Pacesetter Woes (Last Update: 6-2) FIXED!

[Distephano]

Well, about 2 weeks ago my pacesetters from the GP finaly came.

I'm getting done putting my engine back together and will soon be putting it back in the car. So I wanted to see how the headers looked on it. So with the engine on the stand, I loosely bolted the headers to it. Then I held up the y-pipe. This is where the problems were found. The gap between the 2 collectors on the Y-pipe is too short! If I put one pipe on one header, the other pipe won't reach the other header!

I don't know the specs on these, so I guess the problem could either be the headers themselves, or the y-Pipe.

I emailed Pacesetter, but I dont' expect a reply until Monday. Do you guys think I'll just get a whole new set, or what? Whatever happens, I hope this gets taken care of quick, I want my car back on the road.

[ June 02, 2004, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Distephano ]

[redbird00]

i've senn this happen twice within the last 2 weeks, what both parties had to do was take it to an exhaust shop and have them weld another piece of pipe to the y-pipe to make it long enough...

merlin

[Linxs]

I had the exact same problem. I have already been through this with pacesetters and 5 phone calls latter they still were not sure what was wrong. You basically have 2 options. You can have a shop cut the Y pipe and put in a 2 inch extension OR (what I did ) the shop that put mine on (I had a broken bolt and a lot of rush and when I found a shop that said 250 to put on the headers and my new cat back system I said you got it, anyway..) This shop put in a small bend in the middle of the y pipe portion that goes over to the driver side. Basically they bend it, if you are holding the part, of the y pipe, that connects to the Cat. and extend it out in front of you. The middle of the y on the left needs to be bent out and down. Basically, anywhere along this section of the pipe can be slightly bent enough for this to work. If you choose to get an extension put in it you may pay as much as $170 (a local guy paid this to have his fixed with an extension).

I was not about to tell the shop to put on my old set up so I could ship the headers back to pacesetters. We took measurements of my Y pipe and a Y pipe pacesetters had matched to their molding that they used early this year to make a set and put them on a car locally for testing (they were within 1/16th of an inch from each other). Last word I got was they were going to look at the headers to see if one of the headers was made wrong. Eric at pacesetters said they were considering making the Y pipe in into 2 sections to help avoid this problem. I have not heard any official word on what's going on since I told them how the shop fixed mine.

I hope this helps you out...

[Distephano]

I'll be damned if I'm paying more money to make these fit. These are sold as a direct bolt on for the engine. If they don't fit, they will be sending me a new set, or paying for the alterations needed to MAKE them fit.

[DannyV6Camaro]

i brought mine from the GP to, but havent had a chance to mess with it, im waiting on some other parts. So could someone measure the gap on the Ypipe and let me know what it it?? and what it should be? Cause if its short i want to solve this problem before taking my car apart, u know.

Thanks if someone could help

[Evernham]

Why is no one mentioning these v6 problems over at Fbody.com in the GP thread? Those who are actually having the problem should mention it to Schoch.

[Dominic]

sounds really bad to me... Im sorry.

[Distephano]

Thanks for pointing that out. I think I'll email them right now.

EDIT:

I just emailed Bryan at Shooch. Just to give him a heads up that there has been a few people with this problem, and that me and others have contacted Pacesetter.

[ May 16, 2004, 01:20 AM: Message edited by: Distephano ]

[hawgs]

Distephano... I had the same problems with mine, but have yet to contact anyone with pacesetter about it. Whats your email? I have a contact at pacesetter that you should try calling.

[Distephano]

Originally posted by hawgs:
Distephano... I had the same problems with mine, but have yet to contact anyone with pacesetter about it. Whats your email? I have a contact at pacesetter that you should try calling.

My Email is Distephano84@hotmail.com

Anyone else that sees this and has this problem, email me, with Subject: PACESETTER PROBLEMS

let me know what you had done to fix it, and what it cost. I'll take this up with Pacesetter, the more people I have for back up the better. I'll keep everyone posted.

[Nathan]

I guess I got lucky. I just installed mine today (With the help of TokenV6, Stefan, Token Sebring, and Pathogen :D ). It was a tight fit but we were able to bring the connection together with a little muscle and tightening of the bolts.
Best thing is that now I am basically running on open headers because the y-pipe isn't really connected to the cat. :) Loud as hell.

[Distephano]

Originally posted by Nathan:
It was a tight fit but we were able to bring the connection together with a little muscle and tightening of the bolts.

I thought about doing that. But this is a pretty big gap. I don't think I want to try and muscle this to fit. I'm afraid I'll end up cracking something, or striping a bolt.

[Linxs]

Originally posted by Distephano:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Nathan:
It was a tight fit but we were able to bring the connection together with a little muscle and tightening of the bolts.

I thought about doing that. But this is a pretty big gap. I don't think I want to try and muscle this to fit. I'm afraid I'll end up cracking something, or striping a bolt. </font>[/QUOTE]I agree, you do not need to put any extra pressure on this that it already has. "Muscling it" together may cause you problems down the road.

[Nathan]

It wasnt really that far of a stretch. I am talking centimeters here. I could get one pipe from the Y to fit snug on the passenger header, then had to pull the driver side out a couple of centimeters to get the lip of the y-pipe to slip over the connection on the header.

[Distephano]

Ok everyone. I got an Email back from Pacesetter today. They asked me for pictures. So I took a few and sent them a link to the page. I'm also putting the link up here for everyone to see. While everyone is looking, there are a few pics of my engine, and how my apperance mods on that are coming along. The link is HERE

I'll keep everyone posted on what goes on with Pacesetter.

BTW, I've also contacted Schoch, they have also emailed Pacesetter, I'll let you guys know what Schoch says to me also.

Originally posted by Linxs:
I agree, you do not need to put any extra pressure on this that it already has. "Muscling it" together may cause you problems down the road.

I agree. This is a joint that has enough stress on it already, I really don't think it will be in my best intrest to put that much more stress on it. Just my $.02

EDIT: Sorry, I forgot to say. Those pictures are taken with no gaskets between the header and the engine, so you can figure the headers will be spread apart another 1/4" or so, when the gaskets are in there, making this gap even larger. Granted, I know thats not alot, but if I have to force these together, every little bit counts.

[ May 18, 2004, 01:24 AM: Message edited by: Distephano ]