About to Install Headers...Any thoughts/tips
03-06-2010 | 11:14 AM
#17
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
From a RL post last October, search "Home brew penetrating oil". I haven't tried it myself.
.........
I have shamelessly copied this from another site:
*Don't forget the April 2007 "Machinist's Workshop" magazine comparison
test.*
**
*They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with
the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a
"scientifically rusted" environment.*
**
*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
*The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50% acetone - 50% automatic transmission fluid.*
*Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one
particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now
use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about
as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. *
What is this? Replacing marketing hype and the way it has always been done with test data?
They didn't test spray silicone oil. I like it as a non gumming lube, and go ahead and use the same thing as penetrating oil.
Heat and quench works. For a time I worked in a brake shop. We salvaged many calipers with a broken bleed screw with what the owner called the heat wrench. It is much easier to reach for the torch before you bust something off.
Out in the field, a little gas may help. A good hammering does too. I usually give things a squirt of silicone and then hammer away.
__________________
.........
I have shamelessly copied this from another site:
*Don't forget the April 2007 "Machinist's Workshop" magazine comparison
test.*
**
*They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrants with
the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a
"scientifically rusted" environment.*
**
*Penetrating oil ..... Average load*
None ..................... 516 pounds
WD-40 .................. 238 pounds
PB Blaster ............. 214 pounds
Liquid Wrench ..... 127 pounds
Kano Kroil ............ 106 pounds
ATF-Acetone mix....53 pounds
*The ATF-Acetone mix was a "home brew" mix of 50% acetone - 50% automatic transmission fluid.*
*Note the "home brew" was better than any commercial product in this one
particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now
use it with equally good results. Note also that "Liquid Wrench" is about
as good as "Kroil" for about 20% of the price. *
What is this? Replacing marketing hype and the way it has always been done with test data?
They didn't test spray silicone oil. I like it as a non gumming lube, and go ahead and use the same thing as penetrating oil.
Heat and quench works. For a time I worked in a brake shop. We salvaged many calipers with a broken bleed screw with what the owner called the heat wrench. It is much easier to reach for the torch before you bust something off.
Out in the field, a little gas may help. A good hammering does too. I usually give things a squirt of silicone and then hammer away.
__________________
03-06-2010 | 11:44 AM
#18
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 97
From: St. Paul MN
OT - Thanx for the compliment on the BMW. It is nice, '94 318. I have owned it for 8 years. A couple summers ago, I decided 8 years on a car was long enough, but I liked it. So I decided on a 996 and to give it to my 87 yr old father. "Oh, I don't know, my Buick is just fine....." Convinced him to 'drive it like he stole it, turn up the radio a little too loud, put the top down'....and, you know what...he does. I get down to Iowa once a month to see him, it is his daily driver, usually w/the top down.
The car is lowered with 17 in wheels, and Sumi's. Great car. Fast enough. Great gas mileage, 36 mpg. AND, keeping my dad young
The car is lowered with 17 in wheels, and Sumi's. Great car. Fast enough. Great gas mileage, 36 mpg. AND, keeping my dad young
03-07-2010 | 04:16 AM
#19
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
Update,
Well everything went fine removing the bolts from the block, but the studs on the cats were all corroded and I sheered off 2 on 1 and 1 on the other even after soaking them in liquid wrench. So, I had to pull the cats out too, which basically meant taking out the airbox to unclip the leads from the O2 sensors and unclamping/unmounting the cats.
I will either need to drill out the broken studs or take them to a muffler shop to press out the broken studs and press in new ones.
The headers themselves are in, however, and went in very smoothly, no cross threads, etc.
I figured this would be a one afternoon project, but this may end up being a two or three afternoon project. So the car sits up on jack stands until next weekend I guess.
