Need help with headers + y pipe replacement
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Joined: Jul 2018
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From: Missouri
You prolly don't want to hear this but, shops charge shop time($$$$). They ain't doing it for fun. They have bills/labor to pay to. That's why it's rewarding to work on your own stuff and only pay for what you aren't capable ove doing your self. But I bet if you put your mind to it, read the header install stickey right here. And borrow a friend's garage for the weekend. You can do this , and save a nice chunk of jack at the same time....
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Teching In
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You prolly don't want to hear this but, shops charge shop time($$$$). They ain't doing it for fun. They have bills/labor to pay to. That's why it's rewarding to work on your own stuff and only pay for what you aren't capable ove doing your self. But I bet if you put your mind to it, read the header install stickey right here. And borrow a friend's garage for the weekend. You can do this , and save a nice chunk of jack at the same time....
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Teching In
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Lol I appreciate that, I might actually have someone that might be able to help in Long Island that I spoke to earlier cause I almost bought his headers, might have to make a new friend...
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From: Missouri
Most difficult part for me was, soak header bolts in pb blast then warm up. Then reinstalling the damn dip stick. The rest is not that bad. Just jack the car up as high as you can to put the headers in front primary UP...
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Lol 1400 bucks, they should have it done in under an hour. I can do it in an hour on my back. Once you've done it a few times, pretty easy. Hardest part is driver side header. Need to jack the car pretty high up, I think 32 inches or so. Then you are g2g, slip it in, maybe move a couple things. Cylinder number 8 is a pain to get a plug in I find going from the bottom was easier.
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Teching In
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Lol 1400 bucks, they should have it done in under an hour. I can do it in an hour on my back. Once you've done it a few times, pretty easy. Hardest part is driver side header. Need to jack the car pretty high up, I think 32 inches or so. Then you are g2g, slip it in, maybe move a couple things. Cylinder number 8 is a pain to get a plug in I find going from the bottom was easier.
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If I were to try this myself, what's the process on removing the pipe and getting everything off? Am I just chutting it straight off? Is it better to get the y pipe and back side pipe connected together first and then place it up under the car? Or is it better piece by piece?
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Unplug battery, jack car up high safely, remove plug wires and spark plugs. Take off catback and y pipe. Remove header bolts and get under the car, remove 02 if they are in the way, and wiggle it out. Sometimes steering linkage gets in the way. Remove the bolts and take that out if you have to. Once removed, put the new ones in. Passanger is easy driver side is usually the harder on . Just play with it until it slips in. It helps if you have someone to help so you can hold the header from the bottom while they align gasket and thread some screws. Otherwise get it seated up in there and try to align the gasket and get it installed by yourself. Get header bolts tightened before pulling on things to install catback and y pipe. Then install y pipe followed by catback. Usually need to be done from front to back. Dont tighten anything down as far as clamps go until everything is connected and seating correctly. Then torque away. Dont use cheap bolts and washers they strip easy. Get it all installed. Get new plugs always (tr55) and plug wires (msd) if your plug wires are old and reconnect battery. Good to go.
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most aftermarket Y pipes dont utilize and hanger. I think a specific pacesetter has the hanger but judging from the pics I think I just bolts on to the hanger on the car. Any aftermarket system you buy should come with new hanger that either bolt on or use oem hangers.
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Sometimes if you mix and match Y pipes and catbacks the entry and exit of the Y pipe and I pipe are the same size and you need to figure out how to fit it. If an exhaust shop doesnt do welding then they are a joke. It's a mandatory skill.
Back for some more advice! A shop quoted me 1400 to get the headers and y pipe installed!!!!! what would you guys quote a job like this to come out to in your experience? I didn't expect it to be anymore than 500 really, maybe more in the 300 range...really wish I knew enough and had the space and tools to get this done myself
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Teching In
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nah the exhaust shops do welding but the problem is the exhaust shop wouldn't do the headers too so that was a pain in the ***, but when i would go another mechanic they would say they don't do welding so that was another pain in the *** if it involves welding they wouldn't do it :facepalm:
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Hey ya'll so I've got someone working on the headers and y pipe currently and he gave me a ring saying that the SE headers are missing the EGR valve/tube. The old headers I have on the car had them. What do I do here? Is it necessary? Why doesn't the SE headers have it?
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Just letting you guys know everything went well! New pipes look great, car feels like a whole new beast now, feels and sounds more powerful. However one thing I dislike is the insane droning and vibration when the car is idle, not bad when in motion though.
Under the hood, it looks a little messy with the EGR tubing kinda just there, loose. You guys recommend anything to clean this up? I think they opted to keep the air pump and tubing in there and just blocked off the EGR, but it does look a little weird.
I also was looking to get an engine wash as its quite dirty under the hood, with everything that's exposed, will it be dangerous or harmful to pay for an engine wash? Will anything get damaged in terms of electrical, etc?
Under the hood, it looks a little messy with the EGR tubing kinda just there, loose. You guys recommend anything to clean this up? I think they opted to keep the air pump and tubing in there and just blocked off the EGR, but it does look a little weird.
I also was looking to get an engine wash as its quite dirty under the hood, with everything that's exposed, will it be dangerous or harmful to pay for an engine wash? Will anything get damaged in terms of electrical, etc?