new header install...

[drock59]

hi,
About a month ago i found a crack in my exhaust manifold so i figured i would replace it with a header.
I bought this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7922870841

Feedback was good and it is supposed to fit my 97 Civic EX. WEll, today i put it on and it is about a half inch short between the header and the cat. Im able to bolt everything but there is a small exhaust leake at the Cat/ Header intersection.

My question is, am i being retarded and not doing something or do i need to take it to the muffler shop and have the piping extended half and inch? Thanks

[CivicSpoon]

Take it to the muffler shop and get an extension You're not retarded, the stock header is just longer; my buddy had to do the same thing with his car.

[drock59]

thanks, shouldnt cost too much to get it extended should it??

[CivicSpoon]

naw not at all, not sure exactly how much but my buddy got a whole exhaust pipe (from in back of the cat) for $80; including the pipe and bends.

[Kafziel]

I bought a similar header and had a similar problem (also for a 97 EX). Turned out they sent me a gasket I didn't need for where the downpipe meets the cat, which just ended up confusing things. The stock pipe has a thick rubber gasket on the end, like the size of a tennis ball. We threw away the diamond-shaped gasket that came with the kit and re-used the original rubber spacer; that worked perfectly. No gap, no leaks, no rattle. The directions that came with the header didn't mention anything about reusing that, but you need to.

Hope that helps.

[drock59]

thanks for all the replies. So i reinstalled the header and now there does not seem to be any leakage. Should the car sound different at all. It seems when i accelerate, especially at low rpms, there is a sound like the exhaust is leaking. Maybe its just the way this is supposed to sound. I dont want to take it to the muffler place for nothing.

[Kafziel]

Great to hear it's working! Was it the rubber gasket?
It will be deeper and seem louder, because you have exhaust flowing through larger pipes. The tone will be different, just like the tone is different when you blow on the mouths of different sized bottles.
Most mechanics will put it on a lift and test it for leaks for free, if you're worried about it.

[drock59]

i took it in to the muffler place in town. The guy was reluctant, but put it up on a lift and looked at it. He said it was fine. it just sounds like a lot more exhaust noise. kind of a wooshing sound upon acceleration.

All i did was reinstall and reposition the donut gasket thingy.