Hey guys, I just pulled out my complete engine ...hahaaa...I'm very impatient when it comes to tedious situations. That second nut was a BEAST!!! Now it will be a walk in the park installing them.

 

Let me know if you run into the same problem as I did. When do you plan on installing them??

Having the engine off the car will make it MUCH easier to install the 10mm bolt PPE supplied.

Oh yea about that nut, here is what I used to take it off:



It's a lifesaver , but too bad it the ratchet isn't as long. The head is more narrow and shorter than a conventional ratchet. You need a good amount of leverage, but it beats using a combo wrench. There is that damn lip on the manifold that prevents the wrench from sitting flush with the nut. I wish I bought the ratchet with a flexhead though.

 

GSteq, Whats those ratchet and sockets for. Removing the stud to put in the bolt PPE provides? I wonder why they don't just have you leave the stud in and just use a nut.

 

It's to take out that stubborn nut we've been talking about:

Borrowed from BA_GS400's thread:


You won't be able to fit a conventional ratchet and deep socket in there. Not that it looks easy, but the stud actually sticks out quite a bit.

As far as the stud goes, they removed it because it's too long. It's going to hit one of the pipes.

 

Dang, that looks like a PITA. So basically you have to use a wrench and slowly try and get that nut off? Did you get it from the engine bay side or under the car?

 

Engine bay of course. That nut is on the top row.


I am going to attempt to grind/shave part of the engine where it's interfering. I shouldn't have to do it in the first place, especially if the headers were confirmed to fit the GS400.

 

I plan on installing them by this weekend. Just been really busy doing TB change and getting other parts i plan on changing while engine is out.

It's the price you have to pay for customization.
That's what I had to do that with the engine out of the engine bay.

 

That sucks. I hope this is not the case with the 4.3. Have you called Paul and got his opinion?
If not, I would do that before grinding away at your block.

 

Sorry I miss read . I grinded away manifold away in order to get off manifold nut.

 

Airbender on page 8 installed his headers on his 4.3l and had no fitting problem, but i hear the 4.3l is easyier then the 4.0l

 

so anyone hows the performance difference. and is anyone thats supercharged put these on yet?

 

Ok I ended up grinding that part off. It fits now, but I'm with airbender on this one. The flange could have been better. Also, the cat doesn't line up with the y-pipe as well as I hoped. I had to sort of 'force' the bolt to go through so I'm hoping it's not going to cause any problems down the road. Crossing my fingers on this one.

My car's battery has been disconnected for a week so I'm sure the ECU has forgotten my previous driving habits. I'm going to drive it some more and hope I have no problems with cracking. I had to redrill a new holes on the support (holding cat to the tranny) because with the the hole was off. Didn't have this problem with OEM manifold, but that's expected..

Installation took much longer than expected, but half the time I had to fight with fitment. Here is a picture of what I trimmed off. I PM'ed paul and he said the GS400 he worked on didn't have that, but I don't know how that his possible. That part looks like where you put your pry bar to lift the cylinder head. Who knows..

 

Performance is pretty good but it would be much better under FI but my car is definately faster.

 

Thanks for the pics GSteq. I really hope fitment is better when i go to do the install on my car. I have no idea how i would be able to make it fit and grind off that part of the engine block. What'd you use to make it fit?

 

[QUOTE=GSteg;6081078]Ok I ended up grinding that part off. It fits now, but I'm with airbender on this one. The flange could have been better. Also, the cat doesn't line up with the y-pipe as well as I hoped. I had to sort of 'force' the bolt to go through so I'm hoping it's not going to cause any problem down the road. Crossing my fingers on this one.[QUOTE]

Ok 1st off i dont want to sound like a ****. But this is what you call CUSTOM. I know you guy's think this is a production made header & it should fit like a glove. But wake up an smell the coffee. Things change when welding, heat makes the metal expand or when its cooling down it contract's. Which changes angles or geometry. Which make's it fit like a glove or not fit at all. Ive read every post on this thread. AND alot of yall talk & make it feel like you have just spent $1500.00 on a set of header's that is going to make your car turn into a blown hemi dragster. Its not, and alot may be disappointed with the TQ loss that you are going to feel. Some may & some may not. Im betting more than not, depending on the rest of the exhaust set up. But that being said. I dont get much response on this forum thread cause im a SC guy. I get on this thread cause, IM TIRED of looking on the SC's thread's and not hearing about the V8 1uzfe post's. Especially the VVTI 1uzfe's. Which ive all ready been past that margin & gone to the 3uzfe block swap & DID the S&S header's & run into the same ISSUES's, you guys are having. Im just saying calm down. Deal with what you have & make it work, its worth it. You can always make up in other area's.

My driver side S&S that i got. It seemed, well it didn't seem. I knew that the front 2 cylider's on the header flang were bent outward. Cause the header didnt go on the stud's at all. The passenger went just fine. So I hogged the flange hole's alittle. To get the header on the studs all the way, then sucked it down with the nuts. Fired it up heated the headers & flange, then carefully tightened up the nuts on that side to make sure it is mated perfectly. Then I had to remake a new transmission/exhaust mount cause that didnt line up eather. Then I had to remake the cat/exhaust section to fit too, cause the headers were 3/4" longer than the stock manifolds. Had to have the car trailered to my exhaust shop 50mi away just to have this done.Then just to spin #6 rod bearing halfway home TESTing my new header's & WONDERING why my bottom end TQ was gone?!!! Thats when the 430 block came into play.

NOW after 9mo of having my headers's. I have 2 exhaust leaks, but not @ the header/cat flange. Or @ the cat/exhaust flange. But what my exhaust guy tells me he can hear w/his stethicope thing. Its comming from the 2 center ports on both sides of the headers. So this is a issue I havent delt with yet too. Im also not trying to discourage you from, installing these or not. Im just saying. Headers are CUSTOM & dont always produce what you think, you have PAID for. But i guarentee they work some where in the power band & you will like them, in some combination.

Be Happy someone stepped up an made headers for YALL. Work with them & PPE will work with you.