My HS header installation - with pictures!

[bruinbear714]

Last Sunday I had nothing to do, so I woke up early to install my header, hoping to have it finished in 3 hours. Well, the job ended up taking the whole day due to some problems I ran into.

Problem 1: Couldn't remove the egr bolt on the exhaust manifold side. No matter what I did, I couldn't get that sucker to pop loose. I ended up removing the egr valve assembly on the intake side and painfully and slowly slid it through the firewall/engine.

Problem 2: I had to remove the steering column linker to move the steering column so the HS header could fit through. That took about another hour or two to reinstall the linker and line the steering wheel up correctly. It's still off by about 30 degrees right now, but that's an easy fix.

Problem 3: After installing the HS header, I bolted the stock exhaust back on and used the gaskets that came with the header. The header and the exhaust didn't line up perfectly, and the gasket that came with the header was THIN. I just bolted it up anyways and gave it a try. There was major leakage, so I went to my local auto parts store and got a fel-pro gasket, which is much thicker. I ended up slapping the two gaskets on there and screwed the bolts in tight. No more leaks.

Problem 4: The egr pipe and valve was stuck on the stock manifold, so my friend had to bring it to his autoshop to remove it. In the mean time, I went around town looking for a endcap to block off that egr hole on the header, and ended up buying a brass fitting at homedepot. I ended up blocking the egr hole on the header and intake side, and the vacuum holes.

After about 8 hours of labor, I finally had everything in and ready to test the car. I took my car for a spin, and immediately felt the difference. The car pulled much stronger from 3000rpm onward and that was with two extra passengers in the car.

Car ran fine for a few days until the service engine light came on. When I ran the ecu diagnostic codes, it came up "32" - EGR System. Well, I wasn't surprised. I bent back the egr pipes and reinstalled it, resetted the ecu, and so far it's been fine.

Sorry bout the long post, but if anyone is going to install the HS header, be aware of these problems and give yourself the WHOLE DAY for this.

Anyways, on to the good stuff, pictures.

Stock catback exhaust. Pretty heavy.

Stock catalytic converter and downpipe. Again, pretty heavy.

[bruinbear714]

Hotshot header with a wd40 can for size comparison.

Hotshot header installed into the engine.

[bruinbear714]

Picture of my engine bay from driver side.

[SSS]

Nice work. What size exhaust are you going to use from the headers back?

[bruinbear714]

Nice work. What size exhaust are you going to use from the headers back?

I'm going to stay stock with exhaust for now since the car is pretty quiet (so quiet that you can hear the exhaust gas flow through the header). But if I do change out the exhaust, I'll probably go with the N1 duals, so whatever size they may be.

[Dano]

i love my n1 dual. btw, NICE WORK BRUINBEAR!!! i like.

-Dan

[MarkEmark]

Ahh bruinbear...patience...I waited two days before that damn egr tube broke loose! LOL. I know i DEFINITELY didn't want to disconnect the whole EGR tube..needless to say, I finally got that stupid tube off! My steering too is off, by about 15 degrees, its been like this since summer...you say this is an easy fix? It took me forever to disconnect the steering column, so I've been too lazy to disconnect it and reconnect it...would the easy fix just be an alignment? Again...no $$ for that as of now, cams are in the very near future! I'm surprised you got gaskets with your headers...I had to pay $28 for gaskets from a nissan dealership...I feel like I got shafted! Good job on the install though...for exhaust, I'd recommend Tanabe Super medalion hyper spec...sounds ricey, but the build quality/fit/finish are amazing...all T304 stainless steel, 60mm, I lost NO torque installing it, rather, gained some back that I lost from the headers...has a nasty sound to it as well!Good job!Marc

[themadscientist]

that is a really sharp looking header and it looks real good installed.

[bruinbear714]

My steering too is off, by about 15 degrees, its been like this since summer...you say this is an easy fix? It took me forever to disconnect the steering column, so I've been too lazy to disconnect it and reconnect it...would the easy fix just be an alignment?

Yeah, it's easy to fix.. you need two people though. One to wedge the linker open with a chisel and a mallet and hold the chisel against the fender, another person to give the steering column a tug. Since the column and the linker are riveted, it'll click when the other person turns the steering wheel while your holding the linker still. My steering wheel is off by about 30 degrees, but the car still moves in a straight line with my hands off the wheel.

[I am Technoman]

Hey no fair Hotshot moved the front o2 sensor more up on the header. my Hot shot header has the first 02 sensor lower on the back y pipe I just pluged that hole and extended my front 02 sensor harness 1 foot longer and placed it at the rear 02 sensor hole in the collector. I dont have a rear 02 anymore and I want my ECU to read all gases from all cylinders so why have it on just on pipe reading one cylinder?

I marked my steering shaft with white paint to get it back perfect...

[fliprayzin240sx]

i got one question tho...do u have a cat? If you dont have u gotten any ECU codes yet since you dont have a cat? That was the only thing that was keeping me from buying HS cuz i wus worried bout the car acting up without a cat. I had a Greddy header but that thing kept breaking on me. Just too thin at the collector.

[bruinbear714]

i got one question tho...do u have a cat? If you dont have u gotten any ECU codes yet since you dont have a cat? That was the only thing that was keeping me from buying HS cuz i wus worried bout the car acting up without a cat. I had a Greddy header but that thing kept breaking on me. Just too thin at the collector.

No cat... if you look in my pictures, the cat fits right after the manifold, then comes the downpipe with the o2 sensor, and finaly the dummy cat and rest of exhaust.

The hotshot header replaces the manifold, real cat, and that downpipe. There are three holes on the newest generation header - 2 for o2 sensors, and 1 for egr. They will line up perfectly.

The car is surprisingly as quiet as stock with the new header. No engine light since I reinstalled the egr equipment.

[Structure240sx]

installed my hotshot about 2 months ago. you should be able to drop it in without removing the steering linkage as i did. you have to point the single tube end straight towards the ground then angle it back til its in postion. mine scraped up against the linkage a little while i was putttin it in but i wasnt payin attention to that. the problem im having is getting the egr fitting into the header i think that whats causing my idleing problems. when u reinstalled it did u do it from under the car only thing i havent tried yet. i actually took it off to try to get it in but it will only grab the first thread then come off i need help with this

[240FeVeR]

I see restriction on the #1 and #4 cylinder runners on the header.

I used a vice grip on the egr tube. Cracked it open easily. To remove the egr tube from the manifold, heat the brass up with a torch and pull it back. pretty easy..but it still takes alot of time.

[luis240sx]

So if I picked up the HS header I would have to get rid of my cat?? Someone help me out here because I need to pass emmission tests.....

[luis240sx]

disregard my previous post, I should read around a little more. Sounds like HS does eliminate my Cat, so I just want to know if my car will still be able to pass emmission tests?