Acura3.0CL

Oh, disregard all the other header threads I’ve started. I have now realized after being severely screwed (minus 8hrs of my time installing twice and minus $400+)

HEADERS FOR THE ACCORD V6 98-02 WILL NOT FIT THE 97-98 3.0 V6 CL!!!

I wish i would have known all this shit earlier. I am soo pissed. Does anyone know what headers will fit the 97-98 3.0 CL??? Does anyone with a 97-98 3.0 CL have headers!?!
I know Dustbuster4 had some but they were “custom obx headers”….does anyone know how I could get in touch with Dust buster?

According to Megan Racing, their Accord V6 98-02 headers were tested on the 99+ CL only...

I got to looking, I think I know whats different between the 97-98 CL and the 99 CL...

If you look at this picture of the headers, look at the gap between the 2 pipes. (where the pipe extends out and up toward the back head)

http://www.v6performance.net/review...F0044-large.jpg

Thats the Headers for the 98-02 V6 Accord (which you'd think would fit the 97-98 CL)

Then look at the pict of the headers on Dustbusters car. It looks like the gap between the 2 pipes is much smaller.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/225532


Soo I dont understand why the engine/exhaust setup would of changed between 97-98 to 99....but it looks different..

SO WHAT V6 HEADERS WILL FIT THE 97 3.0 CL?????

I called Comptech and they told me they did make headers for the 97-98 CL but stopped making them. He did confirm that the headers/downpipe exhaust is different on a 97-98 CL than on the 99. He said the 97-98 CL has the old style accord engine comparable to the 96-97 Accord V6. (I cannot find 96-97 Accord V6 headers anywhere either.

Can Anyone Help!?!?! Ive already waisted soo much time and $$ into this shit...

Acura3.0CL

You know, Ive been searching...am I correct when I say that no one else besides Dustbuster had headers on their 97-98 3.0 V6 CL?? ( i know dustbuster said his OBX were custom but im not sure how...)

Does no one else with the 97-98 3.0 have headers??

Jamz

cldriver, fastvtecCL (a couple others) had the V6 3.0 Comptech header

several others had the OBX's modified with the slight bend to make them fit (I think someone had a set that didn't need any bending)

you're the only one I know of that's tried these Megan Racing ones (can you return them or sell them to get your money back?)

sounds like a set of used Comptech's is the way to go..........if you can find them


edit: 97-99 3.0's should all bolt up the same shouldn't they?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Dustbuster's car is long gone they were customized because he had to have the collector bent. There are a lot of people on here with headers on their 3.0's they just haven't chimed in yet. I am in the process of picking headers to go on my 3.0 so i am interested to see what responses you get. But just about every accord header you find will have to at least have the collector or down pipe bent slightly to fit.

Acura3.0CL

well shit...i just waisted $250 at Midas for them to try to get my headers to fit, they told me they woudnt bend it and charged me $250 for labor for messing with my headers and putting the stock headers back on...this day has been soo shitty...

Soo...crap...the OBX headers have been bent but no ones tried the Megan Racing ones. (maybe they would be better because of the 2 flex pipes??) Im just afarid to bend the downpipe and totaly screw it up where I wont be able to even install it or sell it. I mean, I could sell my header system now, but once I bend it, if it totaly get jacked up and dosnt fit on my car, i cant sell it. Im afarid to bend it. I did some more searching and found dustbusters writeup but im still iffy on how/where to bend the pipe.

(heres Dustbusters writeup)
http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=82498

Heres Dusts OBX Headers


Heres the Megan Racing Headers


This is where Dust said to bend...(still kinda confused on where to bend)


Now Dust talked about there being a slight twist in the flange that connects to the rear header (meaning the entire downpipe was slightly twisted and prohibited direct alignment with the CAT. He said you can still bolt everything up with some effort, but im afarid if i bent the downpipe in the wrong area, everything would be totaly ruined.

Can anyone help clarify exactly where to bend the pipe 1" inwards?

