The race header designation... just means the primaries are the right length for the engine power band. The stock and street versions are constrained by packaging. Any header can have a cat added after it, it just may not be welded in like the stock unit. All the longer headers are not compatible with cat-backs designed for the factory exhaust manifold. Matt
I'm at my muffler shop right now with an exhaust leak. Turns out the flex pipe flange is cracked all the way around. Trying to contact Jan to see if I can get this resolved today or not but can't get ahold of him yet though it's only been 10min since I last called. Didn't realize others had issues to with this same part. I love my header but since it's been installed I've had to put on a new resonator, replace the center hangers twice and then came up with a direct retrofit. Don't really want to remove it all but might have to. Richard
Jan got back to me as the work was already commencing. Basically there are two problems. The flange is cracked on the end of te flex joint and the flex joint itself is leaking. I have the accordion style. Everything is being welded back. Jan offered a flex joint to me but it's too far away and I'm stranded now anyways. I was posting these from my iPhone 3gs....now I'm at a desktop. So now that the fix is done, my noise level has dropped off substantially...it almost feels like my ears are plugged. It is sooooo quiet now. Ok, so I was feeling kind of down about my header problems...but now that it's fixed..I'm a happy camper again!
So did I read correctly that Jan is'nt isnt selling any more new shorty headers? only refurbished ones? hmmm makes me feel like I have a collectible piece on my car...:lol:
I've had the RMW street header for about 18 months. The accordion flex joint cracked a couple of months ago, so I had my local Latino muffler shop replace it with the stainless steel mesh type for $60. Much quieter now and I have have never thrown any codes related to this header.
I had no idea that doing a header would require such maintenance. Your repair was much less than mine. Well the first crack here was quoted $65 to be repaired. You can see it beind the sensor at the flange. But then it was found the flex joint was so loose it was leaking as well. So that was replaced as well and the total repair came out to $160 with the part. I originally had the header put in in December 2008, and within a few months I ran into money problems and the MINI sat for nearly 6 months. Then around July 2009 I was able to do the needed repairs and drive it again, but then with all my overseas travels, I've probably only driven with the header maybe 4 or 5 months. With the new flex joint, the exhaust is far quieter than I can ever remember and this is with the Magnaflow resonator on my Invidia.