Borla header install on an 06 2.5i

A few weeks ago I had a custom cat-back exhaust made for my car. It sounded pretty deep but up top it sounded like a honda somewhat. As most of you know for the 06+ 2.5i Subaru decided to use a factory equal length header and re-route the way it went around the motor. So the 05 guys/girls were able to use the Borla header with no problem while the 06+ owners were left in the dark. I know that the equal length was done for a good reason, but I prefer the way the Subie is supposed to sound, rumbly and deep. So I found a used 05 Borla header and decided what the heck lets figure this out. I started out by taking off the stock header to see how close of a fit the Borla would come to. Well it was way off since it went around the opposite side of the motor. I then called up my trusty local exhaust shop and brought the car to them. Since they are not allowed to remove cats I went ahead and left the Borla header on, but took out the stock pipe that goes between the header and the cat back, wow was that SUPER loud. Anyways I now have a custom setup that starts with the Borla header, into a 2.25" pipe, then a high flow cat, into a 2.25" custom cat back with Magnaflow mufflers. The only other thing I had to do was extend the 02 sensor wires so that they would reach to the new location of the cat. It was pretty straight forward as I have done it before. As of right now it sounds really good, nice and deep, but still has a little rasp up top. I am going to go tmw and see if I can find a way to get rid of that though.

 

Cliffnotes: I was able to use an 05 Borla 2.5 header on an 06 with equal length by having a custom mid section with a high flow cat put on. The result is a deep, Subie rumble. The oil pan doesnt even come close to hitting it and you can take the oil filter off just fine as well .

 

Here are some pics.

 

This is how the 05 header comes around the opposite side and meets the 06 pipe.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/NismoGirl/subaru/before.jpg

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/before_001.sized.jpg

 

This is what it looks like with the custom setup.

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/3_G_001.sized.jpg

 

Closer pic of the connection between the custom piece and the Borla

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/NismoGirl/subaru/2.jpg

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/2_G_002.sized.jpg

 

The highflow cat .I didnt have the 02 wires done yet as they needed to be extended, so there are plugs in the 02 bungs by the cat.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/NismoGirl/subaru/1.jpg

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/1_G_001.sized.jpg

 

And the whole section that was done plus the Borla. Its a bit hard to see but it shows you for the most part.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/NismoGirl/subaru/4.jpg

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/4_G_001.sized.jpg

Quick drawing of the setup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/NismoGirl/subaru/SchematicofExhaust.jpg

 

Here is a crappy video of it from my garage. My grumpy old neighbor just got back from florida and he was standing in the driveway staring at me so I made it short.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbjGOhG8BsQ]YouTube - Custom exhaust on 06 legacy[/ame]

Wow, great determination! How does it feel driving around the city/highway?

where can we find 05 unequal length header anyways? sometime i read the threads about them make me even more confused

can you make a video of the idle sound? i'm more interested in how it sounds in idle then stepping on the gas... if you have the time

fastwrx.com carries them

fastwrx.com carries them

 

link?

 

because i don't know which header to get lol

Borla 17183... however, I've heard that if you wrap or coat them, the warranty is void... just an fyi.

 

I'm waiting to see what the new a2rinc replicas look like and price out at.

 

If I go borla, I'll likely pay a few extra bucks and buy local so I can take advantage of the warranty without having to pay shipping etc.

http://fastwrx.com/borheadnon.html

Wow, great determination! How does it feel driving around the city/highway?

 

Yesterday with the CEL's on and the O2's zip tied up in the engine bay it seemed sluggish. We finished up putting the O2's in last night and this morning it seemed to be better. It wasn't as sluggish and felt like it was a bit easier to excelerate.

 

 

 

can you make a video of the idle sound? i'm more interested in how it sounds in idle then stepping on the gas... if you have the time

 

 

 

 

I actually already had one I just didnt post it before going to bed last night. Sorry for the foggy lens at the end I got a little to close

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNQ_gj0KVSY]YouTube - Custom exhaust on 06 legacy[/ame]

 

 

Borla 17183... however, I've heard that if you wrap or coat them, the warranty is void... just an fyi.

