Aftermarket headers in Ontario

[Mr.Impreza]

Hey so I've finally figured out how I want to begin to work on my car in regards to performance parts.

My next purchase will be the Open Flash Tablet.

The next part i want would be the headers since they seem to make a bigger difference and lastly would be an exhaust.

However, exhaust may be 2nd because, i have a question regarding the headers.

I know the car is new now and I don't have to do emission tests but I plan to keep this car forever and one day I will need to do it, so would headers affect passing ontario emission tests?

I want a EL header, however i see most seem to be uncatted? I'm assuming uncatted wouldn't pass, but would the catted header pass?

I've also read that the cated headers don't improve hp much...but I'm assuming a catted header would improve it more than a catback correct?

Any insight will be much appreciated.

[drewbot]

Just watched a video on YouTube of @BatStig and his JDL catted

In for comments

[Bergen23]

Headers will most certainly make you fail an etest. Either find a sketchy etest place that will pass you anyways, or keep your stock headers (like I'm doing) and switch them out for your new headers when the time comes

[jvincent]

I wouldn't sweat it.

You won't need to do an emissions test until the car is 7 years old so you have that long to wait before you would need to put the OEM header back on.

I just checked the Ministry website and they are supposed to do a visual for missing cats, so it would fail for that.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Bergen23

Headers will most certainly make you fail an etest. Either find a sketchy etest place that will pass you anyways, or keep your stock headers (like I'm doing) and switch them out for your new headers when the time comes

Even catted headers though? I see HKS has a catted version as an example.

Originally Posted by jvincent

I wouldn't sweat it.

You won't need to do an emissions test until the car is 7 years old so you have that long to wait before you would need to put the OEM header back on.

I just checked the Ministry website and they are supposed to do a visual for missing cats, so it would fail for that.

Wow....it will be 2022 haha

But same question goes, would a catted header still fail?

[wparsons]

I haven't seen a shop do the visual inspection that thoroughly, and to see the stock cat they would need to take the under tray off. There's also a cat in the front pipe, so unless they know the car well they might just see that and assume everything is peachy.

As for passing legally... that's iffy. Catless, no chance. With a high flow cat you might pass, but depending on how good it is you might get a CEL for cat efficiency. That CEL would be a fail.

All that said, you can disable the CEL in the tune and run 100% catless and the OBD test will be happy. Not legal, but they won't find out.

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

Even catted headers though? I see HKS has a catted version as an example.



Wow....it will be 2022 haha

But same question goes, would a catted header still fail?

I have no idea about a catted header, but I'm kind of doubting it would pass. Might as well just do catless and see just swap them out when needed

[Mr.Impreza]

Okay, well I've watched a video on how to install the header and it seems extremely easy....i thought it was a pain in the butt but it's very straight forward so yeah....won't have to worry for 7 years...than just change to stock when i do e-test

[drewbot]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

Okay, well I've watched a video on how to install the header and it seems extremely easy....i thought it was a pain in the butt but it's very straight forward so yeah....won't have to worry for 7 years...than just change to stock when i do e-test

Just be sure you don't have the ministry of transportation do an on-the-spot inspection, like they did at CSCS last summer

Ask @RFB to re-tell the story

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by drewbot

Just be sure you don't have the ministry of transportation do an on-the-spot inspection, like they did at CSCS last summer

Ask @RFB to re-tell the story

Things like that make me think going to those events are a disaster waiting to happen. However, they're more than welcome to jack my car up and remove the skid plate if they so wish

[df.dima]

Maybe I am wrong, but I recall reading an official document outlining these things, I thought we have something similar to US federal thing, where you can only replace with OEM cat within first 7 years if it could be documented that cat failed. Post that aftermarket is fine. So technically I guess any catted header would be no good. Realistically your chances of getting caught are few.

I just decided its not worth the trouble for me. I dont know if I'd be able to tolerate a swapped header, especially uncatted, volume wise. I think the Nameless muffler is loud enough for me.

One more thing, I think the cat could be visible from up top looking at the engine, you can see the shields a bit.

[wparsons]

You can see the shields and the primary O2, but not the cat.

If I get a header it'll be catted, just to keep rasp and volume down a bit. A good high flow cat only holds back 1-2HP as long as the header design wasn't compromised to fit the cat in.

[BatStig]

I can't give any definite info on the legalities but, as far as I know, through the magic of EcuTek I will pass the OBD test. Visual or any other BS I don't know.

I have the JDL EL catted header and the Motiv catted front pipe. She stinks when I'm bombing around the track, but it's good on the street.

All the research I have done says a good high-flow cat will have minimal effect on power. Here's my dyno. If you're concerned about peak power this dyno is a heartbreaker. That wasn't my concern, however. I had two stipulations: safe and no dip.



And, for some fun noises, here's a video from me working off the rust from a long winter with my first track day of 2015:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eELyCoU1_Lo"]Scion FR-S at CTMP DDT, again - YouTube[/ame]

[wparsons]

To say Sasha's dyno is a heartbreaker is an understatement! That's easily ~190whp on a dynojet.

I forgot to ask when I stopped by the track, what mic are you using? I need to pick up an external one and want the cheapest one that works well. Doesn't need to be studio quality, just better than the built in one being buffeted by wind.

Another question, up the back straight and across the front... are you hitting the limiter in third, or short shifting a bit? I typically run right into the limiter at the top of the back straight, across the front straight, and almost brushing it heading down the hill towards the hairpin at the bottom. If you're needing to shift, you're probably going another ~10km/h faster on the two straights. Good testament to the header and tune!