Ok tommorow i am going to install the headers. I will be using the gaskets that came with it, and getting the 10x 30 bolts from autozone or homedepot.

BUT I just went through all 17 pages of penguins thread on replacing his meugens for XS. I read alot of issues with resonance. How can this be avoided.

Install them correctly...That's really all there is to it. But I recommend getting grade 8 hardened bolts to replace the ones with the headers. Also get OEM gaskets. Just my

If I have to get OEM gaskets then I wont get time to install the headers till another couple of weeks. Since its my day off cause the Stockmarket is closed, it was my time to unwind. Can i just reuse the old ones?

yea re-use the gaskets that connect the header to the head, use the o-rings that you got with the XS headers.

Your best bet for bolts is Autozone, they sold them in packs of 8, you'll need washers and nuts too, also sold in a pack. When I went to home depot, they didnt have anything that would work.

i went to home depot on capital circle and found the 10X40 1.5 pitch but they only had 6 of them so i got three of the 10X40 1.25 pitch bolts for the three cat bolts and will use the 1.50 pitch for the headers to down pipe. do i need washers for all of these 9 bolts or just the washer for the O2 sensor you were talking about? what size is that washer?

So you're not gonna wait for me? I see how it is...haha...just kidding, i don't blame ya, it would be a huge tease to let em just sit there until august.....but yea, you need washers for all the bolts...and that O2 sensor trick i found, you can either double up the washers, or just get a wire and wrap it around and then tighten the O2 sensor up, just so the original washer isnt vibrating around...

And just a heads up on the Cat bolts, spend some time and try and get the nuts off and leave those bolts alone if at all possible, they were a b!tch to get the bolt out for me because they have a knub at the end.

I learned the hard way and cut the bolts after a few attempts at the nuts and ended up torching the bolt, spraying it it rust eating acid, and still took about 2 hours to hammer 2 bolts out...I couldn't get the last one off (which was in pretty bad shape thread wise from the saws all) but I was able to just make new threads with a new nut and ended up fine.


Anyway, message me if you want my cell phone number and I'll be happy to give you any more advice if you start workin on it and you get stuck in the middle

I tried jacking the car up today to get the cat bolts started but of course, they wouldn't budge. The jack stands that I got can't go up to the next notch when I have the stock jack up all the way, so the car is not very high off the ground and I don't have a lot of room to work. I also couldn't get to the bottom bolt on the heat shield on the front because my socket was too big.

Yea, I'm gonna try and get them on as soon as I can
I talked to an old buddy I used to work with at Dodge Chrysler Jeep that is gonna call me when I can bring it up there to use the lift, air tools and his help for a few hours.

You don't happen to remember the size of the washer you used for the O2 sensor, do you? Like I said, I want to buy everything I need for this and have it all ready for when my buddy calls me.

So you mean get the nuts off the bolts from the cat and just slide the whole stock headers forward and leave those three bolts in? It was hard to get them out to replace it with new bolts?

That's what I don't want to have happen. I deliver for work so I use my car 50-100 miles a day 5 or 6 times a week, so I need to do everything at one time and have as little down time as possible.

Ok got it done last night, there is resonance but I really cant get rid of it, I had a couple people help me and I would like to thank them all. Joe, Vinny, and Mario thanks.

For the headers the car does pull better but not really a night and day differ. I will be installing the Aem cold air intake tommrow.

I have read probably all the XSP threads and am aware of the type of bolts needed, but I don't recall reference to how many. Can someone please tell?

And these washers? How many/ what kind & size, if'n you please?!

take the header to autozone, All i know is mine were not the m10 that everyone said. when i find the box i will let u know.

All you need is 6 of them M10x30 or 40 is the size you need. Pitch doesnt matter as long as you get 6 matching nuts to go with. Washers arent needed but if you choose to get them get the ones that fit the bolts correctly

the install is pretty easy. i do have resonance. i haven't gone back under to check it out, but i'm going to try to tighten everything and add the extra washer like everyone has been talking about.

If you are getting a slight moaning sound kinda when you are accelerating, there is nothing you can really do about it, I the the extra washer on the O2 sensor because I was getting a metallic rattle like something was loose when I accellerated. A lot of people thought it was the heat shield, but my rattling has been gone since.

Just wanted to give you a heads up so you're not going crazy trying to get rid of the moaning sound......i'm assuming theres nothing to be done with it (its not so bad anyway)

I get the metal on metal sound around 1900rpm and 3000

Just wondering - do the DC Sports headers have these resonance or O2 sensor issues?

There were issues with leaking at the collectors on the 1st batch of DC Headers that had just two-bolt collector flanges. DC Sports has since re-designed these headers, incorporating a three-bolt collector flange. I haven't heard anyone say that whether there are any issues with these new headers.

I have the original two-bolt collector flange headers that are not leaking anymore since DC Sport sent me a much thicker set of gaskets with a metal o-ring. I've had the headers for about 7-8 months and I get no resonance at all, just a nice deep rumble with my stock exhaust. Never had any issues with the O2 sensor. The ceramic coating still looks as nice as the day the headers were installed too.

