Why are long tubes a pain in the ass?

[Synyster06Gates]

If I still have an exhaust leak after this, I'm just gonna burn the fucker to the ground.


It sucks not being able to use air/heat/defroster without the entire car filling with exhaust fumes. Even when its on recirculate, I get a bit of the smell.

 

[BruceH]

If I still have an exhaust leak after this, I'm just gonna burn the fucker to the ground.


It sucks not being able to use air/heat/defroster without the entire car filling with exhaust fumes. Even when its on recirculate, I get a bit of the smell.

Did you use orange high temp rtv? It works. My current setup has high flow cats spliced into a mac pro chamber. It leaked until I took it apart and used the rtv. Now it's leak free.

 

[YoungBlood]

I did lt's in my garage in about 5 hours, with a lunch break in there too, and it was easy, especially with an extra set of hands to help aligns the headers and pull studs out quickly. I didn't find the install difficult at all. I second the orange rtv or high temp silicone. I had a midpipe leak til I used it

 

[TexasBlownV8]

Where possible, i re-used the stock studs and nuts, just because they dont come loose. Individual bolts can work loose, and I had one come a little loose and cause an exhaust leak.
The stock motor mounts may make it more difficult to get the header in place. And, the nut on top may or may not be able to be installed once the header is in place.
With an aftermarket k-member, I can get to all the bolts without needing to remove the motor mounts or brackets. A stock k maybe more difficult.

Pay attention to the rear A-arm bolts on the k-member and the heat shield bolts; they may hit on one or both headers and may need taking care of.

Once the headers are in, the rest of the system can be fabricated up or you can bolt-in what they send you. Regardless, you still have to take proper steps to ensure you have no leaks; just bolting new shit together wont guarantee a leak-free installation.

And dont forget to get new exhaust gaskets, if the headers dont have any.

Good luck!

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Did you use orange high temp rtv? It works. My current setup has high flow cats spliced into a mac pro chamber. It leaked until I took it apart and used the rtv. Now it's leak free.

My leak is coming from either the midpipe/manifold connection or the manifold itself. For a while there was a gap of a few millimeters where the manifold/midpipe met but I got that aligned properly and it's still got a crazy leak. I can't see or feel where I could even put the orange RTV.

Where possible, i re-used the stock studs and nuts, just because they dont come loose. Individual bolts can work loose, and I had one come a little loose and cause an exhaust leak.
The stock motor mounts may make it more difficult to get the header in place. And, the nut on top may or may not be able to be installed once the header is in place.
With an aftermarket k-member, I can get to all the bolts without needing to remove the motor mounts or brackets. A stock k maybe more difficult.

Pay attention to the rear A-arm bolts on the k-member and the heat shield bolts; they may hit on one or both headers and may need taking care of.

Once the headers are in, the rest of the system can be fabricated up or you can bolt-in what they send you. Regardless, you still have to take proper steps to ensure you have no leaks; just bolting new shit together wont guarantee a leak-free installation.

And dont forget to get new exhaust gaskets, if the headers dont have any.

Good luck!

Thanks! Hopefully it goes smoother removing the stock headers than the rear end install did.

I will probably use the midpipe that comes with resonators for now (and for inspection since they look like cats ) then fabricate an X into the other midpipe they give me. I'm looking forward to getting them on. The pictures look nice! I'll be getting different manifold gaskets, though.

I don't know why I was thinking these had a flange though. They are slip fit as well, but have 2.5'' collectors instead of 3.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

Good luck and have fun. I really wish I had never sold my headers.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

Those look nice
You and Mikey gonna have some fun this weekend?
Feel free to call me if you have any questions.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Those look nice
You and Mikey gonna have some fun this weekend?
Feel free to call me if you have any questions.

They'll show up here next week. Motor mounts, o2 extensions, and gaskets will be here tomorrow.

I'll definitely call if I have any questions! Alex (with the red Camaro that was a v6 and is now an LSX) is going to be helping me. He's the one that convinced me to do it.

 

[YoungBlood]

Those actually look nice, are they chrome?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

Stainless. I like that they give you 2 mids. I'd actually probably buy those over the pacesetters just because they have the mid with resonators. I'm anxious to see how they fit.

 

[YoungBlood]

So those are r esonators not cats

 

[TexasBlownV8]

...depends who you ask! When getting it inspected, they are cats!

 

[i am ryan]

...depends who you ask! When getting it inspected, they are cats!

Exactly! My inspection was supposed to include a tail sniff but they never did one. I totally could have passed with those.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Stainless. I like that they give you 2 mids. I'd actually probably buy those over the pacesetters just because they have the mid with resonators. I'm anxious to see how they fit.

There's a huge thread on another site with reviews from 2008. No one had fitment issues aside from teh midpipe hangers rattling. When using the stock motor mounts, some people had isses with a primary hitting teh steering shaft on hard turns, but Prothane mounts raise the motor about 1/4'' and give it the needed clearance. Or you can lightly tap the primary to dent it about 1/16''

 

[YoungBlood]

You could also just slip a couple washers under your stock mounts^^

 

[Synyster06Gates]

You could also just slip a couple washers under your stock mounts^^

That is true too. Didn't think about that...

Oh well, they're already ordered.

 

[joe_momma]

Sub'd. I saw these on eBay and was curious about them as well - they look to be one of the best deals going for a budget header.

 

[Synyster06Gates]

Just got these installed. That wasn't nearly as bad as some people made it out to be! I got some little scratches on my hands, but no blood AND I wasn't even wearing gloves.

Total time - 7 hours INCLUDING going out for lunch to test drive the car and adjusting the motor mounts slightly to keep it from hitting the steering shaft. Real time to get the car up and back down off the stands was probably 5-5.5 hours.

Fitment with the OBX headers was great. We did not have to remove the steering shaft. Just lifted the motor up and we were good to go. No rattles, no issues with fitment whatsoever other than the steering shaft being a close fit, but that's with all the aftermarket headers. The midpipes that came with them are pretty good quality but the clamps suck. If they start to leak, I'll replace them. One thing I noticed is that the X portion of my Pypes O/R X pipe will fit perfectly on the headers so I can swap that in and out when I want. One other thing to mention is ground clearance. I have better clearance now than I did before the install. The headers drop below the frame rail MAYBE 1/4'' at the lowest point.

Drivers side in -


Whole system - 2 resonators in the H, 2 resonators in the OTA pipes, then SVE Axlebacks. I will be having the Magnaflow resonators removed.



After we moved the engine a bit - it rubbed the steering rack before. Small, but just enough room.

 

[i am ryan]

Looks great. Glad to read a good report on these. Also good to hear about the Pypes X piece fitting in there since I have an ORH from them. Would you say that the motor mounts are necessary for install or just something you'll want down soon after?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

That looks awesome man. Damn you though, I want headers again...