They hit the floor, which I am pretty sure can be fixed by "tweaking" the floor, but I also think they are hitting the steering shaft. Also there is about .5" between the oil drain plug and the collector; is that enough to get the plug out?

It sucks that you spend $1300 for these, then they send you the wrong ones, then they fit like crap!

 

I had all 3 problems as well. They said it was the install - yeah right <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

I had to grind the steering rack, shave the head of the oil pan bolt and pry the header to get it out, and do the heater hose mod.

This after spending $1300 on headers. What a joke <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

 

i had the same problems. i had to shave my oil drain plug and pry the header to get it out. i also had to "modify" the floor pan where the y-pipe hits. i'm also gonna install a poly trans mount or a 1le trans mount to help. mine don't hit the steering shaft. got lucky there. but i have to agree w/ you guys about fitment issues when you spend that much money. but from what i'm told, all the headers out there have fitment issues. so what are ya gonna do?

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by 98_1LE:
<strong>They hit the floor, which I am pretty sure can be fixed by "tweaking" the floor, but I also think they are hitting the steering shaft. Also there is about .5" between the oil drain plug and the collector; is that enough to get the plug out?

It sucks that you spend $1300 for these, then they send you the wrong ones, then they fit like crap!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'll address your issues...

Floor board banging: You can pry down a little bit between the floor board and the y-pipe. This should take all of 5 minutes.

Steering shaft: Underneath the dash, you can loosen the bolts that hold the steering assembly to the firewall, then move the assembly to the right, and re-tighten the bolts. This should take all of five minutes as well.

Drain plug: Some have to shave it down, others don't. This takes less than five minutes. Or you can leave the bolt the way it is and you will never have to worry about dropping the bolt when you do an oil change since the bolt will rest against the header. Plus leaving the bolt in forces the oil to drain down instead of across which causes the oil to spray on the headers.

Please keep in mind that quality control on an f-body isn't the best. That is why some cars may have these issues. Our headers are tested for fitment before they are shipped. If you have to spend a few minutes on your car, it's worth it to have the best complete header kit out there. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

Sorry that you were sent the wrong headers... some headers were packaged incorrectly... we are all human. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

 

[/QUOTE]I'll address your issues...


Steering shaft: Underneath the dash, you can loosen the bolts that hold the steering assembly to the firewall, then move the assembly to the right, and re-tighten the bolts. This should take all of five minutes as well.

I have Macs...but...you said to move it to the right? You are talking about the bolts inside the car? Wouldn't you want to move them to to the left to move the steering column away from the header?

 

That is what I thought as well, but when I talked to him on the phone about this he was very clear to push it towards the passenger side. I haven't looked at it, but I assume is is acting like a level pivoting on the firewall???

 

98 1LE...lemme know if you get it to work

 

I have 2 of the problems. Banging and steering. Just wait until they look like this ----> RUSTY

 

Mine are getting alittle rusty as well. But I'm more concerned about the floor banging. I tried prying them down but the engine still moves too much and it still hits. I even squashed down the pipe and whacked my floor board with a mallet. I now have a temp solution. I wrapped the pipe with header tape ( looks like fiberglass tape ) and used a hose clamp to hold it in place. In between the tape and the floor board i stuck a soft rubber muffler hanger. You can feel a very slight vibration at low rpm's but it's not really noticeable and it doesn't bang anymore. I can't see why FLP can't just make a series of small bends in the pipe to clear the floor board. Take a look at the replacement SLP y-pipe. It mounts to the stock driver side cat then bends down just alittle then bends back up after the crossmember. That's all FLP needs to do. I'm going to see if a local muffler shop around here can bend it for me.But other than that my headers fit nice. Thank god.

Den

 

[Quote from CRASH 02] > "Just wait until they look like this ----> RUSTY"

Like I stated before, those $1,300 headers look like ****!

<img src="http://members.***.net/jasonp/flp/DSC00003.JPG" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://members.***.net/jasonp/flp/DSC00008.JPG" alt=" - " />

I was thinking... FLP told me they are now using a different company to coat there headers. They had problems with the coating they used before.

I don't know when they switched, but I wonder if your headers came from the old coating company.

Too bad FLP don't just use Jet-Hot. I have never seen problems like yours from a Jet-Hot coated header even after 3 or 4 years or more.

Ron,

________________________________________________

 

Something I did on my Hooker Y banging problem was I took 8 large flat washers (1 1/4 od, 7/16 id) so they are pretty thick and spaced down the crossmember with 2 stacked washers on each bolt. Use the washers between the crossmember and the body. This tilts the whole drivetrain down slightly and really helped the clearance between the Y-pipe and the body.

 

here is some info from FLP found aug 2001
about banging

http://ls1info.com/article.php?sid=10

and a bit more..

On many of the cars, the y-pipe on the driver's side, just past the ORP is too close to the floor
brace. It will rattle when the pipe bumps against the floor brace. You can install a bracket at
that point to hold it in-place away from the floor brace. I cut a 2"x4" piece of radiator hose
and used self-taping screw to hold the hose against the floor brace. The pipe bumps against
the hose but there is almost no sound. The hose is a special 3.5" inner diameter radiator hose
that is used in 18-wheelers. Many automotive performance shops use it on either side the
MAF housing to maximize airflow.

 

Yes the header were coated from the old company. I have to send them back to the old company also. I wish they would let me send them to the new company but they won't.

 

Flp did the install on mine i have no problems at all they did grind part of the oil drain bolt oh well thats what happens when you start modding your ride.

 

The only problem i had with mine was a little banging.. (i have a used set of the old design)

I put a screw into the hole right next the #1 primary and devised a chain that attaches to that screw and then to the undercarriage. A TQ strap I guess... works great and solved the banging.. you can also wrap headerwrap around the part where it hits but I wanted a TQ strap anyway..
The headers are great I love the powwer and SOUND!
Every car is different I guess but this is my second F-boby with FLP headers and i wouldn`t go any other way....

 

I had heard they had fixed these problems but in reality they didn't do squat - and just because you modify your car you shouldn't expect all this crap. If the headers were an $700-$800 kit maybe yes but for $1300 I expect a quality set with no issues.

That rust is terrible. How many others have had problems here?

 

ttt

 

You can count me in. Mine did bang on the floor board (sorta fixed that with the heater hose mod), oil drain plug had to be filed down, and once in a while they hit the steering shaft. I'm gonna try to shift the steering shaft to the right and see if that helps. The worst is that I'm just starting to get some rust on the collectors. Bought them 6 months ago and are apparently the new "design" with the coating done by the "new" company. I can live with jury rigging the y pipe and oil plug, but the rust just blows. If I were to do it again I would go with another manufacture.

 

Mine were banging too so we welded a 941 engine valve spring to the ypipe and no more banging. LOL

steve

 

Damn, I was about 5 days away from ordering a set. There is no way that I will now, knowing I have the possibility of all these problems. I will be looking for another set and am open to opinions if you have any on which you'd rather have.