You think the OBX and Megan Headers are simular enough to think that bending the megan headers, it woudl work?? (they look like the same header dont they?

Acura3.0CL

Does anyone have a pict straight under their car of the downpipe installed after the bending?? Im assuming the OEM Center Beam Bar fits now because before, the flex pipe was in the way.

ajtcl

It looks as though the rear down pipe is going to bend at the U. It will push the rear down pipe 1" closer to the CAT, and when he said the flange was twisted, he means that the flange changes position slightly when the bend is complete. So bolting it up would require a little extra muscle to force the flanges together long enough to get the bolts in. Good luck with that... You could bend without ruining them if you don't flatten the pipe or crack the welds.

wilp99

take it to a mom and pop muffler shop they should bend it for you cheap.. dust got his done free.. and i think theres been a couple of people here who have also had thiers done free. i got stone racing headers and they fit right up.. besides the exhaust gap, just take it to another shop. and see wasup.. its pretty easy to bend them.

ajtcl

Precious is a 3.0, yes... If so, I will probably go with the Stones as well. I've been checking around. I think that is gonna be my next mod... Exhaust and headers.

Acura3.0CL

Do you all think new bigger piping would also help a bunch?? I mean I had a custom axle back put on (the muffler of my choice + bigger piping) and now that I've got headers, Im thinkin about getting the rest of the OEM piping removed and redone. I'll keep the CAT and Res. but change out the piping. I wonder how hard it would be and how much....would that little bit of piping even change anything?? Is it worth it?

BTW: does ANYONE have a pict of the downpipe after it was bent. before it was installed?

I'd like to be able to take both picts a before and after to the shop to have them see how I want it bent. (I know of a local shop that would do it real cheap, if not free, but they dont speak english well at all...a visual aid would help out alot!)

kinvid

The 97-99 CL 3.0 motor is identical as 98-02 AV6's. The measurement and size of head and block is no different. What's not the same is the stock exhaust manifold of each car- the angle and positioin it extends toward the exhaust piping. The location of the exhaust piping/catalytic converter will have a dramatic effect on the structural design of the header.

Try installing a stock Accord V6 exhaust manifold on the CL, and you will run into the same problems. I can understand why aftermarket companies did not produce a header for CL, but what I can't understand is why companies (or seller of) like Megan, OBX, etc. would want to target their "Accord V6" headers as probable applications for 97-99 CL's? I know advertising this "It will also fit the 97-99 3.0 CL with custom bending" clause will bring in more sales, but do they not know the very difficulties it put upon CL buyers?

Check out this header for Honda/Acura V6 motors: 98-02 Honda Accord V6 TL CL Stainless Steel JDM Header
and OBX Racing Headers 99-03 Acura CL TL 3.2L V6 ALL Header

The no name brand is $150 while the OBX one is $300. To me its the same header. Nothing distinct about design, material, and craftmanship(these headers comes from the same manufacturers). I would pay for neither because they're not exclusively made for 1st gen CL.

My advice is to sell that Megan header to the boy in Smallville who bends steel like nothing, and save yourself the time, headaches, and money to find the real deal from Comptech. Good luck

Acura3.0CL

Comptech DID make an exclusive header system for the 1st gen CL, but then discontinued it. Finding a used one would be too hard and still probably too much $$. Plus it'd be hella old and used. If all works, a simple bend and everything should be find. I mean Ive already installed these headers twice now. As soon as I get that pipe bent, I bet I could get the headers swapped in 1.5 hrs tops.

If you can find a set of Comptech headers for the 1st gen CL (which would be used ones) at a good price, definitly tell me and post the link....otherwise, bending is the only way to go.

kinvid

I was refering "the real deal" as in the only headers made for 1st gen CL by comptech. And "Good luck" as in yes, it will be money and time consuming to find it while you already exerted your sweat to make the Megan work out on your car. How much did you pay for the Megan by the way?

kinvid

oh heres a little trick to bend the pipes.....get a giant "C" clamp and clamp the pipe accordingly together. Just turn the handle like superman! You can get that clamp any where by the way.

