Finally got to install the new Soul Street Headers. Installation was pretty straightforward but if you have a quickjack make sure to lift and lower on something to fit two blocks underneath the jack points so that you can reach the undercarriage cover bolts one on each side. Also you’ll need a U joint to get to the right triple square header nuts. If I have to do it all over again, probably 2.5-3 hours.

Fit and finish:
The headers fit perfectly with my Soul OAP and had no issues on alignment. The welds were done nicely from what I can tell. Came with Porsche OEM gaskets for the OAP and reused the grander gaskets, and found no leaks or issues thus far.

Sound:
Amazing. I think this is probably the ideal setup for street driving. I still have the stock rear muffler and left the vacuum lines unplugged. There are is no obnoxious drone whatsoever. Upon first startup and idle it sounded more like the air cooled motor. The boxer rumble is more amplified and tone is a bit more deeper and richer.

On normal 3-4K shifts, there is more of a deeper growl and is about 20-25% louder than before. Again, no drones on regular cruising.

Now for the fun part: after 5K rpm’s she screams! I was worried it might have a hollow sound but it’s quite the opposite. The sound is richer, bolder, and decibels are amplified toward redline by about 25%. There is a slight higher pitch 7K-8K rpm in a very good way.

Power:
Too soon to tell until I drive it several times for the ecu to calibrate but I can already tell it pulls harder 5.5K- 8K rpms. I don’t want to quote any hp until I can get it on a dyno but I can definitely tell the difference. It feels more than just slapping on a cat back exhaust (except for maybe the Soul Race Exhaust). Throttle response is a bit sharper but still maintains OEM driving feel.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the results. It’s awesome as is, and not sure if I’ll go with a valved exhaust just yet. But you know how that goes…

 

I went with the valved exhaust first. Got home from a vacation on Monday, put about 1600 miles on the car over 12 days. Very happy with it, but I may add the headers… so I know exactly how that goes.

 

Soul Street Header and OAPs (and Valve Controller) going on as soon as I get the last couple of parts. Excuse the OEM look...many mods are coming soon:

 

damn it, that Yellow is f'ing awesome! Great spec @Bob Z.

 

With the street headers, there are no extensions needed for the O2 sensors? Meaning there is enough length in the cable and or the location of the attach points is basically stock?

 

Sound:
Amazing. I think this is probably the ideal setup for street driving. I still have the stock rear muffler and left the vacuum lines unplugged. There are is no obnoxious drone whatsoever. Upon first startup and idle it sounded more like the air cooled motor. The boxer rumble is more amplified and tone is a bit more deeper and richer.

On normal 3-4K shifts, there is more of a deeper growl and is about 20-25% louder than before. Again, no drones on regular cruising.

Now for the fun part: after 5K rpm’s she screams! I was worried it might have a hollow sound but it’s quite the opposite. The sound is richer, bolder, and decibels are amplified toward redline by about 25%. There is a slight higher pitch 7K-8K rpm in a very good way.


Any chance you can post some videos?

 

What would be an expected install time for a pro shop to install rear valved exhaust + oap?

 

Thanks for chiming in my friend! You're one of the first to get them installed and post feedback and it's great to read your post. Keep on beating on those headers for us, and if you happen to get some footage of you doing so, send it our way!

Regards,
John Gaydos

 

Yessir, throw those O2 sensors right on into ours

That's going to vary a bit from shop to shop, we can't speak for your installer as they have their own book times or technician estimates. I'll shoot you a message to chat about this a little further, we may have some shops we work with in your area to help get you some installation estimates.

Regards,
John Gaydos

 

Just had the Soul valved rear section installed end of last week and was able to get in a couple of runs yesterday to have a listen. I know it has been said many times, but I will confirm that John G from Soul is an absolute pleasure to deal with and is one of the most customer service focused individuals I have encountered. He is actually maniacal about it (in a good way of course!).

My two cents:

Notes: I have stock headers, Akra OAP (on the car 6 months) and CG valve controller (on the car 2 months) installed prior to adding the Soul rear section. I don't close the valves...unless cop is present/nearby so all of this feedback is with valves open. I keep the stock tips as I prefer the look of these over any aftermarket ones I have seen (so far). I have not plugged/removed the soundakor (or whatever it is called) tube from the engine bay to the cabin.

i) 0-2800 rpms - the sound/tone is noticeably lower than the stock box with a bit more volume (fuller sound) - little to no drone depending on your sensitivity (I had an M2 prior to this with FS DP and MPE and it droned like an absolute b!tch between 2800 and 3200 - which was cruising hwy speed, so really annoying - so I know about drone!)
ii) 2800-6000 rpms - in this range, the volume is lower than stock box, but the tone/pitch is a little fuller/higher - no drone
iii) 6000-8000 rpm - in this range is where the tone/pitch difference is really noticeable. Much higher pitch than the stock box and volume is about the same. Drone - who can tell at this rpm, lol!

Overall I am happy with the improvements to pitch/tone both in the low and high rpm ranges v. stock rear box. I'm sure had I done all the changes at once, then the differences would have been night and day, but then I wouldn't know what was attributable to the OAP, the valves, the rear section. So I am happy that I took this step by step approach to really appreciate the changes brought about by each component.

The $100 question...is this the final sound I am looking for? Not sure tbh. I think I might need to go full Monty and pick up a set of headers just to add a little spice. Will decide end of season. @Soul Performance ...be ready for an order

Cheers.
.
.

 

Hey now... stop debunking my excuse's for holding out.

 

Interesting to hear the volume is lower than stock in 2.8k - 6k. Wonder why. The sound quality is "fuller" probably due to merged (better) exhaust design. Another surprise is lack of drone in under 4k with Sound Symposer still in place. Your experience, thus far, suggests a Street Header might be needed for additional excitement, assuming 200 Cell Cat Converter will hold up as well as the stock component over the long term!

 

On our 19 GTS 2.5T we have the SOUL catted downpipe w/HJC 200 Cell Catalyst and only once on a very long trip did we experience a CEL. I chalked it up to the trip from Indiana to the tail of the dragon having quite a bit of elevation changes and then a hard run on the dragon and we experienced a CEL. No change in how car performed or drove, just annoying having that on the display until it cleared on its own. Was the HJC the culprit? No Idea but the car is stock otherwise. CEL has never returned FWIW.

 

Good to know, Steve. Not really worried about the CEL per se. I haven't followed those threads; there were some reports of 200 Cell Cats disintegrating and the pieces getting ingested by the engine. Though I didn't dig into those reports, such a possibility always gives me a pause in considering a Header. Besides, at some point, I'll be moving back to California; changing the Header might even fail visual inspection; and, potentially failing emission tests.

 

Not sure how the materials in a Catalyst could go backwards in an exhaust system to enter the engine. Catalyst is after combustion, heads and headers, I'm confident saying that is 100% a myth.

Going back to CA is a gamble for a modded car!