muhahahah I guess i didn't think about that !!! Any non expensive --NON FLAMMABLE-- rust preventors I could use? I dont want to touch over 200 bucks for my header. For the hp i'm going to get from it, its just not worth it to me. I'll pour money next year when I get my ss/tc.

Thanks TurboTechracing. for not only giving advice but perhaps saving my FACE! I would be having to take FacelessChaos's name because I literally wouldn't have a face left after spraying wd 40 on a hot header!

 

I would suggest when you get the header to have the "paint" they use blasted off, and then re paint it will REALLY GOOD high temp paint good for 1500+ degrees....

Also if you have not got the header yet, let us know we price match...

 

just the outside of it ?? Will that be ok?

 

It'd be kind of hard to evenly coat the insides, now wouldn't it?

 

Well i would imagine dipping it in something then let it strain and dry? I dont know thats why i'm asking!

 

Just go with the pacesetter header armor coated,that is what I have installed on my car and I can tell you right now it 50 times better then the old crappy header from GM

 

The out side is what needs to be protected. The inner part of the tubes should not be an issue...

Agreed you will solve all your questions/issues with the ceramic coated verson....

Also we can get you the best price, as we do price match.

 

only thing you have to watch out for is,you will need more then 4 washer's,pacesetter didn't include an extra 2 so you will need to buy 2 more, that is if they didn't include it.Also it is balljoint long tube not a shorty header direct fit.If you know anyone who can make you a downpipe go for it.Only one website has a downpipe made for the pacesetter header and its www.exhaustdepot.com.I had my brother make me a downpipe since he is good at welding.

 

Whew 215 lol . Please let me know what you mean about the washers? Where do i need to get them from? What size? I'm lost.

 

anyone considering the OBX header+ DP combo for the 2.4L on their 2.2? it's only $260 shipped. sounds like a great deal, any feedbacck. I'm 90% sure i'm going with these heads and moving my coolant line a bit

 

im buying that tonight for my 2.4 tho.. i heard there wasnt any issues with the fitment on the 2.4 but some on the 2.2 ... either way for 260 shipped how can you go wrong lol

 

Interesting discussion here. Ryan,
I'm curious why you keep referring to headers as molded and just a couple pounds of metal, etc. Turbo Tech Racing started to explain the process so i would like to finish.

Headers are not molded, every header available for these cars are hand assembled using mandrel bent tubing and cnc cut flanges. Once the fabricator doing the assembly has all the parts he preps the parts to fit in theassembly Jig or "Fixture", as we call it. Once assembly is complete the header is removed from the fixture and finish work begins. But, I'm jumping ahead. Let's get back to the mandrel bent tubing. First of all, once the bender is set-up properly you can bend all the tubing using specific bending numbers and patterns to compare as well as check for proper rotation. The set-up consists of roughly 45 minutes and a little scrap. It consists of placing and adjusting the tooling set of 5 different dies. That 5 piece set ranges in cost from $2500.00 to $11,500.00 depending on the tubing size being bent. The bending machine itself ranges from $45,000.00 to $500,000.00 depending on the size of the tube being bent and either NC or CNC operation.

Purchase the bender, purchase the tooling, learn how to set the machine and tooling up and then you can start bending. Once you are bending it takes roughly 1 hour to bend a set of parts for the Cobalt header including cutting, deburring and bending. Then there is prep and polishing, assembly work and finish work. Roughly 3.5 hours from start to finish. Time may vary depending on the amount of bends and rotations in each tube, the prep work, the assembly work and the finish work. We go above and beyond any other company during all three stages of header building. We also use thicker tubing which last longer than any other company. So after the investment for equipment, tooling, material above, and after paying for the labor to bend, prep, assemble and finish the Cobalt header, $206.75 is literally under-priced for the couple pounds of metal the header consists of. Customers have a hard time appreciating what it takes to get them a finished product because they have never been exposed to the process. vendors who re-sell products whom do not manufacture their own parts sometimes hurt the industry because of the same ignorance. Our products are more expensive than most companies and it's for a very good reason. We offer a far superior product than any other company in the world. A BIG claim??? You bet it is. But compare our products side by side to any other and I have no doubt you will agree.

We also offer a lifetime warranty on our headers. We do NOT price match and you can NOT name your own price.

