hey, i just got a megan racing header, and i just have a few questions before i install it. the gastket that came with it is kinda split open at some points. i've heard several complaints about how crappy the gasket is, but my question is, can i still use it without any problems?
also, it came with 3 threaded studs. one end has a short thread then a blank space, then is threaded again. i know they are to connect the two parts together at the mid section, but should i thread the shorter section of the stud up until the blank space, or should i try to go pass the blank space? one more thing, i've been told that it's a 2 man job installing a header, but i don't knwo if i'll have help this weekend, so is it really that hard to install by myself. sorry for all the questions, this is kinda my first time installing a header.

here are the pics:






here's where the gasket is split:


compared to this:


here are the studs:




thanks for looking and the help.

 

yeah man, trust me on this one, you're going to need a buddy to help you out.

 

10 mins in, you will pray for another person to help you...

 

i just got the exact same header, and that big silver gasket isnt gonna fit into your stock piping. mine sounds like a mix of a rattlesnake and rocks in a can because we connected the header, back to the stock flange without the gasket. lol. and as for those bolts, you're gonna want to thread the long threaded portion of the screw in from the bottom, and then put the nut on after the blank spot. that's to help it from coming out i guess. lol.

 

You can do a header yourself, but it's a pain. I've done it twice though, and all I can recommend is jacking the car up pretty high, having real long socket extensions and being patient.

 

wow it's that serious huh? thanks for the heads up. what exactly would i need extra help with?

ok, so doesn't the header connect to the cat? why wouldn't it fit, is it too small or big? what would you recommend me doing, should i go to a muffler shop after and have them put on a proper fitting doughnut gasket?

thanks again for the advice.

p.s. here's what the header is going in:


apex'i ws2:

 

why would you need two people to do a header? to answer yourquestion the gasket will blow apart if you put it in like that. go to a parts store and get some exhaust gasket maker. split the gasket you have apart and apply the gasket maker and put it back together. when you put the studs in bottom them out, maybe use a hi temp thread lock.
jut install the header the same way you take the manifold off. take your time. if you want get a hanes manual it couldnt hurt.

 

ok, so which way would i put in the studs? the shorter side in towards the upper section or should the longer threaded side go in to the upper section? and by bottoming out do you mean keep threading it in until i cant go in anymore? i'll pic up some gasket maker and thread lock this weekend. any brand i should look for?

thanks again for the help, keep it coming.

 

dang yall make things harder than what they really are i think i can take a stock header off and put another aftermarket one back on in like 20 to 30 mins tops lol yall are crazy yall got this guy all worried for nothing

the hardest part is getting some of the rusted *** bolts off

 

yea i'm getting a little confused now lol. at first everyone is saying it's hard without 2 people and now it's easy . i think i'll go to the dealer and pick up an oem gasket instead of using the one that came with it just to be safe. any more info or advice?

 

so can anyone answer my question about the studs? hopefully i can install the header tomorrow, i just wanna do things right the first time.

 

ok, im going to try to answer your questions, but bare with me...
1) the header install can be done with only one person, but would be alot easier with two people
2) as far as the studs go, the shorter threaded end should be threaded into the A pipe(top section) from the bottom. and the longer threaded end will slide into the B pipe (bottom section) from the top and then you will tighten the provided nut onto the studs via the bottom.

hopefully that is everything, but what do i know...
on my em1 this is how the stock exhaust manifold connections worked so im assuming that this is how its done on yours. good thing im going with the one piece megan header.
good luck with the install.

 

thanks a lot. you answered my question perfectly. hopefully i can get some help tomorrow to do this, but if not then oh well. i just have to take a trip to the dealer first to get a new gasket and then autozone for some high temp thread lock.

thanks again.

 

ONE PERSON INSTALL

jack up the car, put jackstands underneath the control arm mounting points, centered between the rounded edges.

loosen, dont remove, the bolts exhaustmanifold>>block. Keep the nuts on for now.

Go underneath car, find the exhaust hanger that comes down, is flat metal, and has 2 nuts. remove nuts, threaded parts are part of the metal piece. Dont attempt to remove that part, its unnecessary.

Now go right under the manifold flange at the block, you will see a small L bracket, onbolt the block sid.

remove the 2 bolts to cat converter/test pipe. set them aside for later use.

Go back up top, remove the 8 or 9 nuts from the manifold>>block. set aside for later use. give a good pull, seperate from block. bring it down, once it clears the bottom of the block, rotate the flange part to the left, the piping to the right. Hole thing comes out without having to fight and seperate the 4-1 joint.

Header is easy to put in, its two piece. Install all 3 studs at the bottom of the primaries. Adjustable rench isnt a good idea to tighten it all teh way, but wotrks for getting them snug. If you dont get them tight enough they will vibratye loose and make your car sound so cool the police want to opull you over lol. For the final tightening, use a vice grip BE CAREFUL AND DONT BE IMPATIENT, very easy to round off the ends if your not careful.

Now is the time to replace the gasket or use what came with the header. gasket, then header, hand snug all the nuts, then do 7lbs switching back and forth between ends. then do the same with 15lbs, then a final sequence to the torque spec listed in your manual or find it online, Im not sure.

go under neath, gasket to teh secondaries, then the secondaries it self (2-1 piece.)

again, ahnd snug, this time jsut tighten them. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. I like usihe a ratchet loosely, tehn going extra quarter turn.

