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YOUR RESEARCHAbout to Install Headers...Any thoughts/tips
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Tighten header bolts (w/anti-seize)
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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#.
Leading evidence: 'Tighten header bolts (w/anti-seize)' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Clean junk in between threads (i'll assume you mean rennlist)' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suggestion
any experienced wrenches using anti-seize on the nuts/bolts on Pcars?
I use anti-seize on virtually everything that screws into aluminum and always on stainless fasteners where there may be a problem with heat, radical temperature changes or moisture.
Clean junk in between threads (i'll assume you mean rennlist)
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Suggestion
Warm up my impact wrench and clean my junk in between threads (I'll assume you mean Rennlist).
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Suggestion
Dam I hate cars that are that clean on the underside.
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Suggestion
I have removed very badly stuck nuts and bolts this way and you just cannot let it fill with junk, and you cannot let it get hot.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
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#.
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24 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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I am going to be installing headers on my C4 tomorrow. Installation appears to be pretty straightforward. I would imagine one thing that might be troublesome is frozen nut and bolts. Any tips on this, aside from maybe liquid wrench or heating up the frozen nut or bolt?? Anybody have other issues with a similar installation??
Any tips are appreciated.
Yeah, me too. I bought some Chineses headers and they are sitting on top of the fridge in the garage. I went ahead and bought Porsche gaskets and bolts but, I am afraid that one of the existing bolts is going to break in the head when I try to remove them.....I have sprayed with liquid wrench a couple of times........
when removing bolts - heat is your enemy, let me explain..
metal bolts get rusty and corroded, aluminum oxidizes - when unscrewing a bolt the rust, odidization and other contaminants come off of the bolt and internal threads. There is a tiny amouont of room for this "junk" but once that "room" fills with crap the area between the threads shrinks. as you continue to dislodge debris in there you will craet friction and heat (even if you cannot feel it, its there) the tiny debris will heat up to the point of welding itself back onto the same type of material which makes the area smaller yet and now you have a bigger bolt in a maller hole.... it will break....
so what to do:
work the thread SLOWLY and if it binds at all (tiny amount) stop, reverse a tiny bit and spray liberally with something like WD-40... what you want to do is flush the junk out from between the threads. You may have to flush it and work it in and out in TINY incriments over and over... if it stops - DO NOT CONTINUE... reverse and flush..
I have removed very badly stuck nuts and bolts this way and you just cannot let it fill with junk, and you cannot let it get hot. If you feel the bolt is hot it is caused from the area you cannot feel, being VERY HOT!! - let it cool, flush and work it back and forth slowly !
good luck!
I installed mine and didnt have any trouble with nuts and bolts. If you do spray them with PB Blaster and let sit a half hour. I do recommend a set of Fabspeed copper gaskets. Really good seal and fit.
Dam I hate cars that are that clean on the underside. But then again it is a Florida car. Give it 8 or 10 real northern winters, ice snow and salt and then lets see what it looks like.
You asked...
aftermarket headers are pretty and shiny, you should install them for this reason, oh, and you will get points in your bench racing sessions. But beware, they will probably reduce the power output slightly over the OE. There have many threads on this subject, and most all the results have been less than what the installer/owner waqs expecting, way less.
Enjoy!
PS. don't do a before and after dyno run.
OKBARNETT....How in the hell did you git intew my gay raj??
NICE
Okay, Ed, let me get this straight. Warm up my impact wrench and clean my junk in between threads (I'll assume you mean Rennlist). Spray it liberally with WD 40? All the time working it in and out of tiny increments(?). Oh, and if I stop, then DO NOT CONTINUE?
Okay(?)
Really, thanks. Good advice.
An over night penetrant soaking then apply again an hour so so before removal. Tapping the head of bolts with a hammer can some times helpbreak corrosive stuffs cement bond.
Highly recommend replacing all existing bolts with new bolts as part of the upgrade. Replace all gaskets. When doing the install loose fit all bolts before tightening. Will be super helpful if two people do the install (one to hold the header while the other tightens the bolts). Would be much easier if done on a lift vs. jack stands. A swivel socket will be you best friend...especially on the far most bolt toward the back of the engine. Take your time and don't force it...
be very careful not to cross thread
when tightening.
I use anti-seize on virtually everything that screws into aluminum and always on stainless fasteners where there may be a problem with heat, radical temperature changes or moisture. I use it on my lug nuts/bolys on all my cars also. Also anywhere I want to get a true torque reading rather than thread interference or bolt/nut face friction.
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.
__________________
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
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....
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!
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.
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
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