FLP Owners Inside (problem)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 474
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From: Houston TX
FLP Owners Inside (problem)
I have herd about the issues with the flanges cracking or tearing off completely. Well this weekend i had my vette on our lift for some mods/maintaince. I replaced the left and right air dams. Very good mod IMHO my originals were tore up. And i got 2 new ones from Ken Fitcher Chevy for $13.00 :D .
I also put the cats back on the car. Then i noticed that the tab that bolts the collector to the body is cracked all the way around the weld. What do i do?
Im about to call FLP but want to here what other FLP owners did about this?
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 10:59 AM 2/10/2003]
I also put the cats back on the car. Then i noticed that the tab that bolts the collector to the body is cracked all the way around the weld. What do i do?
Im about to call FLP but want to here what other FLP owners did about this?
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 10:59 AM 2/10/2003]
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
Your the second owner I've heard this has happened to and I'm curious as to the cause. Is it possible you bottomed out at one point and cracked them? There's a thread in general about the protrusion of the FLP's below the floor pan and concerns about scraping. Are there any scrapes on the collectors, clamps or cats that would indicate this could have happened?
I haven't had any problems to date with mine but would be interested in finding out if it's bad welds or lack of clearance.
I haven't had any problems to date with mine but would be interested in finding out if it's bad welds or lack of clearance.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Patches)
No scrapes or dings. I belive the cause is just vibration. Just got off the phone with FLP and as soon as they are in stock (2 weeks) i will have a entire set sent to me no questions asked.
FLP Customer Service is AWSOME!!!
Plus the new headers have many new features over the Gen 1 that i have. Better placement of 02 sensor bungs.
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 2:12 PM 2/10/2003]
FLP Customer Service is AWSOME!!!
Plus the new headers have many new features over the Gen 1 that i have. Better placement of 02 sensor bungs.
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 2:12 PM 2/10/2003]
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,903
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From: Oakhurst NJ
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
Good to know you got a set out that quick. Mine arrived damage and I was called a liar by them and ignored until I posted on the forum. They make a good product and know it looks like their customer service is backing it up. :cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 2
From: Aloha, Oregon
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Patches)
the exact same thing happened to me. tab ripped right out of the side of the collector around the weld on one side, and was about all the way off on the other. I had to take my headers back off, have the holes patched up, then i put them back on without these tabs.
The problem is that these tabs do not fit up to the bolts on the engine precisely. so if you force or bend or whatever to get the bolts into the tabs and tightened down, its only a matter of heat, vibration and time before the tabs tear off at the weldments. Do not use the tabs. not needed IMO. the exhaust is light enough and held up in the critical places as to not be a problem without the added support of these tabs.
The problem is that these tabs do not fit up to the bolts on the engine precisely. so if you force or bend or whatever to get the bolts into the tabs and tightened down, its only a matter of heat, vibration and time before the tabs tear off at the weldments. Do not use the tabs. not needed IMO. the exhaust is light enough and held up in the critical places as to not be a problem without the added support of these tabs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 0
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
I still say there should some kind of bushing or grommet between the header tab and where it bolts in. This would allow a little fudge room and absorb some of the vibration... FWIW :crazy:
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: FLP Owners Inside (rwj383)
Robert, I had the same fitment issues with the tabs and was told by Dan Bills at FLP to draw the tabs up to the bell housing slowly. Eventually I did this and the tabs bent slightly and finally attached correctly. I've had the headers off several times since and, since the tabs are mild steel, they were permanently deformed the first time I bolted them onto the bracket and are no longer in tension when I reattach them. Granted, they didn't have far to go to get them lined up originally, but they fit nicely now with no signs of cracking.
I would imagine that it varies from header set to header set and from car to car.
I would imagine that it varies from header set to header set and from car to car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
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From: East Tennessee
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
If you loosen that bracket the tabs bolt to it has a lot of room to move around. My left side was at least a 1/2" off, the holes in that bracket are pretty big and it will move around quite a bit. When I had the corsas on the car when it idled with the cam they would vibrate a lot (them things are heavy) and you could see the x-pipe moving quite a bit. With the Ti exhaust the mufflers dont even move at idle, probably less strain on those brackets..
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Midlothian, VA
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Patches)
IMO, the tabs are useless. Has anyone tried to budge the header bolted up and leaving the tab bolt out? You can't move it. It's SOLID! I didn't even try mounting the bolts through those tabs after trying this.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 474
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From: Houston TX
Re: FLP Owners Inside (C5Noir)
Honestly i really dont want to remove and re-install the headers again. Especially for no real gain HP wise. I was thinking about cutting them off completely. And getting the small crack welded.
What will welding do to the coating?
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 2:12 PM 2/10/2003]
What will welding do to the coating?
[Modified by Mike TexaSS, 2:12 PM 2/10/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Midlothian, VA
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
Oh yes, it'll stop the leak. I wouldn't do it though. I had a tack weld put on my old TPIS coated headers at the slip fit and it was causing my coating to start to flake off somewhat. Plus it looks hideous, IMO.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: not speeding just flying low
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
This happened to me. MTI and FLP took care of the problem at no cost to me! :D
Read: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=472851
Read: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=472851
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Re: FLP Owners Inside (Mike TexaSS)
Sorry to hear of the break.
That is why I paid attention to the static fit of these tabs on my install page:
Maybe FLP will help with some labor costs :yesnod:
You could weld up the tab hole but it will destroy the coating and rust will follow.
IMHO, the tab needs to be there to minimize transmitting vibrations and to preclude loosening the clamp fastners........
[Modified by ALLTHROTTLE&NOBOTTLE, 7:29 AM 2/11/2003]
That is why I paid attention to the static fit of these tabs on my install page:
Maybe FLP will help with some labor costs :yesnod:
You could weld up the tab hole but it will destroy the coating and rust will follow.
IMHO, the tab needs to be there to minimize transmitting vibrations and to preclude loosening the clamp fastners........
[Modified by ALLTHROTTLE&NOBOTTLE, 7:29 AM 2/11/2003]
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Re: FLP Owners Inside (ALLTHROTTLE&NOBOTTLE)
Sorry to hear of the break.
That is why I paid attention to the static fit of these tabs on my install page
That is why I paid attention to the static fit of these tabs on my install page
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,635
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From: Aloha, Oregon
Re: FLP Owners Inside (Patches)
Patches is on to something. to take it a step further, you could cinch these tabs up to the bracket, the take a torch and heat the tab in the middle to flow the metal a bit. as it cools it will totally reform in its new position.
BTW, my tabs were so far off that any adjusting of the bracket itself wouldnt help.
Getting your holes/tears fixed will ruin the coating around that area. this pushed me to go ahead and wrap an otherwise beautiful header.
I dont worry about using the tabs because the system i held up quite sturdy at the x-pipe and, of course, the header attachment to the heads is extremely sturdy with the coarse thread header bolts. they arent going anywhere.
BTW, my tabs were so far off that any adjusting of the bracket itself wouldnt help.
Getting your holes/tears fixed will ruin the coating around that area. this pushed me to go ahead and wrap an otherwise beautiful header.
I dont worry about using the tabs because the system i held up quite sturdy at the x-pipe and, of course, the header attachment to the heads is extremely sturdy with the coarse thread header bolts. they arent going anywhere.