Kinda long, sorry...

First let me say this: I love the sound of the Borla headers that were on the car when I bought it. They give the car has a deep rumbling tone, similar to a classic musclecar. It's a very powerful sound. People with WRX's are impressed by my exhaust note, and that's saying something. The sound turns heads at local i-club gatherings for goodness sakes.

Saturday (9-29-01) I went to the i-club InstallFest hosted by Suby Specialties in Monrovia. It was a great gathering of Subaru-fanatics. I asked Don from SubySpecialties to check my exhaust system for leaks (sometimes it pops when I downshift), and he put the car on a lift and checked it. He said everything looked fine. Then we went driving, so he could hear the popping for himself. He heard it, and assured me that everything's OK, that the popping is because of the higher flow of the headers; it's the sound of unburnt fuel igniting when it reaches the catalytic converter. Nothing to worry about. Also, if I were to remove my cats, the car might be able to shoot flames out of the tailpipe instead of making that popping sound.

However, when the car was up on the lift, he noticed that the rubber boot on the steering assembly (the one that runs horizontally between the two front wheels) has been damaged by the heat of the Borla headers. The rubber/plastic material is brittle and cracked. When touched, it disintegrates and flakes off. Don told me that this is because the headers don't have any heat shielding. It will cost $100 (including labor) to have the boot replaced. In addition to this, I will need to have some heat shielding fabricated (don't know how much that will cost) so that the new boot isn't damaged.


I am writing this for three reasons:
-1- To inform others who have Borla headers that they should install some heat shielding so that they don't damage sensitive rubber/plastic parts on their car.

-2- To inform the people at Borla of my problem, so that they can deal with the issue of their headers causing damage to people's cars. It would also be a much appreciated gesture if they were to help compensate for the damage that their headers did to my car. (note: I've been informed that there are a few different 'generations' of Borla headers for my car, and that my headers are some of the older generation. I'm not sure if this problem still occurs with the newer generations of Borla headers.)

-3- Because I like writing and I like my car. ;)

-scott-

Very intresting, thanks for the warning.

I've got Borla headers on my car, no issue with it other than the fact I cracked my first header

I'll have to look at the boot and see if mine is doing ok, how long have you had the header on the car?

I am the second owner of the car, so I'm not sure of the exact history. Most of the parts were bought for the original owner's '98 2.5RS, which was eventually wrecked. He then got the 2000 RS (now my car), and transferred most of the aftermarket parts from the old car. For all I know, the headers could have been from Borla's first producton run.

My car (2000 RS) has 22,500 miles on it (mostly commuting, ~40 minute drive), and I assume that the header was on it the entire time.




I called Borla today, and they said that they were sorry to hear about that (they'd better be sorry, their header caused $100 damage to my car!), that they would pass along my information to the R & D department. They told me that since I'm not the original purchaser, the Borla warranty is void.


I called the original owner, and he suggested that I take the car to the dealer (he's got some friends there) while it's still under warranty. So, if I'm lucky, the dealer will end up replacing the boot for free (or at least for cheap). Then I will promptly install some serious heat-shielding.



I'll keep y'all posted,
-scott-

you could trying wrapping the headers, or having them cermamic coated... that'd keep the heat IN the headers where it belongs... may even gain you a hp or two.

Hmmmm,
I just had Borla header installed this morning.
(took less than an hour). Wish I read this post
earlier. Tho I put on a length of heat wrap and
hope it'll make some difference.
Before the header, Stromung and mid-pipe were installed. The sound is even nicer.
Subtle and mellow sound now.
Tony

i got my borlas installed a few weeks ago and the mechanic told me to keep an eye on the oil filter and that i may need to stick a piece of aluminum between it and the headers to keep it from melting. i havn't checked it out yet....i assume it's still there:p

How Much do these Header cost! do any i-club Vendor selling them as well! How can i test these header is Gain any HP? on low End or Hign End!

Originally posted by scoopydo
How Much do these Header cost! do any i-club Vendor selling them as well! How can i test these header is Gain any HP? on low End or Hign End!

1) about $440
2)Yes, try www.cobbtuning.com or others
3) about 6hp (12 total for a complete header back, where a catback is about 5-6)
4) Mid-high, midrange is supposed to be improved more than the slightly low peak gain would indicate.

