Triz08

<---- Triz who very eagerly awaits the resuts of TSX536's header install!!!

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Alright, I'm back. I found a Midas that tacked it up for 10 bucks. What a deal! And at the same time I met an old man that sold tools and is supposed to hook me up with a torque wrench tonight for 50 bucks. I was really wanted one of those before I did the install to make sure I didn't over-torque.

As far as engine mods, all I have is an Injen CAI so far. But soon to have a heat shield gasket and TB bypass.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I hope the torque wrench is of good quality. Sears has torque wrenches for around $60.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Yeah, that is what I was thinking. He told me the brand but I had never heard of it. hmmm. i really am a fan of craftsman tools. Its abou the only thing I'll buy. But I use a torque wrench pretty infrequently so I can't decide whether its worth it to get a cheaper one, or just pony up and get me one that I know will work. I'll ask him again about the brand when he calls back and do a little research.

Tsx536

DC Headers - Manufactured around 11/24/04

Tsx536

I got my headers tonight and they are not the fixed version I bought the headers off a seller on Ebay before I knew that our local vendor Excelerate was sellling. The original invoice from DC was in the box and it said the headers were originally shipped from there on 11/24/04. I'm going to a local muffler shop to get the headers tacked welded tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be too expensive.

I took off my heat shield tonight to spray down the bolts with penetrating oil. I also sprayed the bolts close to the cat. I put a ratchet/wrench to every single bolt that I'm going to need to take off. Doesn't seem like any bolt is going to be too diffcult to reach
The only things that look like they might be tricky are the O2 sensor and getting the rubber bracket off of the OEM header.

I did have a couple more Q's for JTso.
1) How many lbs do you torque the bolts that connect the primary and secondary parts of the DC header?
2) When do you remove the heatshield? Can it be taken off before you remove the OEM header, or do you remove it all at the same time?

drkangel348

man... I don't know what to do... should I go with DC sports and risk damage with their headers or should I go with Comptech headers that I know will be quality headers but not as much gains.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

1. Just tighten the bolts/nuts to about 25 lbs or so. The exhaust manifold needs about 33 lbs and tighten it in a cross patten from the center out.
2. You have to remove the heatshield first.

Tsx536

drkangel348: I went through the same thing you did. In the end I decided to take a little risk and go with DC. I looked at it this way. I would be pissed if I would have paid $200 more only to get less power. From what everyone is saying sounds like tack welding the flange to the flex pipe fixes any breaking issues. When I first got to the header, I must admit though, I thought they could have did a better job with the welds in a few places. If I never saw any dynos and were to make my decision based on looking at the DC and Comptech Headers side by side, I would pick the Comptech headers hands down. In the end though I picked the DC because of the dynos. Dynos don't lie.

JTso: I was thinking 25 lbs, just like the bolt that connect the 2nd secondary part of the header to the Cat. Thanks for the confirmation. I think I'm all set now.

Triz08

is a torque wrench absolutely needed for this install, or can i just use a ratchet and just not overtighten the bolts. Im guessing 25-33lbs is around the point of where it feels like its on there snug but just not using all your strength on the ratchet to tighten it.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

Not absolutely necessary if you be careful and don't break the studs off the cylinder head. You will kind of know it when it's tighten and don't try to over torque the bolts/nuts.

rmpage

I have a Comptech header that I bought primarily for the build quality last fall before I knew that the DC headers' flange joint could be so easily repaired. I would buy one of the OLD DC headers now, but since you can get the new revision that's been fixed, go for that. No sense in paying more for less.

drkangel348

Thanks for your insight Tsx536, and rmpage. I guess I'll go ahead and order the DC sports headers.

Stokeless_TSX

I have my header installed and I immediately felt the difference. Picks up much quicker and pulls harder when i smash the throttle down. DC works great for me.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

Time for a dyno Stoke.

Tsx536

Just got back from the local muffler shop. Only $10 for the tack welds. He made six of them. I'll try to post pics late tonight after dinner.

Tsx536

I found out the Autozones in my area have Loaner tools

I just have to put down a $90 for a torque wrench and I get all $90 back when I return it. You should just do this Triz. Then you won't have to worry about whether or not you torque everything correctly.

xizor

get one of these link . I have one and have used it 100 times and its held up well. Some people don't like harbor freight, but my friend bought the exact same one rebranded by someone else for $30. i'll probably buy another to replace mine as its calibration is probably off after so many uses.

