SC430 S & S Header Install

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...ally-here.html

I would like to thank BA GS400 for his initial write up and pearlpower for their help in this install.

I used BAGS’s step by step write up and it was pretty much the same application on our SC’s

In addition to BAGS’s instructions I removed the bolts for the trans and motor mounts so I would be able to raise the engine a bit and get the heat shields out. I did not remove the mounts just removed the bolts so the engine was able to move around.


https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ion-steps.html


THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM BA GS400 THREAD

TOOLS I USED:
10mm box-end/closed-end
10mm socket
12mm box-end
14mm box-end
14mm/12mm ‘distributor wrench’, each end is angled
14mm socket (6 pt recommended)
17mm box-end
17mm socket
Universal/swivel joint
Philips screwdriver
Crescent wrench
Breaker-bar or handle extension
3/8” ratchets (I had a short and a long one. The short 5”one with a pivoting head was VERY useful in the tight spots!)
Air-powered impact wrench/gun
6” extensions (2)
3” extension
2 jack-stands
Floor jack
Optional tools: tin-snips or cutters, pliers, long screwdriver or other prying tools for the heat shields. (remember, I didn’t jack up the engine)


Step 1 - Remove engine cover. 2 bolts, 2 nuts – 10mm socket
Step 1.5 - Unmount air sensor thing in top of air box and lay to side. 2 bolts, 10mm.
Step 2 - Remove air-inlet scoop and air-box. Philips screwdriver and 10mm socket
4 bolts, 10mm. (air-box front-most bolt only needs to be loosened)
Step 3 - Remove air-tube to throttle body/black box on top side of engine. Rubber
hoses, 2 bolts, 10mm socket, 2 large ‘hose clamps’
Step 3.5 - OPTIONAL: Unmount Power Steering resevoir, push aside. 3 bolts, 10mm
Step 4 - Jack up car and put on jack-stands. I used a spot where lower A-arm meets
Frame cross-member, and I also leave the hydraulic jack under frame under
drivers floorboard just for safety.
Step 5 - Spray all convertor bolts with penetrating fluid if you haven’t already.
Step 6 - Remove oil dipstick tube. 1 bolt, 10mm. Plug hole with paper towel or
something if you want to ensure that nothing drops in there.
Step 7 - Remove underside, 6 point structural brace. This may not be needed, but gives
more room to maneuver for acces to other bolts. 6 bolts, 14mm socket
Step 8 - Unplug O2 Sensors. Unplug connector first! See pic for detail on where the locking tab is at. I used a crescent wrench to get it out easily.
You'll need a 10mm to remove bracket holding the connector when you put it back together!
Step 9 - Remove catalytic convertors. 14mm socket, 14mm box-end, 18mm socket
(17mm =one nut only), breaker bar.(old Campbell Hausfeld air-gun wouldn’t cut it)
Step 10 - Unmount steering rack and let hang. 4 main bolts and 1 bolt for steering
knuckle/coupler, 17mm socket and 17mm box-end, and 12mm box-end
Step 11 - Unbolt heat shields. 3 bolts per shield. 10mm box-end.
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Note:
Right here you have a choice. I chose to try to remove the heat shields from their nest. This may not have been the wisest choice!! I probably spent at least an hour on each side just trying to get them out forcefully. I was using tin-snips and prying/forcing techniques. They always looked like they would almost come out, but it’s DECEPTIVELY TIGHT and the shields have odd angles on them!

The passenger side heat shield was a pain in the *** to remove, I had loosened all the motor mount bolts along with the transmission mount bolts, lifted the engine up and used a crow bar to tilt the engine towards the drivers side to make enough room to be able to yank the damn thing out. The driver’s side shield requires a lot less effort and come out once the engine is lifted a few inches.


To lift the engine I would place a think piece of wood underneath the oil pan and use that as one jacking point. The piece of wood is used to distribute the pressure the jack head puts on the oil pan, (the piece was the width and length of the oil pan and about one inch thick). And I also use a back up jack on the transmission bell housing in order to raise the engine evenly and not put any stress on any of the bolts or hardware.


