Sup guys. I finally got in my XS Headers!! I'm really excited to put em' on.

So throughout my research on the DIY's for the headers (which is extremely easy to do I've noticed) I've ran into one common addition with the XS headers. Just about everyone baught different bolts to accomodate the headers.

Why and what type of bolts do I need??

Please advise fella's.

I'm also curious on what to expect....I'm clueless to what I'm going to be feeling.

I do know its going to be niiicccceeeeee.

 

10 x 30 mm bolts. grade 8. 6 of them, with nuts, and lock washers.

 

because the bolts that come with it are small and cheap. Get 6 good grade 8 bolts like stated above (10x40 works as well) and have a less than 5 dollar piece of mind

 

u can get them at lowes. itll probably say M10-1.25x30 or M10-1.25x40. Dont expect to feel a crazy pull because like everyone said, its power across the whole board, so u wont feel it kick. but it does feel nice

 

sweet. Thanks guys. I guess I'm off to Lowe's of Home Depot for some bolts.

So I was gonna have my buddy take me to a place where I can use a lift but he seems to be lagging and I dont think he knows how bad I want to put these headers on. Sooo whats the difficulty of jackin it as high as possible and throwin jack stands and workin beneath that way? Is their enough room to pull everything out?

I might just say eff it and do it that way with a buddy. Or should I wait for the lift?

 

hmmm, I would prob feel more secure with a lift lol...but thats just me...

 

More than enough room to do it with out a lift. Just use jack stands.

 

samtls2003 u said u found a diy please post the link to it cause i will be doing this very soon myself

 

installing them is pretty self-explanatory if you can turn a wrench....i just did mine last night.

i used the cheap bolts they came with because i bought the M10x30 like everyone said to, and they were too short.... the bolts it came with worked fine for me, no leaks

 

here you go. Click on DIY. Thats only one of the many DIY's you can find online

DIY

its a DIY made by Austin519. He's done just about everything imaginable to our TL. He's even rebuilt our transmission with titanium pieces! Pretty nuts IMO. He's got many DIY's on his site so reference it for future things.

So the ones you picked up from the hardware store were too short?? Man I'm confused.

Why are most people skeptical about using the bolts included?

A bolts a bolt right??

I suppose I'll do further research and see if I can find a stronger bolt in the same size.

Thanks for the input fella's!

 

how about the gaskets? did u use the ones it came with? is it metal gaskets?

 

let us know how they come out. I'm lookin to order me some XS headers by friday, I have the money ready and the e-bay auction on watch, just thinking if i should keep waiting, I won't be able to install them until may!

 

You can reuse the OEM gaskets. Just use the Metal O-rings that came with the XS header.

 

This isn't true. There's more hp and torque gains at higher rpms. Go read the dyno charts at the Comptech site.

 

I heard the same thing....more power on the higher end versus the lower end of the spectrum.

Either way its still a positive note.

 

what he was saying is there is a power gain throughout. its not like a turbo where it is nothing down low then a ton up top. it gains the most up top but it doesnt kick in like a turbo. but it is a noticable gain in power. trust me.

 

Ok. Thanks for the input guys.

So, being impatient as I am I went ahead and installed my headers this afternoon. After fiddling with a pain in the ass bolt in the back of the headers, my buddy finally got it off. So we went ahead and took off the whole exhaust headers to be replaced by the XS. When it came down to the header gasket I left the OEM gasket on like what most people said they did on azine and I replaced the O rings. After re-installing and bolting down all the parts it was the moment of truth.....

....I got a leak! I frickin got a leak from the front set of the headers with the OEM gasket! I thought it wouldnt be a problem?

So now I have to remove the whole system to get into the gaskets so I can install the XS supplied gaskets.

I was thinkin about taking the two headers to a machine shop to have the top set of the flanges sanded down to make it flush so I can have a precise seal. I was also going to get some locking nuts so I can make the second install a bit easier.

Please, all suggestions welcome.

 

DON'T USE THE XSP SUPPLIED GASKET. YOU WILL BE TAKING IT OFF AGIAN. go get a good one from acura. the supplied one is garbage.

 

honestly, I feel like the supplied gasket is fit for the job by the looks of it. It does look somewhat cheap but I think it'll compress a bit to form a tight seal.

At this point I'm going to do a few things; one is to remove the header and replace the gasket with either the XSP gasket or a new one from Acura like Rpappi suggested. Second thing I'm gonna do is probably get the headers machined a bit so I know its not a fitment issue. And lastly I'm gonna change those damn bolts! Need to get some type of locking bolts, we'll see whats available.

The hissing noise is ridiculous. It sounds kinda like a turbo spoolin up without a blowoff valve.

The difference in power is definetly noticable as well as the torque increase. If I can only get the seals all done with I'll be very happy with this mod. I would have to say it is "THE" best bang for the buck modification IMO.

 

When tightening the bolts on the headers, did you tighten them from the inside out? Meaning you start tightening the 2 center bolts, then the 2 outer ones. That allows it to seat properly.

 

You think that would take care of the problem?? So loosen up all the bolts and work my way from the center of the headers towards the outside bolts?

Would it seal itself with the OEM gasket? I cant stand the raspy hissing noise....

