I was just curious if anyone has had problems with the newely improved TPIS headers and the weld breaking?

Kid

 

Also interested!

 

Are they new and improved?

 

Guys,

According to the info we got from TPIS, their headers were updated and revised in design pertaining to the pipes. They found that the pipes were cracking in certain areas because the pipes in those areas were straight. They have since put bends in those pipes and the cracking hasn't occured.

If your headers were made prior to about 6 months ago, they may crack. If your headers are 6 months made or newer, there is little to no chance that they will crack. Again, this is info that we got from TPIS.

Hope this helps.

Shawn

 

If they are saying this is a design defect will they replace the headers made prior to 6 months ago?

 

If not... that would really suck! I'm leaning towards TTS or BPP headers right now. I'm not taking a chance with TPIS.

 

Be aware the TTS are 1 5/8 inch tubes, the TPIS are 1 3/4 inch tubes. If you're going to be running a heads/cam car, you will probably want the larger tubes. I have the TTS on mine now, and really like them. I may have to move to larger tubes though after the next round of mods if the TTS prove to be too restrictive.

Bill

 

Evil-Twin,

If you are running TPIS headers that are the old design and they crack, they will replace the defective side.

So far, we have not had any reported cracking of TPIS headers that have been revised and improved.

Shawn

 

That is all I need to hear.... I think if you look hard enough, you will find defects in just about every kind of product out there. TPIS are very popular so there are probably more of them out there, thus appearing as if they are more defective than all other brands.
If TPIS recognized the probelm and hopefully resolved it, I am going to give them a try.
Anyways, I plan on going with a Heads/cam package after the first of the year... :D :D :D :D And as oracleguru mentioned, you will need the larger tubes....

Can't wait to get mine on.....

Kid

 

I put seven thousand miles on my '99' this year of all kinds of driving, (Trip to BG, 15 car show or gos, just plain pleasure, and the occaisional romp @ WOT :reddevil and my hood is up @ a lot of events and the few people who notice the headers only 2 or 3 have ever asked if I have had air tube problems! I have watched the tubes since the day I received them and every time I drive the car now I always look and I am always listening for exhaust leaks but it just hasn't happened. !! months and all is well with the TPI's! :cheers: :flag

 

Good news ...!

 

I saw a newly designed version last month on a new Z06 and the right side header, to piston #2 was cracked already and it was the new design for it had the bends in it.
The longest tubes tend to crack first, due to their length and the fact they have no mounting support, they vibrate and being cheap thin metal, crack.

There is no way to check 360 degrees to see if they are not cracked on the back side and thus it could have started cracking and you can't see it.

What is being forgotten is the slip ends of header that cats fit into also leak, after header heats up its suppost to seal the connection but it does not and thus more leaks which confuse O2 readings.
The answer by the vendor is yea they leak but let enough carbon buildup out the leaks and some day they will be sealed :smash:

Now you can forget the cracks, but think about what that does to O2 and cat readings.

 

I hate to say it, but this is a bit discouraging..... daaammmnnn


[Modified by Kid, 2:09 PM 11/20/2001]

 

So far, we have not had any problems with the new header design. We have had five sets total (with the previous design) leak. Two of them were 4 months ago. Of course, we warrantied them. Not a bad record considering we have sold over 90 sets over the last 2-3 years!
If a C5 owner wants the best header for the money, its the TPIS header.
If a C5 owner wants the best header available, buy Belanger. We are the exclusive tuner for them.
The TTS headers are nicely made but have too small of primaries (in my opinion only).

Team-zr1 - I wish I had a dollar for every reply you post on the TPIS header subject. TPIS must have pissed you off big time! :)

Nate

 

Good point.....

 

We have NEVER had a bad set of TPIS headers that we have sold or installed.

Not the old design or the new design.

If there EVER happens to be a problem with a set of TPIS headers, we will NOT STOP until that header is replaced, PERIOD!

NO IFs, ANDs or BUTs about it!

Shawn

 

You have to love that kind of customer service.......
That's awesome....

 

A failure rate of 1 in 18, or a 5.5% failure rate is NOT the best header for the money, and that rate is only those who looked for the craced welds, people do not look for cracked welds and would not even think of doing so, so that failure rate can be much higher. The DIC does not sing a tune and inform owners the airtubes are sucking air. They would know if they went for a smog test where I/M fails though.

As to my responses, someone asked if they should buy them, and as someone who helps donate information to this forum i have the same right to reply as you do in asking for our money.

A. if the vendor did the right thing, I would not have to make a response.
B. If you want to really solve the problem, send me a new set, and you can even come here and do the labor., if not pay for the labor.
C. Get your vendor to properly make the customers who paid for the headers and the labor costs happy by not forcing us to hold our breath with a engine with no headers waiting for repaired headers to get shipped back,
the right way is to send them new headers, shiped in a box and then we can ship the failed units back.
D. A forum is about exchanging first hand experiences as owners of the car, not blanket sales pitches and i will report the pros and cons of products I put my harded earned money on.

 

team-zr1,

I completely understand what you are saying and where you are coming from.

One thing you have to realize is that all products have a certain failure rate.

I don't care what product it is or who makes it, nothing is perfect. I have realized that over the years owning different vehicles.

I guess it is just good luck with a product or brand name or bad luck.

If you have good luck with a product, you won't mind buying the same product or a different product made by the same manufacturer.

If you have bad luck with a product, you will not want that product ever again and you will probably warn your family and friends against that certain product.

This is just the way it goes sometimes and there is nothing you or I can do about it.

Shawn

 

Shawn I have no problem with your response.
My problem is the lack of the vendors treatment of customers who paid for their products.
I called the vendor and when I told him what I found, he first said, ooh, we knew that two years ago. Then when asking him what do I do, he laughed and said "just repair them"

Just .. like its swapping an air filter. Long tubed headers are shoehorned in and take into account to do the swap all the A/N and braided hoses for heat exchanger, AccuSump and remote oil filter have to be ripped out plus sterring arm, valve covers, plus since the vendor welds a support to bottom end of header, the header cannot just come out.
Asking what I do on that the vendor, says "Ohh just cut them off" what's the big deal. You ever cut steel when car is on jackstands....

Customers who did not buy/ have installed by a shop then are treated differently but I doubt any shop will pay for the labor to replace headers,
its the maker of the header who is at fault and as many times as this has been complained, the vendor does zip to solve the problem other then say the cutomer has to pay to ship the bad headers and the time and money to replace them.