thanks pacesetter
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From: miami beach fl
thanks pacesetter for making me hate driving my car. This is a copy of the letter I just sent them. we will see where it goes. If I didnt work so much ID tear them off and put the stock **** back on.
I purchased a set of your ceramic coated headers and a your y pipe for my 1999 firehawk. The install was easy although I had my doubts about the clearance. I fired up my car, and was very pleased with how it sounded. Then I drove it. The headers were rattling off the kmember and the y pipe banging on the floor boards. Every time I take off, fast slow, medium it doesnt matter it sounds like my car is falling apart. On accleleration I get 8 degrees of knock retard from them banging off the car, so I probaly lost at least50 hp by installing performance headers. Being resourcefull I tried to fix the problems. I ground a 1/2 inch into the k member to give the header some room. I repeatedly loosen and pried the y pipe down while tighting it up in an effort to get some pipe to floor pan clearence. To no avail. My car still ratttles and bangs and it has made me hate driving the car that I love. I have never been so disapointed in aftermarket parts. And have never felt so ripped off. I would have returned them except they got a nice large dent beaten into the side on my first 1 mile test drive making them "damaged" per the shop that sold them. So now Im stuck with 500$ worth of headers and y pipe that are worth less. If I had known that of the poor quality fit I would have spent my money elsewhere.
very disapointed customer
brad tamm
I purchased a set of your ceramic coated headers and a your y pipe for my 1999 firehawk. The install was easy although I had my doubts about the clearance. I fired up my car, and was very pleased with how it sounded. Then I drove it. The headers were rattling off the kmember and the y pipe banging on the floor boards. Every time I take off, fast slow, medium it doesnt matter it sounds like my car is falling apart. On accleleration I get 8 degrees of knock retard from them banging off the car, so I probaly lost at least50 hp by installing performance headers. Being resourcefull I tried to fix the problems. I ground a 1/2 inch into the k member to give the header some room. I repeatedly loosen and pried the y pipe down while tighting it up in an effort to get some pipe to floor pan clearence. To no avail. My car still ratttles and bangs and it has made me hate driving the car that I love. I have never been so disapointed in aftermarket parts. And have never felt so ripped off. I would have returned them except they got a nice large dent beaten into the side on my first 1 mile test drive making them "damaged" per the shop that sold them. So now Im stuck with 500$ worth of headers and y pipe that are worth less. If I had known that of the poor quality fit I would have spent my money elsewhere.
very disapointed customer
brad tamm
Sorry to hear about your situation with your Pacesetters...
But I have to be honest, I've had two sets of Pacesetter LT's one painted and my current set is ceramic coated. Neither set however is the new version that is supposed to be better.
I notched my k-member for my first install, and all the rattling ceased. I don't know what to tell you about that. Notching the k-member is is usually a 100% solution to the header banging.
The y-pipe on the other hand.... Being a member with 1000+ posts, you know that their y sucks *** and that you're rolling the dice by purchasing it. I was also lucky to not have any issues with the y-pipe banging.
Possible solution...
Notch the k-member a little more to possibly solve the banging. If there is still a problem, maybe your motor mounts are a little worn allowing a little to much movement with the engine.
Y-pipe- have a true flowmaster collector merge installed on it. Or just scrape the damn thing completely and have a shop fab one for you.
Good Luck!
But I have to be honest, I've had two sets of Pacesetter LT's one painted and my current set is ceramic coated. Neither set however is the new version that is supposed to be better.
I notched my k-member for my first install, and all the rattling ceased. I don't know what to tell you about that. Notching the k-member is is usually a 100% solution to the header banging.
The y-pipe on the other hand.... Being a member with 1000+ posts, you know that their y sucks *** and that you're rolling the dice by purchasing it. I was also lucky to not have any issues with the y-pipe banging.
Possible solution...
Notch the k-member a little more to possibly solve the banging. If there is still a problem, maybe your motor mounts are a little worn allowing a little to much movement with the engine.
Y-pipe- have a true flowmaster collector merge installed on it. Or just scrape the damn thing completely and have a shop fab one for you.
Good Luck!
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From: miami beach fl
Mine are the old ones. i bought them a year ago. I alread knoched a 1/2 inch into the k member pretty soon Im gonna be knochin the wheel 
, motor mounts are new. replaced them with the headers not polys but still not alowing to much movement. Yea I knew the y pipe had some issues but it seemd there were more that didnt then did when I bought. I could just fab one yes, but ill see what pacesetter will do about it.
Ive also kind of put off doing anything, becasue I have been planing on picking up a turbo kit and scrapping the pacesetters alltogether.
