14 replies to this topic

[DANS 00]

please forgive me as im sure this has been covered ten million times
but after searching the forum i have a rough idea on the topic but need a final clarification

i have a 2.5L gen 2 liberty sedan NA

what are the best UEL headers to put on.
from what ive read on here aftermarket ones crack
so should i use Gen1 liberty ones?
or ones off a GC8 WRX?

or am i completely wrong and neither of these thanks

also with this i will be doing a new cat back system at the same time.

[Matt]

Theres a whole thread that scubaroo started on this very subject

Have a search and youll get your answer

[DANS 00]

cheers mate read the entire thread just now =)
pretty sure im with it now haha

[CodeBurn3r]

just to clarify, you can swap to ej22 headers but they require a new catback system and you will loose ground clearance.

Rex Headers will fit but you will need a custom up pipe made up - this is the easiest way (but they weigh a fair bit more too)

[JRod]

He has a 2.5 so im guessing its the rx model. If so, they run the turbo cross member underneath, meaning regular headers wont fit.

[Mitch.]

This is exactly what i did with my rx 2.5

-buy gc8 wrx headers from wreckers or occassionally on rexnet for cheap
- take to exhuast shop to weld new bung for the o2 sensor
- bolt straight up

Cost me 50 dollars for headers, 20 dollars for the new bung.

70 dollars beats paying 300 dollars for the ebay ones that most of the time wont fit.

Also no up pipe needs to be made up this way, your existing uppipe will bolt straight up to the gc8 headers.

[DANS 00]

thanks guys, yeah i have a bilstien edition 2.5L so im not sure if thats a RX model still or not ?
does it matter if the UEL headers are off a manual or an auto ? FWD or an AWD ? anything else to look out for like that

also ground clearance will be an issue possibly as im also looking to put in new shockers and some king super lows

might just be easier to get a set custom made since i will be doing a completely new cat back system as the current one is shocking

[DANS 00]

or just do as Mitch. has done and get a set off the GC8 wrx which makes sense if my car does in fact run a turbo cross member then will using a GC8 header avoid losing ground clearance

[Mitch.]

i had the exact same car as you and the bilstien and rx are the exact same engine wise. the headers will be the same for auto and manual and using original gc8 headers will not change your ground clearance at all.

what you have is this:



what you are after is this the GC8 headers minus the up pipe.



hope this helps

[DANS 00]

ah that helps i understand now being able to see it visualy rather than reading it thanks heaps mate
so yeah the wrx one just has that extra little bit on the left of the pic that bends around on itself making it UEL =D
sweet problem solved

Sorry if this was covered in the thread scubaroo did but i feel as though the 2.5L RX was excluded from that thread this clears it up for me though =D

[Mitch.]

yep spot on. all the gc8 headers need is a new spot for the 02 sensor as they dont have one already , then it will bolt straight up and many beers can be had.

no worries mate, just trying to save you the hassle i went through doing this.

[DANS 00]

yeah mate too easy ill be doing this as soon as i find a GC8 set of headers.
many hassles have been saved =D

[CRUISN]

Great info. I asked this question on the apparently very mechanical knowledgeable RSLC forum and got nothing.

Most didnt even know the Gen2 2.5L NA had a turbo crossmember.

Mitch - Did this bring in a bit of the boxer burble to the exhaust note?

[Mitch.]

Yep cruisin it did. Changed the exhuast note a fair bit.

[CRUISN]

Nice.

Just bought a set from Import Monster for $80 landed.