Learn how to drive then.

Just to update on my experience with the later part of the thread.

Installed my TOMEI UEL headers today and tuned the car with the stage 2 + OFT. Did the post tune instructions to let the tune settle in, although it'll still probably be a few days before the gas response time is properly calibrated.

I didn't go out of my way to check the speed increase but I would say it's definitely there as I found myself inadvertently 8-12kms (5-7mph) over the speed limit when driving with the same style as I was before the install. More or less was used to it by the time I got home.

As for the sound it's a nice bonus. My car is stock aside from the headers and when it started up after the install I couldn't believe it was my car as it sounded so different in a good way. That initial sound did settle down, when it was taken outside and the car began to warm up, but it still has a very nice "rumble" when the car idles and accelerates. The loudness is more or less the same, it just has more personality. You need your window down to really here it though, and I would say it sounds better to people you pass than to you yourself when driving, i'll have to try get someone to record me driving to see how that sounds.


So overall still deciding, these are just my immediate impressions but for 2k AUD (probably around 1.2K USD if you don't have to deal with overseas shipping costs like I did). I would say it's worth it. At least over an exhaust as whilst it isn't as loud or probably as cool as an actual exhaust, for the same price you get that increased speed and acceleration response in the mid range, as well as a slightly new sound.

Plus there's all the additional things you can do with the OFT like e85 and editing the tune for exhaust pops (not that I plan on doing that myself)

Been following this thread and on the same boat as OP, so thanks for the update and quick review. Same setup as I am planning for, though leaning towards the FT86 UEL catted header, so should be quieter than what you described but probably what I prefer.

If you're planning to keep stock mufflers/ exhaust system I'd still say go TOMEI for the higher quality. When I described the loudness that was only on the initial start up, as it is right now a day later- it's not really any louder than stock it just has a different sound than before (the slight rumble).

From what i've seen, to get the crazy loudness from the tomei's you'd need a muffler delete or a different exhaust so if you don't plan on doing either of those you won't have any issues if you're worried about it being as loud as a new exhaust system.

got it, will look up more into the Tomei header then, but good to know it’s close to stock as loudness go. planning on keeping the stock exhaust as well. did you get CEL after install? if so did OFT 2+ tune fix it? I know it’s been asked around a lot in this forum, just curious about your experience.

No I didn't but it's too early to tell. Apparently even without the tune you won't get a CEL until after about a week. But I did the OFT 2+ tune straight away so hopefully after the week it remains off.

Cars running fine still, no issues with the UEL install, only other differences I noticed is you smell the petrol a little bit more on the initial cold start if your window is down and it seems like the header produces more heat as the car seems to run a little hotter. But I don't think that's a concern as the Tomei's came with some kind of heat wrap for the pipes during install

Hey bro, im glad you enjoy it and im glad you like it. At the end of the day, its your car, your money you do what ever makes you happy and im glad it makes you enjoy your car that much more.

Yea tune has finally settled and I can say no regrets with the headers. I let a friend drive my car today who had recently driven his friends stock 86 and he immediately noticed the torque increase and acceleration response without me even really explaining what the headers did. He liked it so much he's considering getting an 86 as well- and he already owns an EVO 8

awesome! did the throttle response time go back to how it was before the tune? like close or exactly the same, if you can tell? also, what specific steps did you do post tune to help with said recalibration? getting several answers when researching about it.
sorry for the questions and kind of hijacking the thread, ended up getting the Tomei UEL header as well plus OFT so pretty pumped about this lol.


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That's great, hope it's as good for you as it has been for me.

After getting the headers installed I loaded the stage 2+ tune, did all the steps and after finishing and letting the car rest for a minute I put it in accessory mode and just slowly fully pressed down the throttle. Did that for about a minute changing up how fast or slow I pressed it then went on my way.

I don't think it fully calibrates the throttle response, but it was definitely a lot less noticeable than when I didn't do it when I did the stage 1 tune.

After a few days of driving I think it's back to normal as in no weird delays when accelerating. I say think because its been awhile since I was fully stock so don't remember what it's like. I'd say it's noticeably more torquey when you put it in sport mode but i'd suggest not putting it in any modes (sport/ vsc sport) until you feel like the tune has settled in or at least don't drive it for long periods of time in sport. (I don't know for sure how much of a difference it makes but at least for me- the only times I felt the delayed throttle response from the tune being fully settled was when I put it in sports mode as I was swapping it between normal and sport fairly frequently which might of slowed down the ECU calibrating) That being said, still improves the cars performance as a whole.

My friends description of his friends stock 86 was that it felt like a "slug" until you got to the high range where it started to pick up, but in my car he felt the responsiveness immediately all the way through

Long term opinion
 

Had my header, exhaust Oft stage 2 combo for 5 years now without incident. Response and sound is much better with this setup over stock. Very pleased.

got that noted! again I appreciate all the input and help, feeling really confident now going with this setup with the stock exhaust. just the waiting game now for the shipment to arrive lol.