Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - View Single Post - Case study comparing the Ace header against a popular UEL header with FI

86TOYO2k17 · 10-15-2019, 12:40 PM

There is only so many ways to skin a cat...
The main differences in header designs that make any real meaningful impact are
UEL vs EL
4-2-1 vs 4-1
Cats vs no cats

EL generally has better overall performance especially top end, UEL can sometimes have better mid range but typically only chosen for sound at a compromise to overall performance.
4-2-1 design will generally have better mid range at cost to top end, 4-1 will generally have better top end at cost to mid range.
Obviously no cats flows better and produces more gains compared to with cats.

Now where the ACE differs and reinvents the wheel so to speak is the fact that it incorporates the OP into the header design. Giving it almost the same individual runner length (length of pipe between the 4-2 merge) as a 4-1 header allowing for it to have similar top end numbers, while simultaneously taking advantage of the stepped down 4-2-1 design allowing it to maximize mid range, by incorporating the OP into the header design you are essentially incorporating the best of both worlds of the 4-1 and 4-2-1 design. and obviously being EL and having no cats increases all of these gains as well.

now if someone could make a "long tube" 4-1 catless EL header incorporating the OP into the header this would most likely result in the maximum possible top end performance possible from a header design even more then the ACE is capable of but at a compromise to the mid range compared to the ACE.

Currently what is on the market the ACE header will be equal to or greater then all other headers at every point in the power-band, it is essentially the only header design currently available with no compromises.

Now whether or not that premium price is worth it for the individual is entirely subjective. If all you are going to do is a header and OTS tune, and don't care about max performance other options such as JDL may be better because of the price point. But a lot of people end up wanting more after a header/tune and start spending more money for less results on things like CAI, catback, LW pulleys etc... when the accumulated cost far exceeds the increased price point of the ACE, but the accumulated benefits far ("deceeds"new word) the benefits the ace would of had over the other header.

10-15-2019, 12:40 PM	#39
86TOYO2k17 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Drives: 2017 toyota 86 Location: PNW Posts: 2,131 Thanks: 336 Thanked 1,188 Times in 781 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	There is only so many ways to skin a cat... The main differences in header designs that make any real meaningful impact are UEL vs EL 4-2-1 vs 4-1 Cats vs no cats EL generally has better overall performance especially top end, UEL can sometimes have better mid range but typically only chosen for sound at a compromise to overall performance. 4-2-1 design will generally have better mid range at cost to top end, 4-1 will generally have better top end at cost to mid range. Obviously no cats flows better and produces more gains compared to with cats. Now where the ACE differs and reinvents the wheel so to speak is the fact that it incorporates the OP into the header design. Giving it almost the same individual runner length (length of pipe between the 4-2 merge) as a 4-1 header allowing for it to have similar top end numbers, while simultaneously taking advantage of the stepped down 4-2-1 design allowing it to maximize mid range, by incorporating the OP into the header design you are essentially incorporating the best of both worlds of the 4-1 and 4-2-1 design. and obviously being EL and having no cats increases all of these gains as well. now if someone could make a "long tube" 4-1 catless EL header incorporating the OP into the header this would most likely result in the maximum possible top end performance possible from a header design even more then the ACE is capable of but at a compromise to the mid range compared to the ACE. Currently what is on the market the ACE header will be equal to or greater then all other headers at every point in the power-band, it is essentially the only header design currently available with no compromises. Now whether or not that premium price is worth it for the individual is entirely subjective. If all you are going to do is a header and OTS tune, and don't care about max performance other options such as JDL may be better because of the price point. But a lot of people end up wanting more after a header/tune and start spending more money for less results on things like CAI, catback, LW pulleys etc... when the accumulated cost far exceeds the increased price point of the ACE, but the accumulated benefits far ("deceeds"new word) the benefits the ace would of had over the other header.