I just took the headers to the exhaust shop I was planning having do the work, and they confirmed that they're 1 3/4". However, they also said that they wouldn't move the cats becuase it's illegal!

I tried to explain that the stock system was already gone, so they'd already been moved, but w/e. He recommended me to another shop that will do it, but they aren't open tomorrow, so it'll have to wait til Monday to get done...ugh.

Anyway, I'll post back when I get the inside of the flange cleaned up.

 

Update time!

Installed the headers yesterday, took about 12 hours of a friend and I to remove the entire system and put the VT headers on. I think the biggest PITA was getting the driver's side header OUT. We had to remove the A/C compressor , and it dropped out the bottom just fine. On the pass side, we had to remove the knock sensor, ergo letting about 2 gallons of coolant out. Other than that, it was pretty straightforward. That side went down too.

As for fitment issues, I only have one! The rear-most primary on the passenger side hits whatever plastic piece is there. Heater core maybe? I'll have to remove the header at least partially to clearance it, which I'm not looking forward to.

The only other issue was with one of the bolts on the driver's side. The forward-middle primary came off the flange at a forward angle, so you couldn't even get the bolt in the whole... A propane torch and sledgehammer fixed that

I took it to an exhaust shop this morning and they fabbed up some elbows so I still have my RT cats, and full Corsa, including the H-pipe in front of the resonator. They are pretty close to the passenger compartment, but I put some aluminum tape on there, so that should help.

The verdict: they sound AMAZING! Maybe it's just because I had some hellacious exhaust leaks before, but there is an orgasmic growl when you step on it. And no resonance whatsoever. There's some serious vibration at idle and under load, but I think that's due to the contact on the passenger side.

I'll snap some pics when I jack it up to re-inspect everything and put some real heat insulation in place of the metal tape. It's a beauty!

 

Picture time! I still haven't fixed the clearance issue with the passenger rearmost tube, but I'm trying to figure out if I have to clearance the header, or if I can just heat the plastic and move it outward a bit. There's a separate thread on that...

 

Hi,

Do you have any support for the rear of the Alt. and A/C? I made a simple support bracket on mine. On my pass/side I have a little (not much) clearance-for now I have a thin piece of alum as a shield.

Happy New Year!

Steve

 

Thanks Steve. I don't have the support brackets for now; I don't have a welder, so my abilities to manufacture a bracket are pretty limited. Now that I've dented in that tube, the factory bolt might fit in, which would let me use all the factory braces. I'll look into it while I'm messing with the passenger side hitting the HVAC box tomorrow.

 

They fit now! A propane torch and sledgehammer made short work of that #8 primary . I also noticed another spot that was rubbing, and went ahead and dented in the #2 tube where it was close to the upper control arm. There was about 1/4" of room, but I have like 1" of shims on it, so I can see how it could be a problem in the future. Pics ahoy!

Also, I'm going to throw some chrome high-temp paint on there to cover up where I've messup the Jet Hot coating. And for the last few pictures, the headers aren't even bolted up, just hanging from the 2 end bolts loosely, so there will be even more room when they're actually attached.

 

nice clearance job

It may not be a bad idea to use a thermal sleeve on that primary

 

wow good job, i wanna hear it on video now!!

 

Well I got everything buttoned back up, but something's not right . There's a weird, almost 'gurgling' sound at low RPMs under light-to-medium load conditions. If I floor it it goes away, and it's not there at idle or when engine braking. The only thing I can figure is that there's a hole in the welds where the cat connection was fabbed up, since there are a lot of them. Also, it may be the way the cats are configured. I'm not sure if there's enough room after the bend for the air stream to 'straighted out', and it may be causing turbulence once it hits the cat, since it's coming in at an angle.

Here's a quick drawing of how the exhaust is routed right now. Basically, it's like this because that's all there's room to do. The headers are at the top, and the angled boxes are the cats. Then they go right into the H-pipe and the Corsa resonator. Should there be a problem with this setup?

There's also a pic just comparing the Vette Tech headers to the EM ones I took off. So much longer!

 

You've done one heck of a job getting those in there. I remember all the hassle I had just getting a spark plug in that #8 hole. On the other hand; why should the customer have to go to such extreme measures to make a product fit that should have already had all the engineering snafu's ironed out before it goes on sale to the public?
They look like a beautiful set of headers fabricated on an engine stand. Suddenly somebody says, "Hey, lets see if they'll fit a C4 chassis"!
I can't believe that as long as the C4 was in production, that the market isn't full of good headers that bolt up without the end user having to finish engineering them! This is in no way a knock on you. You have gone far beyond what I would be willing to endure to make them fit. What kind of car did they measure to get the shape and fit before these were released to the public? It almost makes as much sense to just build from scratch if you have to correct that many of somebody else's miscalculations.

 

I completely agree with ya. This has been the only thing that has stopped me from gettin LT headers... I dont understand how they dont have headers that fit like they should.

 

Yeah, I'm glad I knew what I was getting into before I bought these. However, the only real fitment issue on mine was with the #8 tube. I'd read much worse, and depending on the camber you're running, you may also have problems with #2. As far as the cats go, I think it's simply not designed for use with cats, so what I'm running into now is just me using them for something they're not intended for.

 

Hi,

If you want some photos of my set-up. Email me. I have my cats in a different place. Mine sound good and also passed NY Emissions.

Steven

 

You've got mail! I'm excited to see a different way of mounting these.

Right now, I'm about to resort to putting flanged-on-both-ends straight pipe in lieu of the cats, and just bolt them on for inspections . My next free Saturday I might try just taking it to an exhaust shop and taking them for a spin to let them hear the sound, and hear what they think.

 

Steven, I don't think your setup will work. My resonator starts about the middle of your cats, which is why I can't just have them straight like you do. If the angle is the problem, I guess I'll just have to go catless, keeping them flanged so I can throw 'em on for inspections.

I'm planning on taking in 2 weeks from now to get the bends looked at by an exhaust shop, so hopefully I'll know if its a hole in the welding or the angle of the cats.

 

Geez you beat up your set even more than I did on my L98.

I only had to deal with the #2 tube.

Clearly, Brian has not fixed the issue?

Had zero issues with #8 but maybe the L98 heater is different?


TJM

 

In my extensive communication with Brian, I decided he doesn't really care. Mine was supposed to include the redesign -- but was simply cut and re-welded like others who had their's "fixed". Keep in mind, I opted for a change in header size and got a whole new header custom made (with shorter secondaries).

Brian said the cut/re-weld of #2 was "the fix". And, that's how my new made-to-order set was "fixed". If he won't reconfigure for a made-to-order set, I don't see him doing it EVER.

A few weeks after my first set (1 5/8") was returned, he said they were installed on a car w/o any modification. He said we (in the forum) obviously can't measure correctly! As a result, he maintains nothing is wrong with their current configuration.

(FYI: I sent a pic of what was done to this set for his edification! )

He simply does not get it. But, he's in the racing community -- where it's probably normal to beat things to fit.

 

D@mn!

 

It's a shame to have to beat the coating off and then pay again to have it redone!

 

I could not spend that kind of money on something I had to beat the $hit out of, to make it fit.
The welds look like a grade schoolers work.