Empire Performance Extractors.

ess · Postby **ess** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:22 am

Anyone using one of these or heard about them? They appear to be good, but they are being sold on eBay, so they could very well suck.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/171261034567?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:48 pm

I have a set of the headers for 1998 - 2001 1.8 headers.

The company is quick and easy to deal with but I was a little dissapointed with the quality of the headers. I had quite irregular openings so I bought a grinding die and cleaned mine up so they were more progressive. Also the EGR return is wrong for the 1008 model.
I think they do work OK and better than the factory ones.
Also the O2 bung in angled towards the gearbox and can run on the gear box.
I just did a track day with them and they performed well. My times were very close to a another MX5 that had very similar mods but X-force extractors (but he had done a few track days).

If I had my time again I would pay the extra $150 to get the X-Force extractors from MX5 Mania just for the peace of mind.

ess · Postby **ess** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 1:49 pm

Thanks! I'll probably get the x-force one, just looking at possible alternatives.

ess · Postby **ess** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 1:53 pm

Do either make much of a sound improvement?

Snowmotion · Postby **Snowmotion** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 4:07 pm

ess wrote:Do either make much of a sound improvement?

The Empire headers did not make a big increase in noise, only slight. I have since fitted an X-force rear muffler and that made the most noticeable sound difference in nice way.

Don't forget you will need to sort out a heat shield as well. I ended up getting the Track Dog heat heat shield as it is a flexible fitting.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:04 pm

my recollection was that the exhaust - header or extractor for the earliest NA was excellent but not quite as good for NB. This should be searchable or one of the other experts might comment. Exahaust work is best done by people who fit and supply. Its not a nice job for home and easy to end up with leaking or rattling plumbing.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:14 pm

I've got a set of OEM NA headers in the garage, and have looked at the headers on my NB, and pictures of NB ones, and I can say taht the NB ones certainly look like a better unit.

Mainly in the collector, the NB unit seems to pair each primary before then joining them all into one in a relatively smooth transition.

The NA however joins all 4 primaries at the one point, with some pretty average design (each one is simply crushed down in size and the gaps welded up)

Basically the NB headers look closer to the aftermarket units than the NA ones do.