 

 

 

Like I said, I bought them used, they were already wrapped so nothing I could really do about it, didnt feel like taking it off. I have read in the past that it keeps moisture in and can cause rusting so that could be why they dont want you to wrap them. I bought them for an experimental reason so it was ok for me

I would be interested in a video of mid and higher RPMs like driving around or something. +1 on doing this. we have hope. love the idle sound though. good job. and thanks for posting it up.

sweet this is exactly what i was looking for. im so glad someone went for it and it worked. im guesing this will work on my OB 2.5i so im gonna try it soon unless i find out otherwise.

is that video at idle before installing headers or without?

http://fastwrx.com/borheadnon.html

 

this'll fit perfect on my 05 ?

this one will work too??? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-EXHAUST-HEADER-98-05-Subaru-Impreza-2-5RS-2-5L_W0QQitemZ260112108482QQihZ016QQcategoryZ33631QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[url=http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-EXHAUST-HEADER-98-05-Subaru-Impreza-2-5RS-2-5L_W0QQitemZ260112108482QQihZ016QQcategoryZ33631QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem][/url]

is that video at idle before installing headers or without?

 

That is after, I have a couple befores I will try to get them posted up a bit later today.

 

I forgot I had a couple on Youtube already. If you notice it is a lot deeper and more pronounced "Subie" with the header. This is with just the custom cat back.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq1haXuRQb4]YouTube - Subie with custom exhaust[/ame]

 

Here is a before also with just the cat back. As you can tell ,also not as deep.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r95PBW3lk24]YouTube - Custom cat back on 06 Legacy[/ame]

^Thanks

^Thanks

 

No Problem. I went out earlier to get the CEL cleared- it was from not having the 02's in the exhaust since the wires were to short. So far I have driven it for about a hour and a half, about 60-70 miles on it and the CEL has not returned. I took some more videos from in/outside the car while reving, as well as a couple 2nd gear pulls on the highway. I will get them up later tonight as now its time for an oil change in th Xb.

so a brief recap then. borla header 05 to be exact to a 2.25 pipe ( how much space between the two. Ie header and cat ) to a high flow cat. Now did you do a 2 and three cat delete along with the resonator? i know on mine i still have cat #1. 2.25 piping to my resonator. cat's #2,3 went for a trip. so from cat #1 i have 2.25 to my magnaflow mufflers. now that i just confused myself would you be able to get anything out of that and possibly answer my question. LOL. thanks.

Sounds good thats exactly what i plan on doing. Gotta get a drive by Video so we can hear it at higher RPM's

so a brief recap then. borla header 05 to be exact to a 2.25 pipe ( how much space between the two. Ie header and cat ) to a high flow cat. Now did you do a 2 and three cat delete along with the resonator? i know on mine i still have cat #1. 2.25 piping to my resonator. cat's #2,3 went for a trip. so from cat #1 i have 2.25 to my magnaflow mufflers. now that i just confused myself would you be able to get anything out of that and possibly answer my question. LOL. thanks.

 

 

Hahahahaha ok so all of my factory cats and resonators went bye bye, I added 1 high flow cat and that is all as of now. Between the header and the cat there is probably about a foot or so of piping then after the cat there is about 3-4" to the flange where the cat back starts. I am going to go out for a drive to try and get a couple more vids tonight. I will make a drawing of what it looks like either later tonight or tmw and post that up along with the new vids.

looks and sounds great!!! glad to see you were able to make them fit.

liked the packing eh????

looks and sounds great!!! glad to see you were able to make them fit.

liked the packing eh????

 

HAHAHA Yeah it was awesome. How many different mags did you tear up? I only grabbed a couple pages out and saw Import Tuner and SCC I think?

As promised here are a couple more vids.

 

First one is from inside the car during a 2nd gear pull getting on the highway. I didnt want to run into the person in front of me so thats why I had to slow down. This was a mile long entrance ramp with no other traffic except the car way ahead of me.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adh3nSnQy9U]YouTube - Custom cat back on 06 Legacy[/ame]

 

This one is the full RPM range while not moving of course. You can hear the little bit of rasp/vibration up higher, I think it might just be the mufflers b.c you dont hear it anywhere else except there.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxGSzvEWVx0]YouTube - Custom exhaust on 06 legacy[/ame]

 

Will work on getting a video of it moving tmw. Also going to get an opinion on if changing the mufflers will help with the little bit of buzz.

 

Here is a quick drawing explaining how its set up

http://amykdean.com/albums/Legacy-Pics-06/Schematic_of_Exhaust.sized.jpg

Just wanna know, I have a 05 2.5i but bought it in Utah.

Does it mean a PZEV-type of exhaust will prevent me from direct bolting of this Borla header??

 

Just curious

 

Thanks

really that dont sound all that bad though. i hear the rasp. I know when i took out my cats 2 and 3 and just had the mufflers it sounded like crap. popped and carried on. didnt like it one bit so i put my resonator back on. What magnaflows do you have. i have 14827's. The only thing i would know what to do to get rid of that rasp like that would be a high flowing resonator. but then it might take out that deepness as well. its experimental. at what rpm range do you normally hear the raspiness. But overall good job. I could live with the sound that you have.