Problems bolting y-pipe to headers?

[Predator Bird]

incase you didn't read my topic from the other day, i took my car to a shop to finish off my header install. i got pacesetters for my 3.4 and the extension pipe that connects the driver side header to the y-pipe isn't lining up right. the pipe seems to be bent wrong b/c the flange won't fit on right when the pipe is where it needs to be under the car. if you connect it, the pipe hits the frame and won't connect to the y-pipe. if anyone else had this problem let me know. i told the shop to just leave it open headers and i'll take it to an exhaust shop to make a pipe for it.

[FunkZ]

Seems like Pacesetter still doesn't have their quality control under, well... control. Unless you happened to get a set that sat around on a shelf for half a year.

Did the shop have any problem getting your stock manifolds off? EGR transferred?

I guess with the A4 you don't have AIR to worry about, huh?

[Snuffalofogus]

good thing my lined up correctly.

do a search, there were quite a few people who ran into the same problems you did

open headers are fuggin loud!

[Predator Bird]

i think the pipe can be made to fit, but the shop won't do it force it. i'm going to pick up the car and drive to an exhaust shop open headers. i'll have them either bend that pipe or make a new extension pipe for me.

the whole header install has taught me a lesson... not to do anything else to my car. i attempted to do the install w/ some friends and it turned out to be harder than we thought. we broke a bolt in the block and screwed up some stuff yanking the y-pipe off. we got the old manifolds off and had it towed to a shop to finish up the job. after what they are charging me to fix everything (which includes taking off the head to remove the broken bolt) i realizes i learned my lesson and i won't mod the car anymore.

[99v6cam]

It's not a reason not to mod your car, more like a reason not to do it yourself. I feel bad because I talked you into getting headers and now it's costing you all this money...

[Distephano]

Does it look something like this?

Check out this thread

Hope that helps ya some!

[98FBird]

I could tell by the thread name these were pacesetters... lol...

I gave up on the bolts... had the Y-Pipe welded on... no more leaks

[Predator Bird]

Originally posted by Distephano:
Does it look something like this?

Check out this thread

Hope that helps ya some!

mine isn't even that bad. the passenger side bolts up just fine. the driver side is able to get on the ball joint and bolt up the inside, but the outside won't go on flush. if you do bolt it on flush the extention pipe hits the frame. i should be picking up my car today and i'll take it an exhaust shop to fix. i'm sure he will be able to force it on there or bend the pipe a little bit.

[Predator Bird]

i picked up the car earlier today and took it to an exhaust shop. he told me that i need new motor mounts and thats why it's not fitting right. the car has almost 120k and stock motor mounts. he thinks the extra lift new ones will give me should allow everything to bolt up.

so for now i'm driving the car open headers. i ordered new mounts that should be here this afternoon and i'm taking it back tomorrow morning to get finished. open headers is INSANELY LOUD! i can't really drive anywhere b/c i'm scared i'll get pulled over.

[FunkZ]

Everything work out okay Predator?

[Predator Bird]

no, the y-pie was bent wrong from pacesetter and won't bolt up. there's still a leak in them. i'm going on wed to have the headers welded to the y-pipe. i'm just fed up w/ this whole header install. wish i never did it.

weird thing is that my exhaust is quieter and a higher pitched. i hope once it gets welded together it will fix that. i heard 99v6cam's loudmouth after he installed headers and his got louder and deaper. mine went the oppisite way. :mad:

[Predator Bird]

update: got it sealed off finally. i took it to another exhaust shop and the guy wasn't lazy like the others. all he did was open the flange more and used "exhaust cement" to seal them off. makes me mad when the others just looked at it and help up the pipes and said "it won't fit."

its not really that much louder though. it's just a little louder than stock manifolds. i'm going to give it some time. 99v6cam's car got louder and deeper after a month. the car's torque curve shifted up a lot. headers/high flow cat/rumbler = no backpressure. it doesn't have much "umf" when i take off from a stop, but when i'm cruising and smash the gas it throws you back a little harder. it's just something i'll have to get use to.