16 and installing headers!

[ViperGTSR]

Well MikeNT and I decided to install my headers after i finished painting my friend's Calipers on his Grand Prix. LIttle did we know how much we were getting into! After i started popping off the spark plug wires i decided it might be a good idea to take notes on how many bolts and size and placement of everything so it should make reinstalling much easier.
The first day was kinda crazy, we took off most everything we needed...except for the coolant lines that were in the way. I read the service manual to see how to drain the coolant and i couldnt find what they described becuase i had aftermarket pieces (stupid insurance companies:mad: ) So i proceed to take off a bolt and all this vapor came out, and Then AronGTR brought up the good point that that was an A/C line and im a dumbass (Lesson#1). So that marked that night.
The second day was much more at ease with the help of Aaron, he drained the coolant for me (now i know) and we proceeded to take off the front exhuast manifold, with some serious elbow grease to get those bolts off! We then had to run to Sears to get some extensions, and bought some super penetrant (Lesson #2 - super penetrant = good). And we got the EGR *thing* out of the rear manifold.
Tomorrow we take off the downpipe and cat, and put the new headers in and install the 180 degree tstat:)

[ViperGTSR]

pretty organized for one of Mike and I's projects! lol

[ViperGTSR]

how the hell do these things flow at all???????

[ViperGTSR]

and since i have this aftermarket crap the drain plug drains from the back AND the front, coolant was running along some stuff under there as well, it was a bitch

nothing like a little coolant smell to start your day!

[Schweppe23]

Good luck with the install...you'll love the headers. Maybe this year you might be able to beat me in the 1/4. If my memory serves me right i think last year we had a pretty close race.

Pat Lavanty

[ViperGTSR]

Thanks pat! yea Very close! That was one of my most favorite races, you had me but i was inchin at the end. See you at Gap!

[Sternie]

Are you gonna do a How-To on this? Or is there already one that for some reason I can't find...

[SilverGT1]

i need to install mine.. but i fear i would really break something :/

[cavingman]

hey lets trade egr valves, mines throwin codes :D
gl buddy

[papiogagt]

stupid 16 year olds! always messing things up!! :D




good job alex! way to finally get the balls to put those in! :thumbs:

[SilverEcstasy]

Dude! Talk about a project! I am so excited to get those headers in finally and drive her the whole 200 yards to the exhaust shop down the street!

I feel like we are Pioneers or something, the first attempt to install Headers at home! Lets see:

Vacuum line accidentally broke
Coolant accidentally spilled everywhere
AC Line accidentally opened

Coolant seriously smells like straight up diseased poontang, omg.

[GTManiac]

I'm still waiting for the phone call later on.

"hey jeff."
"yo what's up?"
"not much. you up to anything today?"
"no, why man?"
"well we can't get Alex's car to star... thinking maybe you might be able to help us."
"ok give me a half hour, I'll be over there."

LOL, just messing guys. I'm glad to see you guys doing it actually, I have faith you'll do just fine. If not, I'm always a phone call away. Good luck with it guys.

[BMOBYLE]

TOG headers? Isn' there welding involved?
Or did you get the high flow cat?


Either way I'm jealous!:thumbs:

[SilverEcstasy]

Thanks man! What can I say, you've always came in through a pinch for help! It sounds like Aaron and Alex got a lot done today. Hopefully after he gets home from school tomorow we can get this done and get it all welded up at the shop. I wanna feel the power of headers!.......so we can do it to my car! lol

[SilverEcstasy]

Originally posted by BMOBYLE
TOG headers? Isn' there welding involved?
Or did you get the high flow cat?


Either way I'm jealous!:thumbs:

The only welding involved is the flex-pipe welded to the cat. So...we're driving muffler-less to the exhaust shop :D

[SilverGT1]

anybody wanna help me install my headers at gap? .. i'll bring a 6 pack and some pizza :)

[cavingman]

Originally posted by MikeNT256

Coolant seriously smells like straight up diseased poontang, omg.

shoulda smelled fullers at DHP day. specially when it hits wheels doin 140 mph :\

[mfuller]

To Alex and those helping install his headers: you guys are very, very brave.....major kudos for tackling this challenge.

[SilverEcstasy]

Originally posted by mfuller
To Alex and those helping install his headers: you guys are very, very brave.....major kudos for tackling this challenge.

Thanks Matt! I think it was the point where Alex and I just stared at the headers on his bedroom floor, looked at each other and said "fck it, we're installing these things". He's had em for so long, its about time!

[cavingman]

quit talkin about it and finish that **** :D

[SilverEcstasy]

lol no kidding, i'm waiting for alex to give me a response on AIM if we're going to finish it today.

[ViperGTSR]

im waiting for aaron to call me, then we should have an update late tonite till then...freaking paper

[ViperGTSR]

could this install be going any better??? the answer is HELL NO! We've worked on it (me and Aaron) for 2 days about 3 hours a day, and saturday was another 3 hours with just me, and Mike on the notepad. Today we got the downpipe off and the rear manifold off.
Mocked up the front header and needed to take out the dipstick tube and that needs to be slightly tweaked, but everything fits perfectly so far. the EGR which goes into the crossover section needs to be slightly bent as well to fit, but not major changes and it should be nice to see put together tomorrow. Pics tomorrow (albeit really crappy)

[AaronGTR]

Always glad to help.:D Actually this install isn't that bad if you have the right tools. It's just that we didn't have all the tools and I live an hour away (doh!). This could be done in one (long) day at my house. As it is they should be finished by tommorrow or thursday. I couldn't come over tonight 'cause I got out of work too late and I'm dog tired.;) Then he just needs to get the down pipe welded up. Can't wait to see them when they're done!

