Hey guys. Getting ready to swap my b17 into my 91 da and before I buy header I wanted to ask do I buy a header for the motor or the car? In other words do I buy a b17 header or a 90-91 header? Will be using my stock exhaust As well. Thanks in advance for your help
The answer is “both” really. You need to make sure the header fits bothe the engine and the chassis. In this case, all b series heads use the same exhaust manifold flange design, so any b series header will bolt to your b17a*. So then you just need to make sure that it bolts up to your cat and has the correct bung location for your O2 sensor.
- If you are staying obd0 then order a 90-91 Integra header.
- If you’re converting to obd1 then you’ll want to order a 92-93 Integra header (this will require minor mods to your exhaust so it bolts up and fits correctly.
*note that this doesn’t hold true for some engines (like the b18c) where the deck height of the engine is taller. Any b series header would still bolt to the head but some which were made for the b16a engines will not clear the oil pan. However in general most all newer headers are made to be universal for all b series engines.
Buy your choice header, buy an adjustable test pipe to match size of downpipe, buy Magnaflow cat from parts store, weld said cat in, and ride out.
As Colin mentioned, all B-series headers are the same in terms of fitment. Most aftermarket headers have one of more O2 sensor bungs and are pretty flexible to your setup. I say use an adjustable test pipe because of our varying exhaust lengths. You can set the test pipe to a perfect fit between your header and exhaust.
Ok thanks that clears things up for me. So looks like for the time being I might just use my stock header and see how everything fits together, then in the future go to something a little better. Last few things on the list are Jumper for the ecu and then I should be good to go. Thanks again
If you’re converting to OBD1 then you don’t want to use your original exhaust manifold as the O2 sensor bung is not in the correct location. It’s not the end of the world but it’s not ideal and could create issues since the ECU is getting info with the O2 sensor in a place it’s not designed to do so.
See I never would have figured that out. Since I can tell you know your stuff could you possibly recommend a manifold? Since its gotta be ca carb legal I was thinking dc… 300$ range
Yeah, if you’re just looking for CARB legal, straight forward, affordable and widely available then DC is a great option. There is not a CARB legal header that I’d recommend if you want to maximize power though. If you’re not lowered much you could consider an OEM JDM Integra Type R 4-1 header. It’d have a factory look and provide for better power but you’d sacrifice ground clearance. And ideally to take full advantage you’d want a good cat and exhaust to match.
But it sounds like you’re just trying to keep it simple, which is often wise. And for that any name brand 4-2-1 header with a CARB# will fit the bill.
Good luck, and let us know if you run into any snags with the swap. Do some searches on here too, there’s a wealth of knowledge here.
So after some more research and talking to the guys at DC sports looks like I will need to get the 92-93 header. Then get a 92-93 CAT and have a shop fit everything. This is all based on the fact that I want everything California legal, planning to get it BARD. At this point I wish I would have bought an OBD1 car to begin with… but I did not know what I was looking for! Well there goes my next paycheck… Just ordered my rywire ecu and distributor adaptors.