I hope I helped shed some light on the process of building headers.

 

OK , well I can see now that I was wrong. As I explained to Turbo Tech Racing. I honestly just figured that once a "mold" was made the header could just be pressed in a short period of time. Apparently there is a lot more to it.

Now I'll ask in your own opinion. How much would leaving the stock cat on the 2.2 cobalt hurt the effectiveness of an "obviously" less quality header and custom down pipe?

Also let me know whether or not your downpipe and high flow cat would fit that pace setter header I already ordered. I'm sorry if I'm a pain in the ass. However regardless of hardware purchases. I am 100% set on purchasing the tune next week. I got a new credit card I'm going to use for the 200 dollar deposit The personalized service and the straightforward nature of our dealings thus far have removed any doubts about sending you guys 475 to get my car tuned.

 

the washer sizes are 1/2 and you can go to home depot pick up a few packs for like 3 or 4 dollars,they come 2 a pack I should say.

you come with a little piece,dont know the exact name of it from pacesetter header,where you weld it onto the new downpipe.then you take it from there of bolting up the header to the downpipe.

I have no clue why you are calling a header less quality,if it will give you the same power,only difference in pricing is one is mild steel the other is stainless steel,but in the end you can get the same power.

 

Thanks for the heads up! I will just get those washers today so I dont have to deal with it come next week. I'll tell ya I want this damn thing done soo bad. I'm about to pull all of my hair out!

 

vibrant r the best, they look better than all others, they botl up cleaner than all others, they are 4-2-1, they have a high flow, they are the ****, they are costy, but well worth it when youhave them infron of you, if you want cheap go with OBX, i had a OBX before, i liked it, sold it to a local in my club, he likes it too, and they are cheap about 220 for the long tubes, and 270 for the shorty with a dp, good deal

 

First hand feed back from a member who has had both the OBX and vibrant, very nice review...

 

Dont see that very often. Usually I see " I bought CIA so Vibrant and ALL others SUCK". Thanks jn2 !

As of now, I'm keeping the pace setter so I dont have to try and return it through sparepartswholesale, I'm going to let the guy who does my car look at my piping and see what can be done. if i could afford to buy the 215 dolalr down pipe I would, but to get a cat he wants another 125. Which after all that crap I could have spent a bit more and gotten the OBX shorty w/ downpipe. GRR

 

First of all the stock cat converter down-pipe will not bolt up to any mid-length or long tube header without modification, meaning, cut the converter loose and fit and weld it into a custom built down-pipe.

Performance-wise, the stock converter for a 2.2L engine isn't as much a restriction as it is on a 2.0L engine.

Our down-pipes are specifically built to bolt to our header and to a stock or stock replacement exhaust system. We can customize the outlet to work with pretty much ANY available exhaust system made.

To comment on price vs performance: all of the mid-length headers available for these cars are going to be very close in performance. Price varies between us and other vendors and manufacturers. When comparing the price, performance is a given so rather than compare price to performance, compare price to quality, ease of install, leak free fit, warranty and workmanship.

We also build a TRI-Y header, or "4-2-1" in mild steel or 304 stainless steel. Opinions on the looks of each header available will obviously vary but my biased opinion is we make the best looking header.

 

I think ZZP would give you a good run for your money ClearImageAuto_Dan.



They are top quality too.

Everything you said that I completely agree with. Most people think a header is no different from designing an exhaust. buy the right part, weld, u're done. Its nothing like that at all. There is a LOT more fabrication and factors that have to be taken into consideration for header design such as size of motor, type of motor, power band wanted, durability, wear and tear, vibration, heat and looks.

 

He is right about the longtube, custom downpipe would have to be made,that is what I had to do and I am not even done 100% still need to get the 02 sensors back on and try to figure out a way to fit in a high flo cat converter.

 

See for me..looks dont really sell. I have a lil 2.2 golf kart motor .. I avoid popping my hood in public.. Its kinda like peeing in one of those "trofts" some places have if you have a small "package".

NOW a year from now when my pacesetter is rusted off, I'm just gonna throw the stock one back on it. By then it will be my fiances car. I will have my ss/tc by then. Soon as this damn lease buyout crap is done with that puppy is MINE MINE MINE. then I wont be pouring thousands to HIT 200 hp .. i"ll be starting at 260 muhahah