PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

The angle of the header collector on the driver side is pointed upwards so much that I can't even put the cat on! I used a '99 set off my old Z but I was told by Mitch that it would fit. The fitment was pretty bad on my '99 but on my '02 it's so bad that it's humorous...not really though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />
Right now, I'm using a bent off-road pipe, otherwise I'd be SOL. And forget pounding on the floor board, I would have to cut 4 or 5 inches to make the pipes clear! <img border="0" alt="[guns]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_guns.gif" />
So, is there anyway to bend the header so that the collector is level with the ground, instead of pointing up? I've tried exhaust shops and they've all said no. Any ideas?

Derrick

DaddySS

Dumb question: have you loosened the header bolts?

It seems odd that the angle of headers would change.

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

Not sure I understand what you mean. The header bolts were tightened to 24 ft/lbs.
My old car was a '99 6 speed and the motor mounts were worn, making the engine sit lower. At least the passenger side #6 primary doesn't hit the frame like it did on my old car.
On my new car the engine sits a little higher, causing the driver side clearance to be even worse. Still, even if the engine were sitting lower, the angle of the collector points way too high.

Nickn20

to answer your question yes, clamp on the offroad pipe and find a way to pry it downward, I had to do this on my car, it takes some force too!

DaddySS

Normally when you're setting these things up, you hand tighten , get everything aligned, then fully tighten. So my question was wouldn't it be better to loosen the header bolts and see what you've got in the way of adjustment?

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

DaddySS, that wouldn't help...unless the collector is suddenly going to move approximately 25 degrees.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Nickn20:
<strong>to answer your question yes, clamp on the offroad pipe and find a way to pry it downward, I had to do this on my car, it takes some force too!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OK, but what gave way and bent? The header collector or the off-road pipe?
It seems like the header bolts would bend, or maybe even the big C clamp would bend, before the big *** header collector bent.

Derrick

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

ttt

DaddySS

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by PewterZ28:
<strong>DaddySS, that wouldn't help...unless the collector is suddenly going to move approximately 25 degrees.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Nickn20:
<strong>to answer your question yes, clamp on the offroad pipe and find a way to pry it downward, I had to do this on my car, it takes some force too!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OK, but what gave way and bent? The header collector or the off-road pipe?
It seems like the header bolts would bend, or maybe even the big C clamp would bend, before the big *** header collector bent.

Derrick</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">But doesn't that imply that this current engine setup is 25 degrees different than the previous engine position? Something doesn't sound right unless the collector and lower pipe assembly got bent up? I think if you take i to a muffler shop they can heat it and bend it but they'll need to be careful not to kink it.

Nickn20

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by PewterZ28:
<strong>DaddySS, that wouldn't help...unless the collector is suddenly going to move approximately 25 degrees.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Nickn20:
<strong>to answer your question yes, clamp on the offroad pipe and find a way to pry it downward, I had to do this on my car, it takes some force too!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OK, but what gave way and bent? The header collector or the off-road pipe?
It seems like the header bolts would bend, or maybe even the big C clamp would bend, before the big *** header collector bent.

Derrick</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">the collector flange would be my guess, I got these instructions straight from dan at FLP about a year ago.

Bad02WS6

Check your motor mounts.
I don't think you could bend the collector without damaging it.

Here's an idea. Weld in a insert piece to re-angle the flange. Cut the collector near the flange. Cut a small ring out of a mandrel bent turn pipe. Cut it from the middle of the turn. The insert piece would be something like .5 inches on the inside curve, and 1 inch on outside curve. Just enough angle on the insert piece to get the flange pointing strait back. Weld the small slice of turn pipe in between the collector and flange. Then cut a small loop out of the Y-pipe to compensate for the extra length of the collector. Your flange would be angled right, but will still be higher to the floorboard. If the collector is to close to the floorboard. You might try making a mini S turn. One insert piece to angle the collector slightly down. One piece to correct the angle for the flange.

Don't cut pieces from the collector to re-angle the flange. If you ever want to sell the headers later. It will be easier to cut the inserts out, and re-weld the flange into the original position. If you cut pieces out of the collector. It will be a lot harder to reverse the process. If you try to bend the collector, and kink it. Then you’re screwed.

Good luck. I would have posted the idea sooner, but I just thought of it. Hope this helps.

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

Brad, That's a good idea, one that would work but one that is also a pain in the *** for $1200 headers that should have fit perfectly. I thought of something similar to that but I really would rather not do that. If it comes to that, I just might though. Thank you.

Nick, I'm going to give Dan or Mitch at FLP a call. They were cool in the past but last time I talked to them, I was under the impression that they have changed a little. Hopefully I'm wrong.

I'll let you know how it goes.
Derrick

Bad02WS6

If your talkin bought my idea. The name is Steve.
Hope you get it worked out. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

Oops! Sorry, I misread your username as Brad02WS6. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="gr_emb.gif" />

Derrick <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Sears

OK, maybe I am mis-understanding this but here I go..

FLP revised the design of their y-pipe at some point. The original version had no angles cut into the y-ipe/off road pipes. The new version, they cut and welded the flanges of the y-pipe and off road pipe to angle down away from the floorboard.

This angle was designed to lower the pipe to allow for more floorboard clearance and solve the infamous banging problem.

The rear drivers side of the y-pipe needs to have the flange at an angle for it to accept the off road pipe at the right angle and all to fit right. So you need to angle the y-pipe not the header flange.

Justin

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, you're misunderstanding. Mitch asked me to send him a picture. I'll post it here too.

Basically, when you clamp the catalytic converter onto the header collector, the rear side of the cat is up against the floor board.

I should have a pic posted soon.

Derrick

PewterZ28

iTrader: (1)

I just re-read your post and I understand what you are saying. That would work also. I would have to bend the cat twice...or cut out a very small triangle on both sides, then reweld the flanges back on.
The angle of the header collector flange causes the cat (or off-road pipe) to point to the floor. The first bend would aim the cat back down so that it does not hit the floor board, the second bend would straighten out so that the y-pipe could connect and be level with the ground rather than hang too low. Of course, the easiest thing would be to have a header whose collector flange connects to the cat and aims it parallel with the ground and with 1.5 inches of clearance at the floor board. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />
I'll stop there before I start confusing myself. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

Derrick