Ahhhh....don't forget to use cushion between the teeth and header piping

wilp99

a giant c clamp would cost more than it would to just take it to a shop and have them use thier giant c clamp to bend it.

let this be a word to the wise get the stone racing ones for the type s 6 speed. the rear header has a bend in it so you cant get it confused with the front one, and it pretty much bolts right up. the only 2 problems i had was the 1/2 inch gap between the collector and the cat and it was barley hitting the center xmember support. which i bent alittle with a hammer. no problems yet... knock on wood.

Acura3.0CL

Because of the bending I will have to be doing, should I expect a 1/2" gap still? (When I bolted the megan headers up before, i had a 1/2" gap and had to go behind my car and push the tailpipes in under the bumper to get everything to bolt up. And then my tailpipes looked like shit because they wernt flush anymore and were 1/2" inwards under the bumper.

Also, after bending, did anyone have any problems still hitting rubbing aginst the Center beam bar?

As far as the headers go, I got the Megan headers for $160

Now I do have a question involving you all's opinion:

I had the Megan Headers bolted up and the car was running. Because the pipe wasnt bent, i wasnt able to install the OEM Center Beam Bar back on and my cat had shifted to the right and was rubbing into the head shield. I carefully drove my car to Midas this morning. I showed them the problem and they said they would see what they could do. (At the time, i didnt know about bending the pipe) 2 hrs later they call and tell me nothing can be done, they cant install it correctly. So i drive up there with my OEM system and they compared the 2 downpipes and was like, this system is not made for your car, were putting the OEM stock system back on. I asked them if there was anything else they could do, I asked them to bend the pipe at this point, and he told me he woudnt bend it and they hated aftermarket systems and that the OEM was fine, he was putting that on because that was the only way my car was safe to drive. (because the OEM system allowed the Center beam bar to be put back on) So then they charged me $250 for about 3hrs of labor, when all they did was take off the megan headers i had already installed and put the stock system back on. (keep in mind they woudnt bend the pipe for me)

Do you think its fair they charged me $250 for labor? Should I go back and complain after I get my pipe bent to prove to them that they screwed me and it would of worked? Should I make them install it after the pipe is bent? What do u all think??
I just hate the fact that I got screwed out of $250 for something i could of swapped back in my garage just because some guy didnt want to bend a pipe.

wilp99

it couldnt hurt to complain.. i mean 250$ is rediculous as it is. for 3 hours of work.. they should be able to hook you up.. and if they dont, then tell them to fuck themselves. also try to loosten up your entire exhaust piece by piece to get it to connect to the header. thats what i did and it only made my exhaust go in maybee 1/4 inch. or you could go to autozone and order one of each exhaust gaskets, to make the exhaust 1/4" longer.

Acura3.0CL

New gaskets...good idea...that should help extend the gap. Yea I realised that the stock system didnt have gaskets...kinda freaked me out

AS3.0CL

i ma very interested in headers at this point as well. i have done research on the stone racing headers and since now i know you own them did they go right in with not a problem and no bending other then losing up your exhaust. i want headers that i can just put them on with out any bending what so ever. and by anychance where did you get them form?

wilp99

i got them on ebay for bout 300$ to the door.. as far as the headers go they did bolt right up except for the cat gap and the stupid x member center brace which i took off and heat with a hammer.

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

Dude, just bend the downpipe liked I've said. It's the only way they fit our cars. Bend the downpipe 1 inch closer to the pipe that connects to your cat on your header. Just like in the picture.

Acura3.0CL

god i wish i would of known this earlier!!! How is it that I had nooo clue about bending the pipe or that the heads are different and theres a front and back....this "lack of info" costed me a little over $300 plus about 8 hrs in my own labor time...Cant we have like a sticky thread thats general info about mods and DIY for each mod!?! I'd make things soo much easier, especially for the newbies.

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

You been on the boards since 02'....how'd you not know?...lol......next time just come to me, I'll help you out. But I'm not good with electricals...