Is your hanger touching any thing or did you have to force any thing to get them lined up? I just installed a set for someone and they are whisper quiet just like mine

Better inspect them well cause the pair i pulled off a members car had the welds cracking

Did you (or the member who owned the headers) ever hear any leaking or resonance? I don't hear anything nor do I see anything. Which welds were cracked - at the manifold or at the collector?

Thanks for the info. I would probably look at the DC Sport headers (new 3-bolt flange design) if I were to go with headers on my TL-S. I don't want any resonance issues, as I hate droning exhausts (I've dealt with that on previous cars).

He had allsorts of issues, resonance, hissing. It was cracked at the manifold piece

Ah, that's good to know. I have no problems like that. Thanks.

That member would have been me

I had all kinds of issues with my DC's, leaks, resonance, cracked manifold and a crack around where the o2 sesnor screwed in. The ceramic coating also did not hold up worth a damn. I had these headers on for 1 year, 1 winter, and they are pretty rusted. I guess thats what I get for buying ceramic coated MILD steel, I will have to post pictures. XS are stainless steel, with mild steel flanges, but I had them coated by HPC so I woun't have that problem, plus they warranty their coating, so if it does rust they will recoat for free the 1st time.

Without the hanger there was alot of resonance, when we put it back on it was cut down alot but still have it. I will go check everything out again.

After I finally got the leaking problem fixed, I have had ZERO problems with the headers - no leaking, no cracking, no resonance and good power. I even got AEM/DC Sports to compensate me a little somethinig for my repeated trips to the install shop to get the gaskets replaced until they provided me with the ones I have now. They sent me a set of the newly-designed headers (with the 3-bolt collector flange), but I never installed them and eventually sent them back.

Just curious - AEM/DC Sports warranties their headers for 12 months. Did you try to get them replaced before you got the XSP headers? Even if you decided later not to install the DC Sports, you could have sold them.

See my post in this thread, it will explain some of what I went through at the beginning in dealing with AEM/DC: Click Here

After that I just said the hell with DC bought the XS headers and had them coated for cheaper than a new pair of DC's including shipping. AEM/DC would admit the issue but do nothing for me, and since this is my only mode of transportation taking them off and sending them to cali was unreasonable. I even offered to pay the difference in cost between the 2bolt and 3bolt if they would send me a new set, no dice, even though they admitted a known issue. Plus as fsttyms1 would also back me on there was a good chance my headers were bent/made defective since as of right now I am the only person to have had to move the rear engine mount to get the DC's to fit, thats not right. DC didn't like hearing that but would do nothing. Their customer service for the first time in my few experiences with them was terrible, not because I didn't get what I wanted but because they wouldn't back their warranty.

On to the DC warranty yes it is for a year, but let me throw this option at you. Its what $385 for the DC 3bolt headers now. If the headers rust will DC cover that.....nope. If they eventually rust through will they cover that after a year....nope. Why do I bring this up, to prove that there are better options out there for that money. What I did was I bought XS Headers, sent them to High Performance Coatings and had them coated (just like Jet Hot). Headers=$150 at the time now are cheaper, Coating=$200 for a total of $350. What does this give me though?? SSAutochrome (XS) offers no warranty on the headers but because of the nature of the coating that HPC puts on the headers, all of a sudden now I have a 3+ year warranty against rust, see below:

HPC Coating Warranty
1. HiPerCoat® coated exhaust components are guaranteed against sub-surface rust and corrosion to the original purchaser for as long as they own the component(s). HPC will provide 100% of the cost to recoat the component(s) for a period of three (3) years if sub-surface corrosion has formed over the coating. Commencement of warranty is effective beginning the shipment date from HPC. The owner of the component(s) is responsible for freight charges to and from an HPC facility.

2. Sub-surface rust and corrosion that occurs after the first three (3) years will be recoated at 50% of the current coating services cost. The owner of the component(s) is responsible for current stripping and freight charges to and from an HPC facility.

3. Stains, oxidation and areas damaged by exceeding temperature limitations of the coating during the first three years will not be warranted but will be recoated at 50% of the current coating services cost. The owner of the component(s) is responsible for current stripping and freight charges to and from an HPC facility.


Now, you see why I gave up on DC, it was initially a bad product design in my eyes and yes it is better with the 3 bolt, but in my area the DC's couldn't handle the climate/environmental factors, for instance HPC gurantees their coating can stand up to salt. My Apexi WS2 catback has held up much better over the last three winters than the DC's did one winter. Just my opinion, but there are better ways to go then DC, I would not recommend DC headers to anyone. A little bitter yes, but it was just a bad experience.

I have another question. For those of you who reused the OEM manifold gaskets, is there a little tab that sticks up on top on both sides of the manifold, pictured here:





I am pretty sure that it is on right. I never took off the back gasket and only took off the front one to look at it, but put it right back on so there is no way I could've gotten the two mixed up and put the back one on the front. The way the bolts are, they can only go on one way, but I noticed these little tabs sticking out. Just trying to figure out if this is how it is supposed to look or not.

yep thats fine, thats the way they are supposed to look

ok the resonance is getting fuckin annoying, and with the cold air intake I can hear it more..