So i installed my headers today and ever since i have , the car has been running like its only on 3 cylinders. It sounds and runs like somebody retarted the timing all the way and/or pulled a plug wire. I checked all the spark plugs and its firing on all cylinders..i just cant figure out why its running so shitty. I dont get a check engine light for anything , but the car will stall out from time to time on its own at idle. Could the ECU just be getting used to the headers? I tried to reset the ECU , not really sure what the problem is. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

have u torqued the bolts?

 

Did you plug the 02 sensor back in?

 

did you put on a new header gasket and also check the o2 sensor

 

sounds like an exhaust leak....

did you put the donut gasket back on the lower part where it hooks up to the cat?

or the gasket that goes from the header to the head?

 

I am will to bet that he just throw on the damn header without a new gasket, and now he has an exhaust leak....Check your O2 sensor, is 4-2-1 0r 4-1? If it is a 4-2-1 it might be lose in the middle...Any codes?

 

Theyre 4-2-1 headers and i put on all new gaskets. It sounds like it might have a small leak at the connection to the downpipe. Do you think that would be enough to make it run like this? And yes the O2 sensor is in there good.
Thanks

 

I drove it a little more today and it has enough power under like 5k rpms to bark 2nd gear , but anywhere past like 5500 rpm it just gives out and has no power at all. I also hear a pop under the car from the exhaust right before/when i shift..could be a leak at the cat. I thought that i tightend it pretty good , but i could be wrong. Also would replacing the o2 sensor help atall...its probably a year old now.

 

downpipe? most likely its your connection from your cat to the flange on the header.. are you using oem donut gasket? if you are it might not be the right gasket.. and if you are leaking bad.. you'll beable to hear it.. it will be annoyingly loud.

 

yeah it is an OEM donut gasket, where could i get a better one if this isnt right? Its not leaking too bad , the only time u can hear it is when your next to a wall or somethin. For example i could hear it a lil when i was goin through the drive-thru today.

 

what header is it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DAjuggernaut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah it is an OEM donut gasket, where could i get a better one if this isnt right? Its not leaking too bad , the only time u can hear it is when your next to a wall or somethin. For example i could hear it a lil when i was goin through the drive-thru today.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you have a leak after the header, it's not going to make your car ***** slow,
people drive around open header all the time, and it doesn't do that.

Did you take anything off that you forgot to put back on, or maybe damaged something by mistake?
Also the o2 sensor wouldn't do that either, bad gas mileage, but not loss of power.

And if no one asked already, any cels pop up?

 

no cels that havent been up before , i have an egr cel that was there before i did the headers. the stock downpipe was being held on by the o2 sensor and was hanging by it , that mights pulled sumn out , doubt it tho. Im gonna replace it tommorow , just so i can start eliminating things.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LsHoney84 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what header is it? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Its a Hedman Chikara header..it was a freebe so i took it.

 

ttt

 

it runs better now but still sounds like a subaru cuz of the small leak im guessing and it makes a pops/crack noise at like 6k fer sum reason. It might be cuz of the leak but i dono why at that rpm instead of any other. Im gonna try to fix the leak and find out where its comin from tommorow

 

I'm sure you already got your answer by now....but anyways,

If the leak is between the header and cat, it's not gonna affect performance since it's after the o2 sensor. The 2nd o2 sensor doesn't affect anything, just tests cat efficiency.

If the leak is anywhere else like where the two header pieces connect, then the o2 sensor could be detecting an incorrect reading and causing the problem. The test for this (or if it's the o2 sensor at all|) would be to unplug the o2 sensor by disconnecting it at the clip, (not by unplugging from the header). The car will use more gas but should drive fine.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DAjuggernaut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it runs better now but still sounds like a subaru </TD></TR></TABLE>

doh, skipped this when I posted last. Definitely check that donut gasket like everyone was saying.

What subaru does it sound like? the Brat? That was by far the crown jewel of Subaru. I'm trying to get my friend to trade in his STi for one.

 

haha that Brat is classic , id drive it lol. But anyways yeh it sounds like a WRX/STi , not that it sounds bad its just...still a Honda/Acura and not near as fast as an STi..if it was i wouldnt be complaining.

and btw , newb question but where does the o2 sensor unclip from? i never got a chance to really look

 

there is a plug on the passenger side front of engine. almost where the trans and engine meet.

check that, replace the o2 sensor. you dont have a 2nd one cause da's arent obd2

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DAjuggernaut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">haha that Brat is classic , id drive it lol. But anyways yeh it sounds like a WRX/STi , not that it sounds bad its just...still a Honda/Acura and not near as fast as an STi..if it was i wouldnt be complaining.

and btw , newb question but where does the o2 sensor unclip from? i never got a chance to really look</TD></TR></TABLE>

keep it sounding like a sti lol, jk, well i don't think it is your donut gasket because i dont have a donut gasket, is it a 2 piece header? I had some crap obx brand 2 piece header, and the middle gasket were it connects them together kept getting blown, then i had that sti sound, so I just went and bought some dc 4-1 headers and it fixed it, but i dont know about your stalling

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DAjuggernaut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So i installed my headers today and ever since i have , the car has been running like its only on 3 cylinders. It sounds and runs like somebody retarted the timing all the way and/or pulled a plug wire. I checked all the spark plugs and its firing on all cylinders..i just cant figure out why its running so shitty. I dont get a check engine light for anything , but the car will stall out from time to time on its own at idle. Could the ECU just be getting used to the headers? I tried to reset the ECU , not really sure what the problem is. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

If the idle is fluctuating, its a problem w/ your 02 sensor.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DAjuggernaut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So i installed my headers today</TD></TR></TABLE>


Header. Its not a V6 or V8.


Yeah maybe o2 sensor,

 

it sounds like an o2 sensor, did you plug it in? Is it old? They should be replaced every 50000 miles or so. Depending on how you use your car.

 

ooh i see that you checked you o2 sensor. It could be faulty, it definatley sounds like an o2 sensor though. You should also check your MAP sensor. Its the little box that sits ontop of your intake manifold. Does your ECU throw any codes? any CEL?