i have a 2008 with no CAT and a Tanabe medallion touring exhaust also a K&N air intake filter. I love the sound i am not 15 and i don't need all that crackle. i just love the sound when the VETC kicks in. That said will a header help performance and will it change the sound?
I also haven't had it DYNO-ed yet. i hear mixed stuff about it chip password is like $300 and DYNO another $250 ish. even the shop said the computer s really good and it wont help top end. but i get some raw gas smell when i drive?

any ideas ?
thanks
jeff

 

If you have no cat you will always smell gas

 

Yeah, put the emissions equipment back on the car to avoid all the things you mention to disliking.

 

I would tune it with a Hondata and just enjoy hopefully your tuner will just lower vtec to 4500 or whatever they see fit
You will always smell exhaust and gas with no cat it's just part of the game.

 

so don't bother with a Header then ?

 

Please don't have whatever shop you're talking to tune your car. There's not "chip" for the S2000, especially a later drive by wire model like yours. To tune the car you, or the tuner, would need something like Hondata Flashpro and I would recommend getting your own so you have the option of switching the tune back to stock when needed. S2000s really benefit from a proper tune, especially with supporting mods, but without a tune your mods are useless.

Unless your spending big money on a header (TODA, Urge, etc) whatever you buy probably won't be an improvement over stock. Just get a high flow cat, Hondata (look up Gernby's threads on here about tuning and mid-pipe diameter), and a proper tune from someone that knows these cars.

 

My '06 with a 63.5mm high flow cat has the K&N air filter (intake) and Tanabe Medalion Touring exhaust (from 2015) and not a hint of "crackle."

Car is FlashPro tuned with a 3600rpm VTEC and 8400 rev limiter. Your car can be FlashPro road-tuned to provide significantly improved mid range power without resort to a dyno.

-- Chuck

 

different cylinder pairing changes the engine note/sound.
oem 1/4 3/2 pairing has a very smooth sound. many headers like the js racing, plm standard, etc are paired this way.
hytech/urge/plm race/ballade has a 1/3 4/2 pairing, there's definitely a rumblier/growl sound to the engine and a very loud distinctive growl at vtec crossover. the 1/3 4/2 paired header i've noticed gives a punchier mid range. i went from the standard plm header to the plm race. i've also driven other cars on the ballade and hytech headers and they all have a stronger midrange punch.

 

Get yourself a Flashpro, they go used on here for about 600 bucks. Then get in touch with Gernby or Ap1Chief. They can remotely tune your car.

 

I was really amazed the difference in sound to go from the OEM header to the PLM Race header, already had a test pipe(70mm) & exhaust(non-resonated Renegade Motorsports). I'm going to be changing to a Origin Fab header soon & am curious to hear what difference it makes since it will be going back to 1/4 2/3 pairing.