One thing I discovered while being under the car, I found the car has Bilstein PSS10s, nice! I had bought the car back in October, and I didn't think I got a bad deal nor a great deal, but as I have gotten to know the car, I have found that it had a couple more less apparent mods, that the dealer was not aware of like the PSS10s and the EVOMS mufflers. I now am beginning to think I actually got a pretty good deal on the car. So I am happy, just a little more patience till I get to hear/drive the beast.
Well, now I have two projects for next weekend, finish putting back together my exhaust system, and installing the steering wheel I ordered from Dallas Steering wheel. I ordered a black leather wheel with extra 1/8" pad and red stitching (should be as thick as my M3s wheel). After that I will be upgrading the interior with more leather with red stitching. Perhaps next, I will do the shift boot in Alcantara with red stitching and get a Rennline aluball shift ****. But for now... the header saga continues....
Well everything went fine removing the bolts from the block, but the studs on the cats were all corroded and I sheered off 2 on 1 and 1 on the other even after soaking them in liquid wrench. So, I had to pull the cats out too, which basically meant taking out the airbox to unclip the leads from the O2 sensors and unclamping/unmounting the cats.
I will either need to drill out the broken studs or take them to a muffler shop to press out the broken studs and press in new ones.
The headers themselves are in, however, and went in very smoothly, no cross threads, etc.
I figured this would be a one afternoon project, but this may end up being a two or three afternoon project. So the car sits up on jack stands until next weekend I guess.
One thing I discovered while being under the car, I found the car has Bilstein PSS10s, nice! I had bought the car back in October, and I didn't think I got a bad deal nor a great deal, but as I have gotten to know the car, I have found that it had a couple more less apparent mods, that the dealer was not aware of like the PSS10s and the EVOMS mufflers. I now am beginning to think I actually got a pretty good deal on the car. So I am happy, just a little more patience till I get to hear/drive the beast.
Well, now I have two projects for next weekend, finish putting back together my exhaust system, and installing the steering wheel I ordered from Dallas Steering wheel. I ordered a black leather wheel with extra 1/8" pad and red stitching (should be as thick as my M3s wheel). After that I will be upgrading the interior with more leather with red stitching. Perhaps next, I will do the shift boot in Alcantara with red stitching and get a Rennline aluball shift ****. But for now... the header saga continues....
Last edited by Schwabische Auto; 03-07-2010 at 01:24 PM.
03-07-2010 | 04:20 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
OT - Thanx for the compliment on the BMW. It is nice, '94 318. I have owned it for 8 years. A couple summers ago, I decided 8 years on a car was long enough, but I liked it. So I decided on a 996 and to give it to my 87 yr old father. "Oh, I don't know, my Buick is just fine....." Convinced him to 'drive it like he stole it, turn up the radio a little too loud, put the top down'....and, you know what...he does. I get down to Iowa once a month to see him, it is his daily driver, usually w/the top down.
The car is lowered with 17 in wheels, and Sumi's. Great car. Fast enough. Great gas mileage, 36 mpg. AND, keeping my dad young
The car is lowered with 17 in wheels, and Sumi's. Great car. Fast enough. Great gas mileage, 36 mpg. AND, keeping my dad young
03-11-2010 | 12:54 AM
#21
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 97
From: St. Paul MN
I decided to "do" (install) my aftermarket headers today. Not a big deal. Took about 3 1/2 hrs.
a) mixed up half & half acetone and ATF (as per this thread) and sprayed ALL bolts and nuts on the headers and the cat flange (nuts) Did this about 5 days ago, drove the car, 3 days ago and drove, yesterday and drove, and today before I went to work.
b) used a 3/8" drive and 13 mm socket, extension and open end wrench
c) I went very, very slowly on loosening the bolts and the cat flange nuts.......no problems.
On the install I worked the header in and hooked up the cat end by just getting a few threads on the bolt......worked the gasket around for a while......hand tightened the header bolts (w/anti-seize) then torqued them to 19# and the cat nuts to 21#.
I bought Porsche gaskets and new Porsche exhaust manifold bolts.
all work was done by myself, car on jackstands and didn't loosen anything but the old headers.
