I am just about done with my header install and have come across a few issues.

1) The studs on the engine block are smaller in diameter than the mounting holes on the new header. A friend of mine said not to worry about it, so I just tried to get it on as centered as possible and tightened. Also, I did buy new locking nuts for it, but found out they too were the wrong size - so I used the old ones. Will I probably be OK, or did I do something really dumb?

2) It SEEMS to line up to everything pretty good, but I can't get a tight fit at the cat. The origional headerjoined the cat with a cone-type conection, so it could flex and stuff. My new header has a flat serface. There is a picture of it at this link for reference http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...%3AIT
there is just a little bit of float in the gasket. I torqued it to specs. there but I tried cranking it a little more to see if it would close the gap.... I don't know because it was getting pretty hard to go much further and I didn't want to break anything. Will I have leakage or a problem here?

It took around 5 hrs just to get the origional cracked manifold off, so I am not thrilled about the idea of more things going wrong or drawing out this project any longer - but if I created a problem, I do want to have it done right.

 

very common problem with low quality header.


1)don't go by the alignment by the hole, you have to make sure the port are cented, they new header might have bigger hole, but it could also have bigger holes in the wrong position.

***make sure you use OEM header gasket, most cheap gasket would last, and when they break, the little piece get to slam into your new cat. clog up cat=fail emission, rub hp and sounded like crap.

the nut itself don't usually go bad, is the stud that people seem to stripe/break all the time for honda.

2) you can do much about it, since it does not have a flex joint. if it leaks then you have to fix it then, in the mean time just cross your finger and wait.

 

while were oon the header topic i just got some dc sports i'm installing (i know this is off topic, sorry) so far everthing is kinda going ok except when i was taking off the old header bolts one of 'em just broke off is it safe to install the new header with a broken thread.

 

10-4 on the gasket... I will pick it up tomorrow when I take back the old nuts.

Is there anything I can do to improve the connection at the cat (stack 2 gaskets maybe)?

Also, if I wanted to use the proper sized studs, how do I get the old ones out of the block?

sorry about the bolt Jmumblez2001, I will defer to others on that being that I am here to make all the classic noobie mistakes (damn ebay, thought I was so cleaver) .



Modified by headshrink at 10:50 AM 10/9/2006

 

Update:

I went to the APS and asked about doubling up on the gaskets at the cat to close the gap. The guy there seemed to think it was a unique idea that MAY work depending the shapes of the parts and gaskets. Come to find out, the cat side is tapered and he said it might work if it was flat on the other end, but only then. He didn't have one in stock, so we couldn't check it out. I went home and pryed the old one off the olf down-tube, and it IS flat on one end..... but things do get even better. I am an idiot, which at this point is good because it means I didn't consider the increased thickness of this kind of gasket. Because I am out of money, tired and very frustrated at this point, I desided (against better judgment) to try to reuse the old cat gasket. Everything pretty much bolted up famously; the holes on the support braket was a little off (possibly because it is a little bent) so I didn't use it - which should be fine because the new part is so much lighter.

I fired it up and it smelled bad.... I am nearly certain the smell was from the copper gasket spray the APS sold me. The smell seems to be about gone now I think. I am not positive about the seal.... I will give it another day and get out my trusty rubber hose (high-tech stethoscope) to check for leaks around the connections. I tried to use my hands to feel for puffs, but it was difficult with fan belts and stuff running.

I must confess, I didn't install the OEM gasket yet - but I plan to. I bought the one for the block, but still need to buy onw for the manifold to down tube and cat. Maybe in a week or so - the "upgrades" I would hope will hold untill then.

I do get a bit of a deeper tone, and I THINK more power.... but I just installed a cold air intake a few days prior, so without being used to it, it is difficult to tell how significant the new header may have changed things.

 

Friend Of Mine Got a Full exhaust from OBX,

The only problem we ran into was the Bracket That Sits right near the oil Pan, We had to take it off because we couldnt get the exhaust bracket to the holes,

But All the Hangers lined up niceley