, motor mounts are new. replaced them with the headers not polys but still not alowing to much movement. Yea I knew the y pipe had some issues but it seemd there were more that didnt then did when I bought. I could just fab one yes, but ill see what pacesetter will do about it. Ive also kind of put off doing anything, becasue I have been planing on picking up a turbo kit and scrapping the pacesetters alltogether.
I have the new ones, didn't have to notch anything. Only mod I did was to the heat shield covering the slave line. I love the power i got from them. As soon as I get pics I'll post them to show the clearence.
Mike
Mike
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 44
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From: Jackson,Ms
good luck hey bro here is what i did took a piece of heater hose and put it under the
y pipe and floor. and it has worked for 2 months its just enough padding to
absorb the rattles. i have the same set up as you.
y pipe and floor. and it has worked for 2 months its just enough padding to
absorb the rattles. i have the same set up as you.
sorry to hear about your luck ,i have one of the new sets and they dont bang at all, didnt have to remove my steering shaft for install or notch the kmember, i love mine, me and a firend of mine have them and now more of our friends have gotten them and we are all satisified, again sorry to hear that you have had bad luck with yours, ill admit the pacesetter ypipe sucks, doesnt bang but sucked for install
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 125
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From: San Carlos, CA
Sorry to hear that. My Pacesetters are suppose to be hear in a couple days and now I'm nevous. I got them probly for the same reasons you did; new design thats suppose to fit without mods to anything, price, and performance. I should have them installed my this weekend and i'll let you know how they fit on my 98 TA. There going to have another angry customer if mine don't fit right. We'll see!
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Welcome to the world of aftermarket parts. My Pace Setters had more problems than Carters has pills. I completely reworked the Y pipe. Good luck!
I also emailed Pace Setter. I'm still waiting on an answer after 6 months.
I also emailed Pace Setter. I'm still waiting on an answer after 6 months.
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Pacesetters Mine hit the k-member even though I notched an assload. They also sent me ones with the passenger side header with the air/egr in the wrong locations. I gave up on trying to get them to trade them out after getitng the run around for a week or two.. because even if I did manage to get them to trade them out, it'd take years to get them. It took me a month to get the pieces of crap to begin with. I now run Hookers.. life is good 
Sorry to hear about your problems with your Hawk... Sometimes, especially with car parts, you get what you pay for.
I have Macs, but I solved my Y-pipe banging by using a stiff rubber muffler hanger.
Weld one end of it to the side of the Y-pipe under the driver seat and weld the other end to the underside of the car frame. Secure the two together with the stiff rubber hanger and bolts/washers.
Works great !
Bad30th
I have Macs, but I solved my Y-pipe banging by using a stiff rubber muffler hanger.
Weld one end of it to the side of the Y-pipe under the driver seat and weld the other end to the underside of the car frame. Secure the two together with the stiff rubber hanger and bolts/washers.
Works great !
Bad30th
Originally Posted by gavspurplez
so the new ones do not have this problem ?? looking into paces' within a few weeks
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From: Chicago Far Far South Subs
I have the new improved set as of last Dec. The K-member had to be die grindes about 1/4 inch and I planned on having poly mounts on both sides anyway so i have no issues with banging or such. I also used their y-pipe too.
I think with all the headers and exhaust to keep them high up you should install poly mounts in these cars anywho. I have about a 1/2 inch clearance between the closest part on the Y pipe and the under body and no hitting.
By the way the poly mounts were a ***** to get in and out too
I think with all the headers and exhaust to keep them high up you should install poly mounts in these cars anywho. I have about a 1/2 inch clearance between the closest part on the Y pipe and the under body and no hitting.
By the way the poly mounts were a ***** to get in and out too
I just installed the "New" designed Pacesetters about a week ago. The headers went in without a hitch with the exception of the drivers side O2 bung being in the worst place possible on a A4. The shifter linkage hits it when it is in Park. The Y pipe is still garbage as far as I'm concerned. I had to let the pro's work their majic with that thing. All in all it went well except the for the Y but I'll eventually get true duals to remedy that.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 67
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From: Cleveland
y pipe i agree, i bought the pacesetters a few months ago and i have driven my car about 5 times since i bought them. the headers are ok and went in fine, the y pipe on the other hand sucks. I'm just going to get the tsp true dual system and stop messing around with the stupid y pipe.
I think the Y just suffers from tolerances on the car. Some people may be able to fit it up with no problems whatsoever. Others will find that it doesn't fit at all. All aftermarket parts run the same risk.
Originally Posted by Bad30th
Sorry to hear about your problems with your Hawk... Sometimes, especially with car parts, you get what you pay for.Bad30th