Thanks!Midwayman ;)
But for got to ask...can these header fit on 96 model?

Don and Steve from www.SubySpecialties.com rules. I'd say you guys check them out. They have been in business for over 15 years, but they just got online. They carry tons of STI stuff.

The 96 model isn't an EJ25. SPO carries the EJ22 headers (other might too, but I haven't seen them). If you have a 1.8, you are probably out of luck unless you have some JDM parts imported.


Ben

I got hold of a digital camera (thanks, grammie!), and got some more pics of the boot in question:

ouch!
http://sites.netscape.net/scotty305/Impreza/boot2.jpg


here's the boot in relation to the header:
http://sites.netscape.net/scotty305/Impreza/boot3.jpg

I had some heat shielding welded on to my headers (I'll take pics when I can), and I'm gonna have a new boot installed on Wednesday ( www.subyspecialties.com )

I tried to have the local dealer fix it under warranty, (I played dumb about the headers, since I've only had the car for a month: "it's got headers? He didn't say it had headers... what do stock headers look like?" :lol: ) but that didn't work. They were really cool about it, though. When the other techs (20-something years old) heard that the car had headers, they all came and looked at it. I wish the original owner had been there to see, it was pretty cool.

Also, the mechanics said that the headers didn't look like most headers made in a factory. They said that they looked like they might have been custom made. Does anyone out there have 1st gen Borla headers? I'm beginning to think that these are either 1st generation, or maybe one of the prototypes...


OK later,
-scott-

Hey, wussup scott!!!
your car does sound great!!!

u want to sell your header to me??? since it cost u so much trouble!!!
:):)

keep us update when u got everything back in business!!!

Jonathan

I have used thermotec header wrap in the past and it definitely keeps the heat in! Thry wrpping them and you'll be happy you did! But I heard that too much heat will crack the joints on headers so don't wrap them all the way to the top, start an inch or two down...

It is interresting that a "piece" of equipment installed on a certain car is warrantied if the original owner is around, but if not then poor engineering is swept under the rug. Isn't it the same header on the same car with the same design flaw causing the same problem? That dammage was caused by the herader regardless of who is driving. :mad:

jlyttle, that's exactly what I'm talking about... Borla should take some responsibility for their lack of foresight.


janikphoto, the guys at the muffler shop told me that thermal wrap (like thermotec) will decrease the life of your headers. I've never heard anything like this before, and I don't know what the average life of aftermarket headers is, but they said it could cut the header longevity in half. They said that the headers need some air flowing over them (retaining all their heat because of thermal wrap would damage them?).

-scott-

Yeah, but wouldn't you rather buy new headers twice as often or a new engine? I'm sure it keeps that heat away from other parts, and even though new headers are a lot of $$$, they are cheaper and easier to replace than some other parts. And the higher heat is supposed to keep the cel from coming on. Another good thing for heat wrap...

Scott,

If you're still wondering whether your Borla headers are 1st gen or not, here's a link to some more info – the pics are about 2/3rds down:

http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=30356&highlight=Borla

Ed.

Hmmm... This is interesting. I have a turbo up-pipe that runs within 1/2" of the inner CV boot on the passenger side and after 12 months there are no signs of heat damage yet.

I sell Borla headers off my site ( www.imprezars.com/product2.htm#borla ), so I will have to warn people who order them to fabricate a shield or wrap the headers. I am told Borla now recommends wrapping the headers starting about 12" away from the head towards the back flange, but not for this reason.

I am also adding the Brullen equal length headers with high flow cat section, and will have to see what they look like in terms of passing by soft rubber parts and such.

Larry
www.ImprezaRS.com

well, from looking at that link, I think my headers are either 1st or third gen. I couldn't quite tell the difference, though. I'll take some good pictures on Wednesday when I go to Suby Specialties and they put it up on a lift.



By the way, does anyone know what the average lifespan of headers is in the first place? If my headers are gonna last 30 years, I'd gladly cut that down to 15, if it could get me some increased HP and decreased engine bay temps...

Scott,

The third iteration has reinforcement across two of the pipes. The mandrel bends and collectors are relocated as compared to the 1st gen.

Ed.