to do that, than get something that might not line up at all. I haven't actually installed them (yet) but I have done a bit a research. Cutting the OBX y-pipe is no big deal...any muffler shop can do it and weld on a high flow cat for you.

[ozone]

if you search you can find the answers about them. I didn't say anything about welding you exhaust back together. What I meant by re-welding (if it happens to crack) is it's easier to do that, than get something that might not line up at all. I haven't actually installed them (yet) but I have done a bit a research. Cutting the OBX y-pipe is no big deal...any muffler shop can do it and weld on a high flow cat for you.

I know you didn't. I did. You said I didn't have to remove the exhaust manifold, only the y-pipe. My point was it doesn't matter what part I need to remove to do the tranny swap, but that ANY cutting = buy a new header instead of fixing what I cut.

It's entirely possible I will be able to just remove the portion of exhaust that's in the way. I'm just going by my last experience with exhaust on a Solara which had me cutting the pipe because the bolts essentially did not exist due to heat and corrosion. I haven't looked at the ones on my wife's car yet, but if they are gone, then I will have to grind off the bolts or cut the pipe or something like that, which would require a repair. I figure, hey, if I buy new stuff, I don't have to repair anything or worry about trying to remove it carefully. I could just ditch it and replace with a mild performance bump.

I did find a post on cheap headers, but it was relatively inconclusive. Plus it was an old post. Hence, my post.

Clear?

[ToyoSolV6]

You wouldnt even have to cut any part of the obx set up. obx comes with a test pipe instead of a cat, what you do is take your stock pipe to a muffler shop have them cut it out weld flanges on to the cat and then you can easily just remove the original obx test pipe and install the original cat of the car. It doesnt involve any cutting or welding to the obx.

[GzNutz]

I hear what you are saying and usually you get what you pay for, but have either of you actually used them? Do you know someone that has or is it just speculation that they are cheap?

Speculation aside, just look at the y-pipe, expecially the piping from the rear bank. The ebay knock-off rear bank 90's in to the line from the front, may even be flowing against. The OBX rear bank is curved enough to direct the flow with/in the same direction as the front. Cheap quality or not, the ebay design is total crap.

Ebay:


OBX:

[ozone]

In the picture the OBX does NOT come with a test pipe. In the past their advertising even said something about removing the cat. I agree that the OBX design does look better, though. It's twice the cost. I'll have to think it through. After shipping it's pushing $400.00.

[hskrsolara]

I hear what you are saying and usually you get what you pay for, but have either of you actually used them? Do you know someone that has or is it just speculation that they are cheap?

Speculation aside, just look at the y-pipe, expecially the piping from the rear bank. The ebay knock-off rear bank 90's in to the line from the front, may even be flowing against. The OBX rear bank is curved enough to direct the flow with/in the same direction as the front. Cheap quality or not, the ebay design is total crap.

Ebay:


OBX:

it's tough to say if that y pipe is crap or not...many of us with Dats y pipes had the same designs and had huge gains over stock. I agree the quality is most likely less than the OBX, but we've run similar y pipes that have worked well.

[TheMack]

heres something i ve wondered, i live in California where the smog regulations are a hippies dream come true.....if i get OBX headers A. will i pass smog? and B. does it come with a DOT approved sticker?

[1gSE]

I doubt the obx headers are CARB legal, especially since the y pipe eliminates an emissions component. Maybe you could pass the visual with a cat installed, but I dunno about the rest. Maybe some of you Cali guys would like to chime in?

[ozone]

It says in the listing it's a "racing" header. That usually means, not street legal.

[ToyoSolV6]

I doubt the obx headers are CARB legal, especially since the y pipe eliminates an emissions component. Maybe you could pass the visual with a cat installed, but I dunno about the rest. Maybe some of you Cali guys would like to chime in?

nope wont pass....i get mine the cool way lol pay extra and get it done

[TheMack]

I doubt the obx headers are CARB legal, especially since the y pipe eliminates an emissions component. Maybe you could pass the visual with a cat installed, but I dunno about the rest. Maybe some of you Cali guys would like to chime in?

nope wont pass....i get mine the cool way lol pay extra and get it done

brotha id be so down if i had a smog hook up, i live in San diego so if you can refer me to anyone id be indebted to you, hell id even come up to LA to smog it if i can lol

one more thing is i wanna set up my car to run true dual exhaust, how should i go about this assuming i get the OBX?