Cocoa

iTrader: (2)

Also, the 95-97 accord headers you were looking for, well they have C27 motors in them, not J series. Also, the blocks are angled 90 degrees, while ours are at 60 degrees I believe.

wilp99

95-97 accord v6's suck..

Acura3.0CL

My god...the comptech guy totaly screwed me....thanks for the help!

vietxplicitz

how about the alpha werks..?!?!??!

Jleev6

what happened with the "comptech guy"?

Acura3.0CL

he just gave me wrong info...I mean I guess he didnt know all that we know, but he was telling me to buy headers from a 95-97 accord to fit my 97 3.0. He told me for the 97-98 CL, you have to use the 95-97 headers...

He just got me really confused with everything that was going on. Thankfully now, things are getting straightened out. Im going back to Midas today to show them the post on why you have to bend the pipe, tell them thats what I wanted them to do and they woudnt and I had to pay them $250 for nothing and I want some compensation in return, like a free bend or install or something...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

good luck, a midas up here just fucked my boy's exhaust install up. I will not be going to them for my header/exhaust install. But make them compensate you and do your install for free. What a crock.

Acura3.0CL

I went there, the decided to bend the pipe for free. They said they heated it up with a torch and bent it 1"....(you cant even tell, they did a good job bending) I've got picts of the downpipe after the bend (since I coudnt find any "after picts" after bending when I searched...only found "before bending picts")
I'll post the picts soon, that way, anyone else going through this too, can print out Dustbusters informational "where to bend" pict and then my "after bend" pict to show they shop what they want done.

Acura3.0CL

For those of you who are about to install headers, or needing to bend the downpipe. I’d suggest taking before and after pictures to the shop of your choice when you’re having them bend your pipe. (check pg 1 for Dustbusters before bending pictorial instructions)

This is what my Megan Racing Downpipe looked like before the bend.


This is now after the bend.


Remember to show your shop dustbusters picture so they know exactly where to bend and on what axis and all.

And lastly, here is a closeup of where they had to heat up the metal with a torch and then bend 1” (you can see the heated discoloration circle)

Acura3.0CL

since its not wanting to show the pictures...heres the links..

(bent pipe)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/carrol...17.jpg&.src=ph

(heat spot on pipe)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/carrol...a9.jpg&.src=ph

wilp99

so wazup are you gonna put them back on tonight?

Acura3.0CL

I wish I could install them tonight but I have to give a Tribute speech in the morning for class, and I havnt even written or practiced the speech...so no time for the headers just yet. Fri or Sat hopefully...even if I have to do the install alone.)

let me just put things in to perspective for you all...

I decided to buy the headers around MAY 13th. The guy who was selling them to me still have to remove them from his car. (3mo. used, he upgraded to comptech because of his S/C.) Him and I were both finishing finals and then he was setting up classes for the summer, laying new grass, and finally removed his headers and I recieved them JUNE 6th.

Since then, Ive removed the stock system, installed the new headers, but coudnt get 3 bolts of, reinstalled the stock system, got the bolts removed, uninstalled the stock system and installed the new headers again, shit didnt fit right, coudnt re-install the center beam (subframe strut bar) so I took it to midas, they told me they thought i installed something wrong, so they uninstalled the new headers, reinstalled them wrong, then installed them again back the way I had them before, still nothing fix, they told me SOL they woudnt do anything and they put my stock headers back on. SO, over 10 of my man hrs, over $300 waisted, and sitting in my garage is the new headers, that are FINALLY ready to install, knowing I wont have any problems this time. Ive been waiting for the headers for about a month, and within the past 2 weeks, tried 3 times to install them and kept failing. (keep inmind I only spend $160 on the headers.

THIS WEEKEND THEY WILL GO IN MY DAMN CAR AND EVERYTHING WILL FIT AND WORK!!! lol....I've come soo far and dealt with soo much BS with these things, this better be the last time I have to deal with the headers.

Oh, and yea, now my Cruise Control dosnt work...I probably jacked something up during one of the installs...

wilp99

that sucks slim.. i hope it goes good this time..