Now is a somewhat hard part. It is easy if you take the time and go under neath and loosen every exhaust part just a hair, to get some slack in the system, Otherwise hope you have strong fingers. You need to pull the cat/testpipe towards the header and at same time use one hand, thumb to press bolt in hole, index and middle finger to start the nut onto the threads. Grab a ratchet, get it snug, DONT TIGHTEN, you dont want to squash the gasket on the end of the header at a bad angle, or else it will leak. Now since the piping is pulled with the bolt iin the other hole, its easy to place the bolt and a nut and tighten somewhat. Get them fairly evenly tightened, then go hhalf turn one bolt, half turn other, switching back and forth.

Job is done when you feel they are tight enough. Its different for each type of gasket, some squash more then others. I like getting it p[ressed somewhhat, then an extra half turn on each bolt.

While the car is jacked up, you may wanna consider changing the oil or doing some cleaning, etc....

raise the car a lil, remove the jackstands, lower the car, release the ebrake, and enjoy new sounds and a far better topend, though reduced performance in the low and some mid end.

Job accomplished. have a beer to celebrate lol

 

VI Boost you should post up some pics, maybe a video, and whatever else you can on the review of the header because I was thinking of the same thing. I've read some reviews but a fresh one never hurts.

 

BTW your megan header looks exactly like my el cheapo ebay one I had. Some ebay parts are exact replica's of brand names. Like ebay exhaust, 120 versus 600 apexi. same thing, different brandname/seller

 

except that the megan racing header has a documented warranty and most likely has better welds.


OP: that gasket will work. for better assurance, coat it in Copper RTV. Torque the studs down good. (it's easier to install if you put it together outside of the car and raise it in from underneath) After the first initial run, let the engine cool down, and then torque the bolts again. After a day or two, check them again. You should be fine after that.

 

thanks so much guys for the help and advice. i'm going to be doing this bright and early in the morning. i have an exam to study for so hopefully i can get this done in an hour or two.

i'll definitely take pictures during the install and i'll try to make a short vid after. i know what you mean, the more reviews and info the better.

yea a coworker ordered an ebay header for his integra and it looked just like mine, except the flanges were thinner and the welds looked a little shallower, but it's held up fine since he's had it. (about 4 months)

yep, i have a warranty card for the header. i'll pick up a tube of copper rtv as well. do youknow what the torque specs are for the header?

thanks again everyone

 

Pretty much as tight as you can get them without breaking the bolt. (i'm talking about the midway flange, not where the header bolts up to the head)

 

Along time ago when I had my EM1, it was maybe in 2004 when I got a 4-1 DC Sports Header. I remember I had a huge motivation to install this piece and it was all done with common sense / hands on learning process through out this install.

I recommend having little zip lock bags around for the bolts to keep them from getting lost or rolling away.

The installation consisted of just myself on a flat driveway with a small jack that lifted one corner from the mounting point that is located behind the front wheels. Honestly it will help exponentially to have another car buddy around to help give you a hand when your getting under the car and balancing / handling the manifold during OEM removal and fitting of the after market one.

It took me 2 afternoons at about 3 hours each so about 7ish hours total, lol. Keep in mind I had no knowledge of how to install this and it was all done on the spot using common sense and hands on learning and I did it alone out of the blue.

I'm assuming your install will go a little better because the exhaust manifold you have is in 2 pieces rather than 1 which is a biatch to fit through when installing occasionally. You're install time will possibly be much lower than what it took me if you have a friend to help and since you're is 2 piece. All you can hope for is that it fits right up to your catalytic converter with no issues of the header being too short or too long regarding where they join up together.

Regarding torque spec, I didn't have that knowledge and didn't have any fancy tools. I just tightened them to a reasonably tight amount without trying to be the Hulk and force it tighter once they were feeling pretty damn firm. The worse feeling is when you reach that peak of getting a bolt tight as hell and then feeling it slip and turn more, then think FFUUUUUUU Nooooooo.......

Good luck.

 

earlier i said it would be hard, based on the fact you have to hold the dam thing up. while you try to twist it to bolt the dam thing. thats all.

lots of good other advise here.

 

Umm, when I say exactly the same, I mean EXACTLY the same, welds and all. The only thing Id like better on them is the studs, those megan studs look 10 times better. But for the header itself, yes EXACTLY the same. My old civic's header lasted 4 years without trouble, the header>>block ghasket blew after one year, so a trip to the parts store for a real gasket, done deal.

 

There's another difference. The flanges on the eBay headers are cast. They're billet on the Megan Racing ones.

 

Imk not sure if mine was or not, but it was very stur5dy and even after running it hard a lot, getting a few doses of water while warm (car washes FTW screw washing from a garden hose), still kept its shape and whatnot. Im not the most lucky person, but I doubt I would be a rare case of ebay **** working good.

BTW billet FTMFW

 

BTW torque specs? I used 32lbs without looking, but that felt a little too tight for proper gasket life/sealing. I would try 28lbs and simply check every once in a while and make sure to note that the gasket isnt crushed or leaking. Have fun, a header is very fun to drive with if you keep the rpms above 4k. Just dont street race, that is an accident waiting to happen lol