Had some major problems attempting this tonight. Everything was straight forward, old header off, new header on, right? Wrong...

There is 1 bolt above each primary...well, the stock bolts will NOT clear the primaries. I can only get 2 out of the 4 bolts to actually bolt up (it doesnt not matter which 2, only two will work). After that, the socket will not go on top of the remaining bolts anymore because the bolt is scraping the primaries. WTF? Anyone have a problem like this?

We took everything off, put it back on, switched the bolts around, followed the diagram on CSS.net as to which bolts to tighten first and in what order...made up my own order, etc. Nothing. Only 2 of the bolts would actually tighten...


Look at the center to see how the bolt was digging into the primary...


Another shot...


How the bolts came back out, WTF. They are all supposed to look like the first and third one...



So have people had figment issues like this? I don't know what to do. Am going to contact ZZP in the morning and see what they say. I searched around, but couldn't seem to find anything like this. Any help would be appreciated...and sorry for any typos, did this whole post via my phone...

 

i had the same problem on mine, the best thing to do is get some heat treated bolts/studs and nuts from a local auto shop. make sure the head on the new bolt/nut is smaller than the flange that sticks out on the stock one

 

This is one reason why I don't purchase exhaust parts from zzp. They had flex pipe breaking issues back in the day because they were only crimping them, then they had resonator issues with the whisper resonator and I have heard of this issue a few times now.

ZZP might have some great parts, but when it comes to exhaust, I will generally skip them.

 

get some allen head machine bolts and redo it.

 

i have this header and i didnt notice a difference from stock...sounds the same and minimal results

but i just got new bolts from a local shop i think its been a lonnnnngggg time

 

do you have a pic of the entire header? We haven't sold shorty's in a long time and that doesn't look like our product from the pic

 

I should rephrase... Mid-Length header/DP combo, i purchased it last may...just now getting around to installing it. Sorry, it was 5am when i posted this and i had spent hours attempting to figure something out..

I suppose i could get smaller headed bolts from another shop...just pisses me off because i shouldnt have too...

Does anyone know the grade of bolt? Could i pick something up from Lowes or home depot?

 

they are a bitch to get on. you cant use a socket. grab a wrench and have a fun hour or 2 tightening the bolts

 

I would have gone that route except my buddy who was helping me has the same exact combo on his car...and his bolted right up.

I think i might try smaller head bolts...if not, gonna have to do the wrench technique...so dont wanna

 

My midlength was a bitch to get on too. Try and get the nut as close to the end of the thread as possible and stick ur socket on before u shove it thru the header. Then tighten until it's tight then ull be able to remove the socket easily. Make sure u keep lots of pressure on the socket wrench during the part where the nut gets jammed on the primary otherwise it will slip off and it's a huge **** off.

 

i did that, but then its ALWAYS TWO ******* bolts that the socket wont clear. I can tighten any 2 of the bolts on top of the primaries...the other 2...wont clear. And ive tried tightening them all down a bit at a time...nope, same problem. I literally would have to have 4 sockets on all 4 bolts at the same time to get them to all go in...

...im seriously contemplating that

 

Installed! Does it sound normal?

Clicky for vid

 

Yea I installed a zzp mid header and downpipe on my cousins ride and it was good just had a hard time with the 2 bolts on the driver side. Also installed a vibrant header and downpipe on mine and it was easy like a Sunday morning lol

 

typical zzp midlenth exhaust leak, that 2 bolt flange is terrible

 

I thought it sounded like it kinda had a bit of a leak... My buddy said his sounded like that too. I retightened everything again before that vid. There was a noticeable leak aroud the head itself, but it was gone once i retightened them