Well, tonight I installed my new header that has been sitting in my hallway for two weeks. It was an easy time at the beginning, but dang those manifold to downpipe bolts were stiff! One stud came out and i snapped off another stud trying to get it out of the manifold after it was off. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Anyway, the manifold to head bolts (13mm) are easy pie, just a deep socket and an extension for the lower bolts. GM had some smart cookies making that thing for sure. Almost like they knew that someday a mechanic would have to remove it for some reason. Not a lot of that kind of intelligence hanging around engineering schools these days, and I know because I work on construction and farm machinery.

The 15mm downpipe bolts are tough, as I said before, but manageable. Getting the studs out of the downpipe is a little difficult and I had to have my wife pull on the tailpipe at the back of the car to give me enough room to slide it out. The O2 sensor (7/8) is easy, but dont have too long of a wrench or just get a specialty socket for them. Thats easier that wedging a long wrench down the back of the engine.

Once out I tried to remove the studs. One was already out, one came out 1/2 way and snapped off and the other one is untouched. Then I looked in the header box again and found the studs Cobalt Addiction sent. Hmm, they're thinkers too!. But the hole in the box from shipping caused one to disappear. So at 745 pm I had to find something that works. By the way, they're M10 studs, coarse threads. Home Depot had some bolts for me and i bought some nuts as well since one is still stuck on the stud that came out.

Once back home I cleaned up the ports a little bit on the welds with a die grinder and then shoved it all into place. It was nice that CA included gaskets as well, a real thinking company for sure. Since i didnt have studs anymore the header slipped in really nice, not catching on the downpipe flange at all. I bolted the header up to the head, tightened it down from the inside out and called that good.

Threw the bolts into the header from the backside and then i double nutted the threads that stuck through the flange for a little more security since there weren't locking nuts at Home Depot. Then i threaded back in the O2 Sensor and called it good.

The drive revealed a little more torque, better pull in the upper rpms and hopefully better economy. It'll get a home-brew intake with an AEM dryflow within the week when I can find the pipe I want, and then probably a diffent muffler and a tune from Mr. Wester.

All in all I learned a few things.
1. Look through the box before taking stuff apart that doesnt need to come apart.
2. Canada Post is rough on stuff.
3. Home Depot has more bolts that Canadian Tire.
4. Long wrenches are not always good for all things -But they were cheap!
5. The Cobalt Addiction header is a worthwhile investment.

 

great product rite there. once i get my 2.4 its gonna be going on. kenny is the man. im sure once i bring down my car...he will have a lot more for our cars. good guys at cobalt addiction. im glad u liked it. enjoy! have u put on any other exhaust systems..u check out there downpipe?

 

good stuff man.... nice write up.
I also have the header and was probably the easiest header swap I"ve ever done on a car... and I"ve done quite a bit of them..
also they've shown some good gains... on a 2.4 with just the header swap saw a 10whp gain and a 6wtq gain.... good stuff right there

 

Hey AlbertanCobalt! Nice to see another Hatter on the boards!

 

Fer sure fer sure. its a little nasty out there right now with the snowing and the icing, but its still a good enough place to live.

Haven't checked out the downpipe yet, but since it appears that the header collector is smaller than the downpipe, i don't think there'd be much for gains. I got the deal of a header with the 2.25 collector, so a huge downpipe isnt what i'm looking for.

Its a good looking product, but too bad its all the way in the back by the firewall.

I'll probably just change the exhaust from where it goes into 2.25 and the muffler. looking for something quiet, but with good flow. I'm kind going for a sleeper-ish car.

 

sounds good I'll probably add this to my parts list

 

I have a 2.2L and I plan on buying one tommorow and I have 2 questions for you.

1. How does it sound (is it ricey, loud, no different, etc.)?
2. Did you have any issues with it being too close to the coolant line?

 

Hopefully i get mine by the end of the week. I'll put my .02 in when i get it installed.

 

I would wait till the new header comes out. Kenny is in the process of making new ones that will fit the 2.2l. Read this thread... https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/problems-service-maintenance-69/ca-stainless-steal-headers-dont-fit-34701/ should help you out. any questions PM me.

 

honestly, it doesnt sound any different. It seems to resonate a little bit at idle, but its only noticeable in our carport, so its no big deal. driving it there is no more interior noise than before.

with the coolant line i was tipped off before with than hahn thread. so when i put er on i rocked it back and forth before i tightened it down. then i did a couple taps with a hammer on the spot of the header where the paint was nicked to be safe. no contact then. I wasnt sure if it would hit or not, but i didnt want to rip it off again if it did so i did it when i 1st put it on.

 

Almost a year with the header, and honestly I have no idea that its there, and thats a good thing. I got a tune from Wester's for 89 octane fuel and that makes it go pretty good. No numbers however, but the car has 25 000 kms and it keeps getting faster. The header doesn't leak or anything and hasn't gotten loose at all. Just a little bit of the paint has burned off, but that's expected and its stainless anyway.

There's a little update for everyone.

 

Good to hear you still like the header, I have one aswell and I love and it preforms great with the XTC downpipe

 

Glad to see the header is quiet and lasting well , I just ordered it and the XTC down pipe , however I would like info on the "WESTERS " Tune you have Once the header and dp are installed and broken in I want a tune and they are in Tilley an hour and a half from here .

 

Plus rep for loving my company so much

 

Where do I get this header at? I have and le5 eco engine. Pontiac g6

 

I do believe that Cobalt Addiction is no longer in business. Last time I checked the owner was having major financial issues.