Has anyone any experience with the OBX headers that are sold on ebay?  I don't live in an area that has emissions testing so that is not a problem.

The three inch long pipe with the rusted away exhaust flange has broken off the the back side of the center cat.  If I cant get this welded back together the headers look like a cheaper option to factory cat pipes.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151063791278&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:US:1123

I don't have any experience with the OBX headers, but the headers shouldn't affect emissions testing. 

 

Hopefully someone can chime in that has some experience with OBX.

have an exhaust shop cut/grind the rust off and weld a new piece of pipe in place.  rust is so common around here it's done all the time.  shops charge $40 - $70 to do it, takes them no time at all and parts are just a short section of cheap pipe.   trick is finding an honest shop that won't try and replace all the bits with new part$$$ for much more money.

 

my daily driver for 80,000 miles has had the front pipes cut out and straight pipe welded in place (so mine has no front pre-converters like the OBX) and no issues.  i have a P0420 engine code but it dosn't matter in this state and i'm not sure what it's from, since that code is so common i can't say for sure that it's caused by the header or not at it's current 213,000 miles.

 

i'd run the OBX if i needed a header though, they're not that expensive.  i've looked before too and haven't found many references or users that have them.  i think there are some youtube videos of folks with custom exhaust/headers but not sure how much detail they share, i haven't watched.

I've scheduled an appointment for a local muffler shop to weld a new pipe and flange to the cat pipe, Im not real confident that the new weld will hold up though. the metal on the cat seems quite thin. I have had similar problems with my 97 outback and the weld failed in about 2 months. This seems to be a week spot in the outback exhausts. I will order the OBX headers if it fails again..........

it is a weak spot - the flanges in general, the rear one too.  if they cut off all rust and weld properly it should hold for a long time.

 

oh and hello, we're not too far apart!  the carpeting in the mall there is interesting!

 

may want to measure the pipe and make sure they have the proper diameter in stock, i've seen multiple times where the welded in section is the wrong size...once on an H6 exhaust, not sure if it's an uncommon size or what but be nice to not have a reducer welded in place, that's kind of silly.

My rear cat flange is all gone (couple years now), I have 2 springs that go from a split-flange repair kit on the pipe forwards to the body. Works well, doesn't seem to transmit noise.

My rear cat flange is all gone (couple years now), I have 2 springs that go from a split-flange repair kit on the pipe forwards to the body. Works well, doesn't seem to transmit noise.

mine just broke on my 2003 H6...what is this repair you speak of?

 

something like this?:

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/3A-Racing-1-3-4-in-exhaust-split-flange/_/N-25vz?itemIdentifier=110785&_requestid=765210

 

do you know what size the H6 needed back at that rear flange?

 

second rust related repair you've helped me with in a couple weeks!  your rust must be just a bit ahead of ours down here, LOL.

Edited June 19, 201312 yr by grossgary

I used one similar to that, but not as fancy. More like:

 

 

I stuck that on the exhaust pipe, and just used springs from the bolt ends (facing backwards) to some holes in the unibody. Don't know what size, I just used a ruler to measure the diameter of the pipe (just eyeballed with the ruler held against the side of the pipe) and got about that size.
 

Only hazard is if you use springs that are too strong, you'll eat the donut gasket in about a year.

 

Upstate NY, I have to imagine rust will find me before you.

Edited June 19, 201312 yr by CNY_Dave

great, i'll get some.

 

not sure what you mean about "holes in the unibody"......hopefully they're not rust holes yet LOL

i have purchased several obx headers. they are a fantastic value. they perform well, produce more power as claimed. and will handle quite alot of abuse

recommended

There are some reinforced sections of the underbody that have some holes drilled in them.