And then get this as well link . Pretty solid bar, hasn't broken on me yet.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Holy crap, I tried to start my installation tonight. The freakin bolts on the heat shield are stuck on. I'm off to Walmart to get 3/8" to 1/2" socket expander to see if I can get some more torque on those things.

Tsx536

Great links X! I'm just gonna use the loaner torque wrench for now. I want to install on Saturday, so if I order online the tools might not get to me fast enough. I have to go to a big conference for work in Atlanta next weekend, so I pretty much have to get the install done this weekend. With that good of a price, maybe I should pick up one of those torque wrenches for next time though.

Stokeless_TSX

I'll try and dyno next week I got the car show to prep for ..I have to be ready by friday afternoon..

Tsx536

Did you spray on penetrating oil?
Mine came off pretty easily. I got all of the bolts off from the top.
For the one on the very bottom, I just kept my car on the ground, approached from the passenger side and reached way down with my stomach on the engine.

You can also use the double wrench method that JTso's install thread shows to get it from the bottom.

Triz08

Alright sounds good, looks like ill be picking up some loaner tools from autozone now. I placed my order through excelerate tonight, header should be here on monday.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Well... Car-1 Chris-0

I spent all night putting the header on only to start it up and find that I have a leak where the two parts of the header are bolted together. I was hoping at first that it was just the penetrating oil buring off the block but it kept on going. It's not enough to throw a CEL but you can definately see it and certainly smell it. I think my whole apartment parking lot smells like eggs.

Its pretty frustrating to do all that work and not be able to reap the fruits of my labor. I was suspicious when putting it on because they didn't line up too good and I had to pull pretty hard to get the two flanges to mount up. I'm hoping its just an O-ring not seating well. So I'll take it back apart after work tomorrow and reseat everything. Hopefully, that will fix it. At least I know its not the gasket on the block.

I think TOV had the right idea and suggested to put the two together first. That would've saved me a hellova lot of time and well as the pain of having to worry about those flanges mating up we'll while your under the car.

One more thing, when I started the car on the jack stands, the wheels would slowly turn and the speedo was reading that I was going about 5 mph. I could stop the wheel with my hand but when I let off it would start back. And this is with the car in neutral on a MT. Intereseting... If anybody knows why this is, I'd love to know. It sounds like my clutch might be touching something and causing it to turn. Hell maybe thats where the smoke is coming from. This is gonna be bothering me all night.

Tsx536

Dang man...that f'in sucks. So when you connected the primary and secondary parts of the DC header. Did you start from the middle bolt and work your way out?

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Yeah, I did it just like it said. But who knows, I might just of torque them down unevenly, or just now enough. I was only using my 3/8" wrench instead of my 1/2 when I put everything on. But I tightened everything up to the point where it got snug and then gave it one good pull to since it on there good.

I'm hoping it's something as simple as that. Luckily, since putting the secondary on is the last step, it shouldn't be to hard to pull it off and redo it. I'm just praying one of the 0-rings didn't get offset and crushed between the flanges.

Stokeless_TSX

My butt dyno tells me im faster but the track says im still a slow big boned TSX. =(

sauceman

Don't worry about it, it's normal.

Many cars do this, both MT and AT.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Thanks Sauce. Yeah, I'm feeling a little better this morning now that I have some sleep and put band-aids on all my knuckles. I officially lost about 4 oz of skin last night. I think everytime I broke a bolt loose I would wack my hands on something. I finally got on my weight lifting gloves and that seemed to help. I've heard the mechanics gloves are the real thing to get.

But confidence is high right now so I'm thinking getting this thing going after work shouldn't be too big of a hassle right. As long as those 0-rings aren't f'd up. I'll give ya'll a report on my success later.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

Make sure to check the alignment of the O-rings on the 2-1 section pipe. Install the O-rings and slowly raise the pipe up to the primary section. Then loosely install the 3 bolts. Double check the alignment of the O-rings before tighten down the mounting bolts, and tigthen them evenly so O-rings won't pop out of alignment.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Thanks Jtso. I'm going to be super duper carefull when I do it this time. The hardest part though was that after the 2-1 was bolted as lightly as I could get it to the cat. There was like an inch difference between where the 4-2 and 2-1 holes lined up. It was all I could do to try and squeeze them together and thread a bolt.

I'm thinking that I'm gonna bolt the 4-2 and 2-1 first and then try to slip it over the studs on the cat. Do you think thats possible Jtso?

