Aftermarket Headers

[JGood]

Mr. Good, M18x1.5 bolts are commonplace at auto parts stores as that is the size of a Toyota drain oil pan drain plug.

Ahh good call... I guess my mistake was calling around and asking for a 18x1.5 instead of just going there and looking. Can't trust high school dropouts working at autoparts stores...

[Optimator]

And just an FYI if anyone loses one of the bolts: It's a standard 18x1.5 thread used on most O2 sensor and spark plugs. Not the easiest bolt to come across...

Mr. Good, M18x1.5 bolts are commonplace at auto parts stores as that is the size of a Toyota drain oil pan drain plug.

[JeffRR]

Those look like the same type that I bought, just through a different distribuitor.

I had some massaging on the header and the engine mounting arm to get everything to clear. So far so good, can't beat the price.

I forgot about that, I didn't use the bungs that came on the headers. I asked the fabricator that did the rest of the exhaust to put a pair of bungs in on the straight section where it bends underneath the fire-wall.

[JGood]

Alright... So where do I get this crush washer from?

It's an 18mm crush washer. Auto parts stores, hardware stores, or just google "crush washer" and pick a place to order it from. It's like buying any other washer or nut or bolt. It just has a special shape to it to help seal better and it just so happens that it holds the bolt in place better as well.




And just an FYI if anyone loses one of the bolts: It's a standard 18x1.5 thread used on most O2 sensor and spark plugs. Not the easiest bolt to come across...

[jakeb]

any local auto store...


I had these headers...sounded raspy. I was not happy with them. I am running stock obdII m3 from the headers to the tips and could not be happier.

[evil_twin]

Alright... So where do I get this crush washer from?

[golde30]

So this crush washer is provided in the kit?

no.

[evil_twin]

Yes. Even high temp Loctite is only rated at 450 degrees. Just use a crush washer. There's no reason not to...

So this crush washer is provided in the kit?

[JGood]

oops, i didnt put a crush washer on mine either...and now they are installed and wrapped up with header wrap...dang.

Well if the header wrap covers the bolts and is tight, you should be fine.

It's a hit and miss thing. One of mine fell out, the other was so tight I had trouble loosening it. And I tightened them both prior to this mess, basically as tight as I could get them.

[golde30]

oops, i didnt put a crush washer on mine either...and now they are installed and wrapped up with header wrap...dang.

[Kerrath]

That still pisses me off. It's retarded as all hell.

To top it off, I never put a crush washer on the bolt that goes into the bung. So 3 weeks after I finished my swap, the bolt falls out on the highway. I go from having a nice quiet daily driver to having an open header top fuel dragster. To top it off, You can't install the bolt without removing all the heat shielding on the firewall, because it's so damn close. What the fuck. It took me 2 hours to grind down the bolt and pound in the heat shielding to get the bolt installed, and spin it 1/64 of a turn with the wrench with the 2" of clearance you are given. Man that shit still has me pissed off.

BEFORE INSTALLING THE HEADERS, PUT CRUSH WASHERS ON THOSE BOLTS.

Oh dear god. I did not know they were prone to fall out. >:[
I guess I'll have to see how much the car gods like me.

Those headers in general though... fucking poor design. I recommend paying more for the well thought out ones. The amount of time you have to spend screwing around with the kind I got is not worth it at all.

Which headers did you get Evil Twin? The ones you had a link to?

[JGood]

In the exhaust bungs you mean? What about a dab of loctite?

Yes. Even high temp Loctite is only rated at 450 degrees. Just use a crush washer. There's no reason not to...

[evil_twin]

In the exhaust bungs you mean? What about a dab of loctite?

[JGood]

Yeah, they look like the ones I got which look like the ones you got. Mine are a pretty big pita though because the O2 sensor bungs are in shittarded places. One will hit the other header and the other will jam into the firewall. I'm going to have to get a bung added elsewhere. It shouldn't be a big deal going a couple feet farther back though. Stock position for the bung on E34 and E36 is at the y-pipe just before the cat.

That still pisses me off. It's retarded as all hell.

To top it off, I never put a crush washer on the bolt that goes into the bung. So 3 weeks after I finished my swap, the bolt falls out on the highway. I go from having a nice quiet daily driver to having an open header top fuel dragster. To top it off, You can't install the bolt without removing all the heat shielding on the firewall, because it's so damn close. What the fuck. It took me 2 hours to grind down the bolt and pound in the heat shielding to get the bolt installed, and spin it 1/64 of a turn with the wrench with the 2" of clearance you are given. Man that shit still has me pissed off.

BEFORE INSTALLING THE HEADERS, PUT CRUSH WASHERS ON THOSE BOLTS.

[evil_twin]

ordered :)