 

i'll admit, i hear somewhat of a hissing noise when i step on it, i checked for leaks, but couldnt hear any. it sounds fine at idle, but when floored, i also hear that "hissing noise". i plugged the mufflers, and couldnt hear anything else. perhaps its the freer air flowing through the pipes making the noise...

 

I need to post my about this...

I was one of the first ones on the TL side to install the XS headers. (a bunch of CL guys had already done it) I have to tell all of you that I had no leaks at all. Maybe they produced a bad batch, but all the CL guys and myself had no issues with these headers. Hey Niko2000TL, remember me? I had the silly exhaust at Fudruckers in Boston. You heard them...no issues.

If you guys have any leaks after you try to tighten and tweek everything you might want to try some high temp liquid gasket (the orange stuff in a tube) You may be having some fitment issues with the batch that you bought since none of the original people like me had any issues. Anyway, good luck with that guys!

 

So is this hissing noise normal? I took a plastic large air tube used for aquariums and used it something like a stethoscope. I heard a hissing noise from the middle port on the front side of the headers. I'm pretty sure its a leak because it gets REAL loud when you step on it, just like I said before, like a turbo noise.

I'm not liking this.....

So instead of puttin a goo all over the headers, do you think I can tackle the fitment issue with having them machined a bit so I can insure a seal? I'm tryin to have this done as good as possible. I have to work with what I got somehow.

TIPS!

 

Hah, I remember that HUGE ass thread you created lol. You started the 2nd Gen TL XS Power trend.

 

So you dont have any type of hissing or raspy sounds at all?? I think I can hear the resonator issue around 1750RPM. It kinda rattles sorta thing. Regardless, the sequence of events that are happening with these XS headers are not good.

 

I think a good amount of people went through some bs with the headers. I dont think they are a 100% fit. I had a shitload of tension on my cat and on the bolts when I was putting everything together. I then had a resonance issue at some rpms (forgot already..). But most of the resonance was solved when I removed the hanger that held the headers and then all of it went away when I redid my exhaust.

What I do have is a slight hissing sound when im driving between two walls or two cars with my windows down. But thats normal since comparing these headers are not as thick and are SS, they do not insulate the sound as well as the stock headers do. So you would be able to hear some sound from the exhaust gases going through the headers at certain points. Someone correct me if im wrong. Overall, I sometimes forget that I even have headers because nothing really bothers me or gets my attention.

 

for the guys who have had problems, how long ago did you buy the header from ebay?

i bought mine about less than 2 months ago. i hope i don't have problems installing them.

 

I had mine since August. Since I worked out my problems, everything has been perfect.

For you guys who are about to get your headers in, take a look at your exhaust tips before and after to see if the headers shifted anything. I know after my install, my shit was all crooked.

 

No, when I had my car I had NO hissing, NO resonance, NO fitment problems! I had no issues during my install. (with the exception of having to buy new bolts)

It only took me and another member on here a couple of hours since I knew exactly what to do since it was my 2nd set of headers that I was installing. Like I said none of the original buyers of this product (before May 06) had any issues with these.

Now that they are being sold in large number I have a feeling that the later batches aren't as good as the originals from early last year...just my opinion. XS doesn't have the best reputation out there.

 

Yeah I've had a couple of my threads become ridiculous. That one and the Blitzsafe for IPOD one are two of my beasts. Hey, everyone inputs great info to keep the threads going!

 

I wouldnt waste my time or money bringing them to a machine shop. Loosen all the bolts, then torque it from the inside working your way out each direction 1 bolt at a time. Dont use the gasket supplied with the kit. Its very cheap. You will probably hear some noise your not used to due to the fact that they are headers and some of the exhaust noise will resonate thru them because its thinner metal and not cast like the oem.

 

Thanks fsttyms1! So. I also used the supplie bolts with the kit, do you think I should loosen em' all up and put in a pair of crush washers to each bolt so I dont have any bolts loosen up from the vibration?

You're right, I dont WANT to waste more time or money on these headers. I'm satisfied with the power gain just not with the install.

Can someone explain a bit what type of 'normal' exhaust noise coming out the headers I should be hearing? just so I dont confuse this with a leak.

 

i had mine installed a month ago.... they hiss but were professionally installed and checked a couple days after the install. I think the quality has gone down since they have sold so many

 

So the hiss while accelerating and the rattle type of noise around 1750RPM is all normal??

This is hard to understand after all the great reviews on this product.

 

I honestly think the quality has changed between batches.

 

lets hope not seeing as how i just ordered mine. but not too many things bother me. aslong as the power gain is there ill look past the noises. you get what u pay for

 

Some people experienced the rattle noise and said it was their heat shiled around the cat being loose. This hiss is normal though, as me and Kris put it; thinner material allowing the exhaust gases to be heard as they flow through the headers. Just tinker around with it a bit and im sure you'll get em working perfect

 

Thanks PiZauL! I went ahead and got some crush washers to put in between the bolts around the flanges just for assuarance since I'm already going to be in there. And then I'll loosen up all the bolts on the headers and work my way from the center out like fsttyms1 said.

I'll let you guys know what happens.

Thanks for the input though.

 

Well...it depends what you're going for. If you just want fast power for a great price then you got it. But these headers are doing more then that, they're giving me a damn headache!!