Equal length = more power and lose rumble...I've heard it will make it sound like a Porsche....

I personally had my exhaust manifold pnp'd and then I got the Grimmspeed crosspipe!

 

Mix a Porsche with a fart can on a Honda...and thats what you get with EL Headers on a Subaru that has an exhaust.

 

That's interesting, lol!

 

UEL should have a little more power down low EL should have a little more up top. Obviously they're going to sound different.


Honestly, the power difference is negligible. Also, most EL headers are designed to work with the STi oil pan, so depending on what oil pan you have, and whether or not you feel like replacing that too should play a role in your decision.


Aftermarket headers are also going to crack at some point down the road..

 

As I think we all agree ,for the gains, spending the money for AM headers is kinda pointless...

Lytec's option of having the stockers ported and polished is the best option IMO. The stockers flow pretty well as is, PnPing them will make them flow even better, you keep the boxer rumble we all love oh so much, and you won't have fitment or long term leak/cracking issues that virtually most AM headers run into. Maybe even have the stockers ceramic coated to keep the heat in. All in all, you'll probably save a couple pennies too

 

I'm sure the question has been asked before, but which do you prefer, equal length or unequal length headers?

ELH

If you're going to spend the money on headers, go EL.

 

EL!

the sound is awesome. once heated up there is zero rasp and the car sounds like it should! i said rasp because theres a slight rasp at start up for a minute as it sits at idle, but only a minute. im 3" back with no cat or resonator.

EL is how the exhaust should be! the UEL design is garbage. i mean people say they like the rumble. thats saying you like poor design and inefficiency. My car was so…”rumbly”, “unsmooth” and just felt like it ran “off.” People think your car is running on 3 cylinders and it just doesn’t sound right or feel right. When down shifting coming to a stop the car made so much noise. Gargled so bad and loud and the whole car shook etc!

Now EL its night and day! I seriously drove the car with a smile and out loud said I love my car again. I can down shift at 60 MPH into 2nd and the car feels like the motor and exhaust are made of glass and ice. I cant even describe how smooth and wonderful it is!!! Im not one to talk like this about parts but OMG EL is amazing.

The only reason these cars have UEL is because its cheap and fast to make one piece cast iron ends with a cross pipe. Making EL headers would cost subi to much money. However with the new turbo layout in the Legacy GT and using a EL header design, I wouldn’t be surprised the next WRX, STI gets this layout.

Power is also the reason to go EL. Find one race bike or V8 or any other motor that uses race parts that isn’t EL. Even Ducati’s that are V twins makes the back cylinder pipe snake around and around so the length gets equal to the front cylinder. and last its also the communication between the cylinders. the stock manifold has the two cylinders on each side of the motor run into each other WAY to soon. most race bikes dont have this happen till there under the oil pan. V8's also dont have a cross pipe till its under the drivers butt. and even aftermarket UEL doesnt have them join till the UP. theres a reason for ALL this. POWER.

 

EL!

Im not one to talk like this about parts but OMG EL is amazing.

This sentence discredits your whole theory!!:rotfl: Just kidding! lol

I thought about EL headers...but I love the sound of the Subie...I really do..cause nothing sounds like it!