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I think it's possible. The key about any installation is use whatever method that works best for you, and use other references to guide you. Good luck.

xizor

Gloves are a necessity working on the engine. I have an inch long scar on my pinky knuckle from installing my hondata gasket. I ended up bleeding all over my engine, lol. Now its gloves only, saves on cleanup time as well.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I used those disposable gloves on light duty stuffs and mechanic's gloves for hot surface stuffs like exhaust. Just remember, each pair of torn gloves means a layer of skin saved.

Tsx536

Here are some pics of my fixed header with the tack welds. The welder put in six weld points.

Tsx536

Wolfpack, please let me know if you have any clearance issues with getting the header under the engine as 1 piece. After bolting the two parts of the header together last night, I could see how it might be difficult to line up the primary and secondary pieces perfectly. Seems like it would really difficult to get the torque wrench up there to torque the bolts correctly.

Also, did you have any clearance issue with your torque wrench and/or breaker bar?
The torque wrench I have is about 18 inches long and I'm worried I won't have enough room to get to the bolts on the exhaust manifold. I'm thinking I should pick up a 1/2" flex joint adapter.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

I didn't put the header in as one piece but I wish I had. Since the 4-2 is already bolted up to the block, I'm just gonna remove the 2-1 and attach it the the 4-2 first and then to the cat.

As far as clearance, I didn't have a breaker bar or torque wrench. I just guessed at the torque and just tried to tighten every thing up as good as I could without overdoing it. I think it would be hard as hell to use the torque wrench. I had NO room to move when putting on or taking off some of those bolts and really had to fish around in the engine bay to find a good spot to turn them. All of the time I was using my 1/2" with a reducer plus extender or 3/8" with extender. I really sucked trying to manuver. So I'm thinking an 18" bar would be pretty extreme except for breaking loose the nuts on the 4-2 attached to the block.

Fortunately, I'm 6'3" and could reach into my engine bay while on the jack stands and reach all but one bolt. But after a while, my back was killing me. It would of been real nice to have someone hold the head from below while I tightened the nuts onto the studs of the block. Trying to it myself was pretty stressfull while trying to handle it and not smack it around and chip the ceramic finish.

Tsx536

Hmm....I'm going to make sure to get a flex joint then for the torque wrench and breaker bar. I wonder how other people got their torque wrenches up there. All of the torque wrenches I have seen that measure in lbs. are all around 18" long. I did see one that measured in inch/lbs. but I didn't think it would go high enough to reach the 36 ft/lbs that I need for the bolts on the exhuast manifold.

You should wrap the header in shirts/towels using tape and being careful not to let the tape touch the header. This is mentioned in TOV's install instructions.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

I had my header wrapped like a little baby inside a towel when I put it in. It definately cut down on the nicks. And when I was done, I washed everyting down with a mixture of soap and water to get the rest of the grease and finger prints off. The 2-1 header was covered with prints because its near impossible to try and bolt it while hold onto a towel plus it got smeared when I took it and had it welded.

Wolfpack_TSX_22

Alright, it's done and done. After redoing the 2-1 I don't think it was an exhaust leak after all. I still have the same smoking for a while but I sat under the car while I was doing it and it was coming off of everywhere. I think my problem was that I filled the o-ring grooves with this oil to make them stick while I screwed everything in place and that the smoke is just the oil and grime burning off.

I sat under the car while my roomate cranked it up and gave it some gas and the smoke would just wisp off and slowly rise up. It wasn't as if it was being forced out of the flanges. I also took a couple of drops of oil and dripped it on the pipe going to the cat and it immediately started to smoke and had the same smell as earlier. I let it run for about 10 minutes and it finally stopped and everything looked good. So I drove it around the apartment for a bit andl no smoke. I then drove it about a mile to the store and layed into it. It definately has more power, especially when vtec kicked in. After getting to the store, I popped the hood and there was a bunch smoke coming out from the flange. Yikes, but it smelled like that oil still so I'm just gonna take it easy the next couple of days and see if that eventually clears up. I'm like 98% sure its just the oils I used burning off.

So I guess thats a lesson learned, don't use oil to hold on your o-rings. And yes, in hind site it was a pretty stupid idea on my part so everybody can laugh at me. But at least I know I can install a header and I'm not a complete 'tard like I thought last night since Jtso made it sound so easy.

Thanks everybody for the help today and last night