ASC

So I just finished installing my new OBX 4-2-1 header. A quick note that may help others:

Get a 12mm box wrench. The sockets won't sit perfectly flat on the bolts between the 1st & 2nd, 3rd & 4th runners. By placing a finger over the box wrench, you can tighten the bolts to mikochu's "just tight enough" spec, and your finger over the bolt/box end will prevent the wrench from slipping sideways/off. In fact, I could get a better torque on the nuts at the outer end of the flange.

Now, a question about the new sound: it IS supposed to be "raspy", right? I don't think that's the sound of an exhaust leak. If I remember correctly, doesn't an exhaust leak sound like a loud "ticking"? I made sure my lower two spring bolts were torqued to about 40 ft-lbs.

Last question: The OBX header has a bracket welded to the lower flange to bolt to the engine bracket. Well, this was the only disappointing part, as the flange won't line up, no matter how much I try to bend the bracket. Soooo, I guess I may have to run without that lower bracket. I know the DC headers don't have a bracket either, but how long has everyone been running on these without fatiguing the upper bolts/welds/flange?

Sorry for the long-winded message, just want to make sure all my "i's" are dotted, and my "t's" are crossed.

- Al

Short_Bus

sounds like a leak, I had a hole in my exhaust 2 days ago- sounded raspy . I would just check for leaks

ASC

Hmmm... At idle and low rpms, the car is as quiet as it was with the stock header. Once I punch it over 3000 rpm, that's when it sounds a bit raspy. I crawled under the car and couldn't see any soot residue indicating a leak. Also, I couldn't feel any leak around the flange (as close as I could get without searing my skin!)

hotbox05

somehow it sounds like yer manifold to head gasket is bad , or the lower gasket is not tight enough.

i've run my megan header for over a year no problems and it has no bracket.

ASC

OK, so maybe it's my paranoid side that reared its ugly head. Started the lil' xA up this morning, checked under the hood, rev'd the motor, and all was tight.

Jumped in, and after about 5-6 miles of warm up, got on the throttle hard. The exhaust note is slightly lower, but no rasp this time. Maybe the new header needed to work itself into the gaskets? Maybe the voices in my head were making themselves known again?

FWIW, the butt dyno doesn't really register a significant amount of gain (but then again, I've been flat on my butt and back under the car for two hours last night). The throttle, however, has seemingly gotten a bit more responsive.

For my own peace of mind, I'm going to work on modifying the factory bracket by drilling a new hole to coincide with the location of the misplaced OBX bracket. I had an old VW Scirocco that split a weld on the runner/flange after 30k miles because it didn't have a lower bracket.