An alternate method would have been to *try* to reach all manifold bolts by shifting the shield around since it does move around in there a little bit. It just didn’t look to me like that would be any fun.
Another smarter method might have been to undo the engine mount bolts from underneath and jack up the engine about 2 inches. (could be done for both sides of engine) I’ve not checked, but it seems feasible that you would want to unbolt the transmission mount bolts as well. I can’t be sure how much the engine will move when only doing one side, or w/o doing the tranny mounting bolts.
It sounds like a lot of extra work, but, in reality it’s only about 6 bolts and could save you between 1 and 3 hours of total work, manifold removal/header install included.
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Step 12 - Remove manifold bolts. Manifold will come right out. 16 nuts, 14mm socket,
14mm box-end, extension’s, ‘breaker-bar’.
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Notes:
Passenger side: 4 bolts are accessible from the top using socket and pivot-head, short handle ratchet, 4 on bottem accessible from underneath using both socket and box-end wrench.
The passenger side front pipe’s lower bolt is easily accessible using 15” of extensions and a universal swivel joint right at the socket. Access is from beneath the front of car.
Drivers side: 3-6 bolts are accessible from underneath using sockets, extensions and box-end wrenches.
The top nut on the second pipe from the front was SERIOUSLY hard for us. There is a molded in bracket for the oil dipstick tube AND the manifold has a curved lip on it (at the block) that damn near prevents access with a box-end wrench.
ALSO, the pipe from the first cylinder crosses in front of the bolt preventing most sockets from fitting in there as well. LOOK AT THIS BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
In the end, we spent a good hour here too, and finally used the 14mm/12mm ‘distributor wrench’ with the angled ends AND a pry bar to force it to stay completely and firmly on the nut. A handle extension may be required as well for leverage.
I’d love to know how others’ got this one. The short socket doesn’t clear the stud, a medium length socket wouldn’t fit in there due to the exhaust pipe.



Unlike BA this bolt mentioned above gave me very little problems and was relatively easy to remove with an off set double box 14mm wrench.
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Step 13 - Remove old gaskets if you have new ones to install. I had new ones, but my
old ones still looked very good and re-useable.
Step 14 - Re-install everything. (I was able to assemble the headers and catalytic
convertors together outside of the car. I then put them in as a single unit
per side, no problems.**

This is a great tip and will save you a lot of time!!!!!!!!!




In this picture you can see the steering racks bolts removed and hanging to allow room for removal of the drivers side header


Here is a picture of the steering coupler which needs to be removed, I simply marked the position of it so I was able to reinstall them with out tweaking the steering wheel






This is the harness where the Drivers side O2 sensor plugs in

This is my extended drivers side O2 sensor

 

wow.... like a said before you are a brave man. Thanks for posting the write-up.

Has your car ever been dyno'd?

 

I had it dyno'd a few months ago and the numbers are in my sig,

I'll probably get it dyno'd again in a few weeks..... hopefully!

 

Thanks for the great post and pics, CL members are the best !!

 

Is it possible to install without lifting the engine? I've never installed headers before, how difficult is it? A local shop said they'd charge me around $650, ouch. Maybe someone knowledgeable on here is near the Philly area and could help out?

 

Big question for me is how does it sound ? WOT ?

How much of a difference in sound? Deeper? Raspier?


Thanks for the writeup.

 

+1........I want to know the same thing.

I am guessing the sound is just smoother.

 

I'm more interested in the performance than the sound since my exhaust already makes the sound I like. I'd like to do installation myself but don't think I would if I need to raise the engine.

 

Though I agree with what your saying as I have an aftermarket exhaust / intake but any modification other than FI you won't really see a drastic difference in performance. Very minimal at best. The reason I say sound is because with an aftermarket exhaust/intake installed adding headers will most likely change the sound (good or bad for some people) pretty significantly, more so than performance..

Another concern is cracking of the headers which i read in previous threads with these headers. I'm not sure if they have fixed the issue or not but it seems installing headers is not a 1-2-3 job and it would annoy the ***** out of me one day it starts leaking and have to go through the labor of uninstalling it, putting stock back in, etc....

^^^^ This is the main reason why I didn't pull the trigger on any header mods.

 

I didn't buy these exact headers since they're not made anymore. In dyno results it had a 17 HP and 28lbs tq gain, that's with exhaust and intake already installed. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...cs-dyno-5.html. Seemed good enough for me

 

Anyone try PPE headers yet?

 

May I ask what exhaust mods you have that give you a satisfying sounds?

I have the muffler delete mod on my car, even though it is louder and better then stock, I am still not very satisfy. I just want to know what people have that they are happy with.

Thanks ahead

 

They're the ones I bought They're being coated next week, so hopefully I'll have them soon

 

I have an Injen intake. Stock cats (going to be replaced with high-flow cats when I get my headers installed), leading into an X-pipe, then a dual-in dual-out magnaflow exhaust. I have a video of what it sounded like when I first got it..it sounds better now that it has been broken in, I'll take a new video tomorrow and post it.

 

Hey guys,

you can check out this link to see how my car sounds,
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...er-delete.html


Even tho my headers were a part of the 2nd batch of S&S headers they still cracked. The passenger side was cracked pretty badly and I can now hear another hissing sound developing. these kinds of issues come up when you modify your car, you gotta pay to play....


Also S & S has since gone under and has closed its doors, I head PPE has made a header but I have no idea how it will turn out.