OK so I took my header to my local mechanic. Hes kool as ****, and has installed all my stuff, and does it very CHEAP. Anyway, I took the header in to him this morning and he looked at it and said it looks like the wrong one. After going over the directions and discussing custom fabrication, hes pretty sure it can be done, but is saying its a really hard job.

He said it looks like a part of the water pump is in the way and is going to have to be movied.

He is also worred because if he has to cut the downpipe, he has to take out the flex pipe. Is that a bad thing? I thought the flex pipe was there to allow give when you punch it or take a hard turn. Am I going to run into problems if he takes out the flex pipe to install the header?

 

You shouldnt have to mod headers that are pre-made for the car, find out from whoever you got the headers from and just double check to make sure. it should really just bolt on in a sense, obvisously its not that easy, but still you shouldnt have to custom fab to get it to fit.

 

the pacesetter is NOT bolt on fit, it does require cutting/welding to the factory downpipe.

i never installed one, so i don't know exactly what it takes, but from what i've read, it seems that it would just need the flange cut, i assumed the flex pipe stay as-is. also, i don't remember hearing that the water pump needed to be touched.

 

I forgot what part of the water pump he said was in the way, I think he said an 0 ring or something, but my car wasnt on the lift when he was explaining it.



What about the flex pipe? thats the part that worries me most. If you can fonfim that all that has to come off is the flanges, then thats kool. IM now wondering if he was unsure exactly what needed to be done. I may stay on Tuesday and walk him through it but it would be really kool to confirm the details first

 

I have the same header and yes it does modification. The flex pipe on the downpipe does have to be cut so that the header matches up to where the cat is.

 

Dude, your mechanic doesn't know what hes talking about. I installed that exact header BY MYSELF and no problems with the water pump. Its a close fit, and kinda hard to tighten those last 2 flange bolts, but the header does not touch anything except the head and the exhaust.

 

OK, he hasnt tried, so I am assuming he is going off of pre examination only.

As far as the flex pipe, it does have to be cut off, does that cause problems w/ your engine moving and such?

 

SO like is taking the flex pipe out gonna cause probs?n

 

the flex is so that when the engine moves, the whole exhaust system...

tink of it this way

engine+header are connected, then the flex, then the rest of the exhaust
engine and header move around being bolted together, but the flex just bends so the rest of the exhaust doesnt. take that away, and the rest of the exhaust is allso tied together with the engine, so the engine moves, everything else does= prob not good

 

Wack, oh well, gives me a reason to put the torque brace back on