On a side note, these headers really are awesome! Very well designed. I'm sooo jealous now, I wish I had a set of them. They're still over priced IMO, but if S&S doesn't release theirs I just might have to get them anyway. No biggie. I plan on getting them and having the heads done at the same time to minimize the work.

[ViperGTSR]

Thanks Aaron, u are my freakin savior! But I talked to the exhuast shop by my house today, man are they winners! They can do absolutely anything, and they are going to order me stainless steel tips, and run my exhuast straight back. It should be a very good price as well, he said he could beat anyones price by 20 bucks, but i still trust his work, i looked at some cars he had done, and they were nice. Ill see what he can do as far as ordering a high flow cat as well

[ViperGTSR]

HAHAHAHAHHAHA woooooooooooooooooo
OPEN HEADERS ****ING ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First let me say i owe this entire thing to Aaron, even though he was against the idea in the beginning he got into it! Thanks to Mike Hurley for telling me "its just nuts and bolts" and that we can do it! Thanks Mike Hadjinian, for making aaron mad and allowing him to break that bolt loose (oh and for taking notes and insane humor hour)

So tonite started by torquing down the header bolts, and then messing with the EGR to get it into its hole. We then had to get everything back in, which didnt take very long, only to get in the car and have teh battery dead (i knew it cuz i left my alarm on the whole time) Fortunately my mom's Z3 was right next to it and we jumped my car the following actions followed:
I get into passenger seat, put key in ignition to ON position, let it sit for 1 second, then turn to start....WOOOOPOWWWW, i jumped out of the passenger seat atleast an inch.
We then let the car chill on to heat everything up and bleed the coolant. That thing sounded exactly like those freaking muscle cars at the track...EXACTLY!

Tomorrow, i tighten everything down again, bolt up my coil pack, and put my hood on, then to the exhuast shop!

[ViperGTSR]

OMG SPLOOOOGE:thumbs:

Total time: Aprox. 12-13 hours damn good time!

[MJE95GAGT]

sweet! everything looks great! nice job :thumbs:

[SilverEcstasy]

Dude, that sounded SO bad ass on the phone! Can't wait to hear it in person! I think you're the first person to run headers on a Flowmaster!

[AaronGTR]

Heck yeah baby! Those things sounded sooo sweet. I thought the neighbors were going to call the cops.:D I can't wait to hear them when the exhaust is done. Alex has a sweet setup in mind. I can't wait to get a set of my own. I can't wait to hear them thru SLP. I can't wait, Aaahhhhhhhh!

[mfuller]

You're right, open headers are louder than hell on this car. My downpipe broke at the flex a while back and my hearing still hasn't recovered.

[Nikki]

Sweet Alex :thumbs: Can't wait to hear it at the car show on the 10th!!!

Great work guys!!!

[ViperGTSR]

dear lord.....i drove it to the exhuast shop today....yea its not cool anymore lol Freaking you cant hear anything at all, like theres a huge plate blocking ur ears off to the rest of the world

Getting exhuast done today, 2.5" to stock cat, 2.5" all the way back over suspension to muffler (couldnt go straight back becuase of where my inlet is on my muffler, and the suspension is in the way

[jazzman]

did you get mandrel bending? if so how much did it run you?

[ViperGTSR]

yea i just got it done, 2.5" mandrel bent stainless from the cat back over suspension for $225

[jazzman]

dude where did you get it done, i can't get anything that cheap around here. if you could just let me know. Thanks

[ViperGTSR]

a local place by me, actually a former Mr. Muffler

Update on the headers: Id love to test them out today but its rainy and everything is wet, i cant go full throttle anymore! I tried and was goin 45 and got some serious tire spin

[athomas]

Great Job guys!!

I know who to call when I eventually get around to buying a set of my own :D

[IrateSpeed6]

Alex... I'm hoping you could be as specific and descriptive of how the headers fit... Like for instance, clearances, how high they go in relation to this and that, etc. I'm considering putting some on my engine, but I'm affraid the SC shaft will be in the way... To anyone who has the headers... could you take pics from MULTIPLE angles?

Awesome job on the install man... I def. know I could probably save some money and do it myself then...

[AaronGTR]

The heat shields on the stock manifolds take up a lot of room. The new headers basically take up the same space as the stock. The cross over pipe is a little close to the engine. It actually just touches the water neck that goes over the thermostat, but you can still get it in and out. The Y pipe at the bottom is also a little closer to the car, but clears with plenty of room. I know it will fit on my car with my SC, so I don't think you'd have a problem.

[zegoldfish]

Damn, great read guys. After the pics I almost put in an order for a set of headers... but then realized I haven't got the dough anyway.

Hell, I just want 'em so I can do the install! You just can't beat getting down and dirty with an engine.

[SilverEcstasy]

It was an absolute blast although I did very little of the dirty work. I helped with more of taking everything off the engine. I'm shocked no one else hasn't done this, seeing how easy it was with the right tools (for the most part) and the common knowledge.

[papiogagt]

and a service manual! :thumbs:

[SilverEcstasy]

Originally posted by papiogagt
and a service manual! :thumbs:

Pssh..that damn thing gives you a 2x2 drawn picture of what the coolant drain plug looks like under the car--THATS IT. Useless.