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installing a header = DONT DO IT!!!!

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    installing a header = DONT DO IT!!!!

    So i finally installed my header and have had nothing but problems.

    Long story so here it goes:

    I put my header on and needed some remaining exhaust work done so I took it to a local custom shop, I know the owner so it helps. It helps because I didnt install a cat and a muffler shop will not do exhaust work with out a cat installed. I drove the car to the shop at 7am, it was really loud and smelled badly of gas. I figured the gas smell was because the exhaust was exiting from directly under the cabin. I parked the car in the lot, left the keys in the drop slot, and got a ride to work. I get a call at 3pm, they tell me my car is leaking gas and there was a trail from the parking lot to where they parked it in the shop, SHIT, GREAT! So i go to the shop after work and find the return line had sprung several leaks. The fuel pressure had shot up to 60psi. I fixed the hose and turned the pressure back to 40-43psi, gas problem fixed. I didnt think installing a header would make the pressure jump that much.

    I drove the car for about a week now and when I got home from work last night I parked the car in the garage. After about an hour and a half of being home I decided to go open the hood and check things out. I tapped on the header to see how warm it was, I had it ceramic coated, and it was actually cooled down enough to grab a hold of. However the valve cover and intake manifold were still very hot and almost untouchable, not sure if thats normal or not? I closed the hood and noticed the gap of the passenger side fender to hood was pretty bad, SHIT, GREAT! I had the car on jack stands for about 2 months, installing headers and having the wheels powder coated, so I figure the body got tweeked for being on the stands that long, SHIT, GREAT! I opened and closed the hood a few times to see what was up and noticed the hinge where the hood strut is was kind of buckling and moving wrong when I was shutting the hood. I move the washer bottle and notice one of the tabs where the hood strut assembly is mounted had popped loose, SHIT, GREAT! I figure the body did tweek a little? I loosened the hood hinge up front and adjusted it make the gap better. I go to shut the hood and its now shutting hard, open it back up and the washer bottle is in the way and the hood bent the tab on it. So I put it back in place and shut the hood, it shuts fine and the gap is good except now there is a small outwards dent where the bottle was hitting, SHIT, GREAT! I paint cars for a living so gaps and dents and scratches and stuff drive me crazy.

    Today I went to lunch and it started to drizzle rain a bit so I turned the wipers on for a second and shut them off. Problem was they wouldnt shut off, SHIT, GREAT! You know when you pull the wiper lever back to squirt the washer fluid and the wipers swipe 3 or 4 times then shut off? Yeah well thats what they are doing except not shutting off. So I just unplugged the electrical to the washer bottle and now they work just fine except the washer bottle doesnt work so I need to fix that.

    After work I went to warm my car up and noticed the idle is really lopy like it has a huge cam or something, SHIT, GREAT! It wasnt that way before the header. I popped the hood and checked things over and I can hear what sounds like a vaccum leak coming from the firewall area on the drivers side but cant find it, SHIT, GREAT! I did some searching and found this http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...mileage&page=2 . Hopefully thats my problem, loose intake manifold.


    I have noticed that im getting shitty gas mileage and I hope the vaccum leak is why. The engine doesnt have any power loss or anything it just idles bad and every once in a while when I come to a stop the check engine light comes on, but once I rev it up the light goes off. I have no idea what is going on.

    The moral of the story is DO NOT INSTALL A HEADER, you will have many problems after and you will have 8 or more SHIT, GREATS! in your story.:D
    sigpic

    #2
    Looks like alot of problems came together all at once.

    Comment


      #3
      Great story, man.

      So now what do I need to worry about when I do the navigation system?

      I have only 3 or 4 SHIT, GREATS :) in the bank.

      Closing SOON!
      "LAST CHANCE FOR G.A.S." DEAL IS ON NOW

      Luke AT germanaudiospecialties DOT com or text 425-761-6450, or for quickest answers, call me at the shop 360-669-0398

      Thanks for 10 years of fun!

      Comment


        #4
        Is it wrong that I laughed throughout your poast??? Sorry but it played in my mind like a wife telling her husband what a shitty day she had(as women usually do) while the husband sat there, not giving a fuck and then telling her to go make him a sandwich.

        Sorry about your loss of sanity there, I hate it when one thing springs up 20 unrelated problems.

        Looks like the last problem with the check engine light is your AFM.
        YOUTUBE: AR Perez
        - - -
        If lucky, the E36 will die peacefully, in its natural habitat, and be given the prestigious honor of donating its parts to an E30

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          #5
          I would say so, lol. The SHIT GREAT's made me lol though.
          1985 M10b18. 70maybewhpoffury. Over engineered S50b30 murica BBQ swap in progress.

          Originally posted by DEV0 E30
          You'd chugg this butt. I know you would. Ain't gotta' lie to kick it brostantinople.

          Comment


            #6
            O2 sensor going crazy? usually a lopy idle with no other affect is due to either an unplugged or bad O2 sensor. mine does the same because i didnt wire in the pre-heat wires when i got my exhaust made and had to relocate the O2 sensor. check engine light also does the same thing.

            problems with the hood shock is common when using a stiff aftermarket shock.

            wiper problem, replace the relay. mine did the same thing.
            m106 1990 e30
            e36 daily
            e32 cruiser

            Comment


              #7
              Having the car on jackstands will not do that. mine was on stands for a year (back in 04), and no problems.
              - Sean Hayes

              Comment


                #8
                That is a bag full of shit. GL
                ** Lot's of M20 turbo parts for sale.**



                Turn key track car.

                http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=222066

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Sean View Post
                  Having the car on jackstands will not do that. mine was on stands for a year (back in 04), and no problems.
                  maybe if just one corner was jacked up?
                  http://instagram.com/dslovn.drives

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Damn that is a crazy story!! I hope everything works out. What headers did you put on?
                    stephenbrody.com

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Moral of the Story:

                      Let someone else work on your car from now on.

                      jk, sorry about the problems.
                      Need parts now? Need them cheap? steve@blunttech.com
                      Chief Sales Officer, Midwest Division—Blunt Tech Industries

                      www.gutenparts.com
                      One stop shopping for NEW, USED and EURO PARTS!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I put headers on, and somewhere in Australia a Kangaroo died.













                        Moral of the story, don't put on headers because random acts of absolutely no relationship to installing headers will occur.
                        Below the radar...

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Dude.. That's not a header problem, that just owning an e30 problem..

                          That story is about how my life is every week.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Funny story. Great writing too. So now, let us know how you link the new header to your pletoria of problems?
                            Brake harder. Go faster. No shit.

                            massivebrakes.com

                            http://www.facebook.com/pages/Massiv...78417442267056





                            Comment


                              #15
                              Take my advice Monty and remove the M30 AFM, adjustable FPR, and the Mark D M30 chip that Bobby put in and return it to stock. In my opinion, the car idled and ran better overall with the stock components in place than it did with those 'upgrades'.

                              I also remember something about that hood hinge issue, but it only happened once-I remember the strut hinge/arm wanting to hit the washer bottle assembly. I thought it was a bit strange as I had never seen it before, but I just slightly readjusted everything and it was fine from them on. Maybe that hinge assembly is worn?
                              Eric Giles
                              '20 M2 CS
                              '04 M3
                              '11 X5 35D
                              '87 325is
                              '91 325i Sport

                              There are few things more expensive than a cheap BMW...

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