Thread: Concerns after installing headers :(

Originally Posted by REDCOMPG

Tick tick = exhaust leak. What type of clamps did you use and did you keep the original flex or did you change it?

original flex and i used 3 and 2.5 band clamps

im feeling better now thanks guys. Ill look more into it tomarrow and post back my results im set on a leak now and thinking of it even though i used band clamps the dp going into the flange was really hard to get snug so its probly leaking there, like you said when i throttle it probly bend it and opens the leak

Could be the original flex...known to fail...most of us replace it before installing the headers. Try this, get the car on ramps and have someone start it. Get underneath the car and check for exhaust leaks...easy way to find them is looking for black smoke around the joints...you can also spray a little bit of carb cleaner similar to how how you trace a vacuum leak.

Originally Posted by ginseng

good idea with the tissue lol didnt think of that

first time I've heard that at midnight on a saturday...I'm getting old

Originally Posted by ginseng

good idea with the tissue lol didnt think of that

Gonna throw you off if your fans kick on when your car is on. Might work on the rear, though.

Originally Posted by KeithGTP03

Gonna throw you off if your fans kick on when your car is on. Might work on the rear, though.

thats where common sense kicks in lol

so i checked for leaks and sure enough there was leaks in the two downpipe connections so i took it off and banged the **** out of them to make them as tight as possible then covered them in high temp rtv and clamped them down off the car so i could go as tight as possible with a flex bar lol i dont think they are going to leak now only thing that sucks is i cant fit my cat that i got in there so i kept the downpipe for now but i got a 13 inch walker to put in and it wont fit with sleeves and clamps so im going to get it welded to the flange and downpipe and im thinking about getting the flex pipe cut out to and a new one welded in, Any recommendations?

still seems like there is a roughness in the pedal though and i looked at the o2 sensor there is no way its hitting the o2 wasnt bent at all the the clearance is plenty

how long will it take for the computer to pick up to lack of a cat and i know my car will run lean but how unsafe is it

Your car wont run lean wo the cat. the cat does nothing except hippy stuff

Originally Posted by dsmuts

Your car wont run lean wo the cat. the cat does nothing except hippy stuff

there was some thread on the forums i read the other day that 01 + cars do even with the code deleted

01+ cars sometimes run the cat diagnostics and run super rich. I'm not sure about 04+ though.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

01+ cars sometimes run the cat diagnostics and run super rich. I'm not sure about 04+ though.

what kind of tests can i run to find this out?

If you start getting really ****ty gas mileage you'll know

First, you do need the rear o2 if you don't have a tune; it says '01+ cars for a reason. Pretty sure '04-'08 is still in that catagory.

Moving on, get some hotter range plugs for one, TR55's are too cold.

Second, The flex in the SD's are known to blow out, just go have the flex cut out and pipe welded in there, be a man...screw a flex.

Third, Flip the motor mounts in the dog bones...if you're mounts are older/tired/worn then there is prolly enough movement under load to cause things to scrape or make contact; example: downpipe on sway bar or o2 sensor on firewall. Easy fixes for that...1) Flip upper dog bones to lessen engine movement back and forth...2) get a C5 corvette o2 sensor and splice it in, as they are super short and small...3) remove the sway bar and flip it upside down to give a couple more inches of clearance.

Bam.