Got everything done and took it for a test drive. I ended up using alot of copper gasket silicon which is why it smoked alot when i first started up. I took out the bottom stud on the driver side, but i couldn't find a bolt in the kit that fit in there, so i left it out. I REALLY hope this doesn't cause an exhaust leak. So far the car definitely seems different, i can't really tell whether it's faster or not, i'll let the ECU adjust to it first.

Thanks again GSteg for you're help, and everybody else that chimed in here. I could NOT have done it without you're help. So the running total is 18 hours, including the 5 times i ran out to get parts, and all the cussing and breaks trying to figure things out. I REALLY hope it was worth all the time and money!

 

We need a video!

 

What did you end up using to get the nut out?

 

Glad to hear your up and running TL.

In your sig it shows a Neo.. is this not installed\tuned yet?

 

Once i get my exhaust leak in my second y pipe fixed!

I ended up buying these thread through socket and rachet kit at harbor freight for like $25. Now that i now everything that i do, it would take about 1/4 of the time haha. I'm just wondering now if it was a bad idea for me to leave that bottom nut out. Might have to go back and fix that eventually. None of the bolts in the kit PPE provided fit, the one that fit was way to long. So i could probably cut it with a dremel to make it shorter. Thanks for all the help though! I wouldn't have finished without you're guidance!

Yeah, my neo has been up and running for a while now! It definitely made a HUGE difference. I probably should get it tuned now that the headers are on.

 

The bolt they supplied is the correct one (The one that is threaded all the way in). In order to put tit on, it needs to be the first bolt that goes in. You leave enough room between the header and the cylinder head so you can turn it in by hand, and then as you tighten it, the rest of the header should follow and sit against the cylinder head. It's a painfun, but doable. Honestly I'm not looking forward to removing the headers if the nuts are tight on as the OEM, but I doubt it since they haven't been on the car for 10 years. lol.

 

I guess i must have lost that bolt then the one that fit in that hole was a 14mm right? It was about the same length as the stud so it would only screw in halfway. I hope i don't get an exhaust leak becuase i really don't want to have to do this again.

Yeah i was surprised how torqued the oem bolts were! I have about a 18 in ratchet and still had to give quite a heave hoe before those things moved! The bolts to the cats sucked! haha Then the fitment putting the y pipe back on was off. AND i had to sand down part of the engine block on the drivers side with a dremel like you had to to make it fit.

 

The OEM nuts are self-locking type so they do require a bit of force to remove them, especially after 10 years. I used an impact to get the nuts out so I didn't have to wrestle with most of them. The bolts that holes the cat to the y-pipe isn't really a problem with an impact either. However the bolt that holds the cat to the exhaust manifold were definitely a pain. I removed the whole thing as one unit. I really dislike not having a recessed groove for the gasket. It makes leak more prone to happen because you're not going to torque all 3 bolts/nuts the same amount. That was my problem the first time and I had a good amount of leak. Believe it or not, but it took me 3 times to realign the cat so it fits better. I also drilled a new hole into the cat/y-pipe brace, otherwise I would have to force the fitment and that's going to put too much stress on the headers. So it makes it you and me who had to shave off some metal on the engine block. I'm really curious to know why the GS4 (99 also) that PPE tested the headers on didn't have that issue.

 

I had to do the same thing with the cats and y pipe brace. I ended up using a drill quite a bit out to make the brace fit and the cats to the y pipe line up correctly. That's a good question because i ended up having to take about 1/3 of an inch off that protuding notch from the cylinder block. It wasn't to bad but it still could be a problem if i didn't have my trust dremel.

 

since i did this, this weekend its fresh on the brain....you dont need to remove the 4 bolts holding the top of the mount. just undo the mount and the one 17mm bolt on the top of the motor mount using a adjustable (moveable head) ratchet. removing the motor mount was fairly easy than use a transmission jackstand to inch the motor up to slid heat shield/motor mount out.