Pretty proud on myself!
a) mixed up half & half acetone and ATF (as per this thread) and sprayed ALL bolts and nuts on the headers and the cat flange (nuts) Did this about 5 days ago, drove the car, 3 days ago and drove, yesterday and drove, and today before I went to work.
b) used a 3/8" drive and 13 mm socket, extension and open end wrench
c) I went very, very slowly on loosening the bolts and the cat flange nuts.......no problems.
On the install I worked the header in and hooked up the cat end by just getting a few threads on the bolt......worked the gasket around for a while......hand tightened the header bolts (w/anti-seize) then torqued them to 19# and the cat nuts to 21#.
I bought Porsche gaskets and new Porsche exhaust manifold bolts.
all work was done by myself, car on jackstands and didn't loosen anything but the old headers.
Pretty proud on myself!
03-11-2010 | 01:36 AM
#22
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
I decided to "do" (install) my aftermarket headers today. Not a big deal. Took about 3 1/2 hrs.
a) mixed up half & half acetone and ATF (as per this thread) and sprayed ALL bolts and nuts on the headers and the cat flange (nuts) Did this about 5 days ago, drove the car, 3 days ago and drove, yesterday and drove, and today before I went to work.
b) used a 3/8" drive and 13 mm socket, extension and open end wrench
c) I went very, very slowly on loosening the bolts and the cat flange nuts.......no problems.
On the install I worked the header in and hooked up the cat end by just getting a few threads on the bolt......worked the gasket around for a while......hand tightened the header bolts (w/anti-seize) then torqued them to 19# and the cat nuts to 21#.
I bought Porsche gaskets and new Porsche exhaust manifold bolts.
all work was done by myself, car on jackstands and didn't loosen anything but the old headers.
Pretty proud on myself!
a) mixed up half & half acetone and ATF (as per this thread) and sprayed ALL bolts and nuts on the headers and the cat flange (nuts) Did this about 5 days ago, drove the car, 3 days ago and drove, yesterday and drove, and today before I went to work.
b) used a 3/8" drive and 13 mm socket, extension and open end wrench
c) I went very, very slowly on loosening the bolts and the cat flange nuts.......no problems.
On the install I worked the header in and hooked up the cat end by just getting a few threads on the bolt......worked the gasket around for a while......hand tightened the header bolts (w/anti-seize) then torqued them to 19# and the cat nuts to 21#.
I bought Porsche gaskets and new Porsche exhaust manifold bolts.
all work was done by myself, car on jackstands and didn't loosen anything but the old headers.
Pretty proud on myself!
I wont get to hear mine until Saturday. Should go smoothly, everything is ready to go, just need to reinstall the cats and airbox.
03-12-2010 | 02:04 AM
#23
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
I finished the job today. There definately is a performance improvement in the higher rev range. I don't buy what the header naysayers have been saying. There is a significant seat of the pants improvement. With the EVOMS exhaust, the sound is excellent, particularly at hi revs. It is a well tuned sound, almost Ferrari like. 
03-12-2010 | 09:59 PM
#24
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 97
From: St. Paul MN
mine sounds GREAT!!! Haven't driven it (rain & cold here) But, letting it idle in the garage, it throbs.....gutteral. Just like I wanted. I reved it up and sounds good, but it wouldn't rev above 4,000 rpms when it was sitting still, in park, in the garage. Hmmmm, I am assuming a computer, E gas safegaurd thingy.
BTW I am NOT a mechanic, but it was fun and working on my Porsche brings a lot of ownership of the car. Kind of a binding, BFF thing. Guess I'll go out and give it a hug......then pull it out of the garage and beat the **** out of it. That's just the way I roll
BTW I am NOT a mechanic, but it was fun and working on my Porsche brings a lot of ownership of the car. Kind of a binding, BFF thing. Guess I'll go out and give it a hug......then pull it out of the garage and beat the **** out of it. That's just the way I roll
