Acura3.0CL

For those of you 3.0 owners with headers, did you install them yourself? I went to my regular car shop today and got a quote on install and they told me 5 hrs at $70 an hr. So they want $350 just for my header install!! Thats crazy! Thats twice as much as I paied for the headers themselves!

Anyone think I could get a lower price? Im basically wondering 1.) for those of you who paied to get them installed, how much did you pay? and 2.) for you all who installed them yourself, how much of a bitch was it? I was looking at the engine bay and theres no way I can get to the back heads. It looks crazy hard to install.

Soo what should I do? (im also afarid of breaking off a bolt in the head.) Is it worth trying to install myself or is $350 the going rate for a Header install??

ghost_masterCL

well, I installed mine myself. it took me a while since a lot of hte bolts were in there pretty good adn it was my first major car install ever. I just used a socket wrench, a couple extensions, and a pipe for use as a breaker bar. I did need a local shop of mine to break loose one bolt, but it really wqasn't too tough at all. watch out for the O2 sebsor though, as I accidentally let it touch the headers after install and it caused a short costing me $450. oh well. I would set aside whole day for it just in case though.

cldriver

If they are a competent shop, it should not take 5 hours to install the headers. 1 - 1.5 hrs max.

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

1-2 hr install if you already have the downpipe bent to fit our cars.....

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

5 hours, means they're going to lunch, and you're paying them to do it, instead of work on your headers.

Acura3.0CL

The headers are 2 months used. I know i'll need new gaskets and seals and all but this shop I go to does all my services. (smaller shop where 2 guys, one from acura and one from lexus got together and started their own business) They said 5hrs just for the headers....I am not paying $350 for the install...thats crazy. Im just afarid to do it myself because I have no experience at anything like this and I really dont want to screw anything up or break off a bolt in the block or something like that. I guess i'll keep calling around.

What kind of lube should i use to loosen up the bolts? Is there anything special to use?

jtothees

lots and lots and lots of wd40

agranado

350 for an install? peace out to that!

-Alex

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

Hoestly...working on cars is like playing with Legos. It's not hard at all. You'll regret paying someone for it. It's just a few bolts, and the headers will come right off. Just put your new ones in place, and bolt em back up. Simple as that. Worst case scenario will be that one bolt will be a bitch to take off. WD40 that shit and wait a lil to let it get loose, and then your done. All in about 1-2 hours.

Acura3.0CL

but say i install myself...how the hell am i suppost to get to the heads in the back!!?! (towards the firewall) The front 3 are easy but the back 3 are gonna be a bitch! I cant even see them right now, so how the hell am i gonna get back there to remove and replace the headers?

And then how hard do i tighten them? to Ft.-Lbs? or what??

Mr.Potatohead

what kind of headers do you have?

Acura3.0CL

Im in the process of getting Megan Headers. I'll hopefully have them in a week or so...

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

you just get under the car, and do what you gotta do to get em off....

jermz123

and it would help if u had an air compressor + air tools. some of the header nuts are hard 2 take off

wilp99

go thru the bottom of the car to get to the back header, also remove the black strut tower brace on top of the engine so you get bout 6 more inches from the top side. it took me maybee 1.5 hours. to do mine. and i had to loosten all the exhaust connections all the way back. to give me bout one more inch at the header connection. def not a 350$ job. maybee 150$ if your that scared of doin it. its really easy. and ud prolly kick your self in the ass for payin someone 150$ to install them. if i get time today ill take pics and do a half ass writeup on it. since mine are already installed...

Acura3.0CL

Thanks Wilp...thatd help alot. Does anyone know for a fact if these headers would fit our engine? Their Megan Racing Headers and are for an 2000 Accord V6. I'd assume they'ed fit because both cars (the 2000 accord and our CL) have the J30a engine. Am I totaly wrong? Is there something with the Accord engines I dont know about or should these headers fit my engine?

wilp99

its not the engine thats the problem. the problem is the exhast routing. thier two totally different frames from 97 accord(our cars) and 98+ accord. tho i had no problem w/ my stone racing headers... are the megan headers the ones with the two flex pipes? if so then they are even easier to install than mine were.

Acura3.0CL

Yea, I assume they have the 2 flex pipes. He said they are only 3 months old and every picture of megan headers ive seen have 2 flex pipes. So hopefully our CL and the 2000 accord have the same exhaust setup...anyone know? Should I be that concerned abou buying them? What are my chances the headers woudnt fit my CL??

wilp99

im sure theyll fit...mine were for a 03 cl type s 6 speed. and they fit.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Wilp, did you have to bend any the flex pipe, or any of the other pipes to make it fit? I want to do it myself, but want headers that fit right on, and don't need bent or modified.

wilp99

nope... it was pretty much plug and play... except for the 1" gap between the exhaust. which i fixed by loostening all the exhaust bolts on the exhaust, then hookin it up then retightening it all back up.

ATrain3.0

Acouple things: 1.) Make sure you use jack stands. You will torqueing/breaking bolts lying under the car and its is not safe without stands, or if you have access to a lift, that would be ideal.
2.) You can use WD40 or PB Blaster to hopefully loosen the bolts, although, I still had one that was stuck.
3.) If you decide to pay a shop, try a muffler shop. They should be more familiar with header installation.

wilp99

and if it had to be bent, they could do it in like 5 min.. and i know dust got his bent for free..

ATrain3.0

When a shop gives you an outrageous quote, its usually means that, for whatever reason, they don't want or need the job. My advice would be to try to find a 'mom & pop' type of muffler shop outside of town somewhere. They would be more likely to give you a fair price if they actually need the business. Anyway, just a thought. Because a knowledgeable person with air tools and a lift should be able to stick some headers on pretty easily.

rustyskim7

looks hot man... niceeee work. i just got my ww lip in the mail and since my car is mostly primerose and black i slapped it on black until i paint it. i was so eager to see it. it makes such a difference. i'm still debating on either painting it gunmetal, red, or that new cl type s blue. what do ya'll think?

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

go blue cuz i want gunmetal