DC Sports Header install and evaluation

[Loren]

Installed the DC header today. Didn't pay much attention, but it probably took about an hour, maybe a little longer. It's almost as easy as most people would have you believe, though having thin arms with more than the normal number of joints would surely help.

The fit and finish is almost perfect. More accurately, the fit is PERFECT, and the finish is about 95%. Some of the welds could be a little neater, but nothing to complain about at all. All of the stock hardware, brackets and 02 sensor fit without issue.

For those of you shopping for a quality bolt-on header, I think this is really the one you want. (at least until Richard Holdener gets his in production... but to use that one, you have to be willing to give up your catalytic convertors) Every other header I've seen for the Yaris is just a copy of the stock header with larger tubes. Maybe good for a few hp at the top end, but not much else. The DC header design combines longer primary tubes, which move the torque peak down a few hundred rpm, with larger tubes and a MUCH cleaner flow for more high-end power. The net result is more torque throughout the range. Like experienced racers have been saying since the dawn of time: horsepower sells cars, torque wins races.

No dyno results, and I probably won't ever bother getting any, but this header can be felt even at low rpm and low throttle inputs... and when you get on it at anything above 2500 rpm, it feels A LOT stronger. In short, it seems to work just exactly the way I expected it to based on its design. I'm very pleased with it.

I took some comparison photos and measurements of the stock Yaris header vs the new DC Sports header. The primary tubes of the stock header are 1-1/8″ ID, the DC header is 1-3/8″. The collector output of both of them is the same at 1-3/4″. Look at how tight the bends are on the stock header compared to the smooth flow of the DC. And the stock primaries are about 6-8″ long compared to about 14″ on the DC. And the DC header has a nice ceramic coating on it that should retain the heat for better exhaust velocity. Good stuff.

Thanks to YW member "Return of the Yarii" for giving me a great deal on this header!