OBX Header Install + Heat Wrap Guide for the Ka24DE

[znelson]

Header Install + Heat Wrapping for the KA24DE S13. Guide by Nlzn

Time to Install: 2Hours, maximum. Helps with a friend or a second set of hands.

Parts Needed: Headers (I used KA OBX Stainless for this, welds looked good, and they aren't very expensive.)Heat Wrap (rougly 20$ for 50ft, and you'll need every bit of it.)1 5" Hose Clamp (~99cents @ Wal-Mart)Some type of gloves, I used Nitrile (Auto-Zone, $4 a box). You don't want to handle the fiberglass wrap with bare hands.Electrical TapeScissorsWrench to get old headers off and put new ones on.1 Nickel (yes, 5cents)

Step1: Now that you have all the parts you need, the quickest part of this guide is removing your old headers. This is pretty

self-explanatory, remove the eight screws from the head studs, unbolt the downpip from the catalytic converter and youre done here. Oh ya,

don't forget to remove the o2 sensor. Some people find it easier to seperate the stock headers, I took mine out in one peice. Mechanic's

choice here.

Step2: Prep the headers for install. Since I chose the time go ahead and get rid of EGR and emissions etc.. before the install it might be

wise to weld off the EGR tube port. I know my weld isn't the prettiest but it works. Second I used a nickel and wrenched down the hollow pipe

fitting (you can find this on your old headers) on it as hard as I can turn. Made an air tight seal and worked great.

Step3: Wrapping the headers. We approached the headers asking how to make it look good and with the use minimal wires/clamps. We finally came

up with a good solution that only took us one clamp for the whole project. We started our wrap with runner #3 as shown in the picture. It

really helps when you cut the wrap to take the electrical tape and tape over the end of it so you don't have to worry about excess threads.

Make sure on the first wraps, this is very important, that you double over once extremely tight. All the wraps need be as tight as you can

get them at the start or you'll end up starting over a few times. We used about 5/6ft cuts per runner of the tape. The first runner may only

take you 4ft or so, we chose runner #3 since it was the shortest.

Step4: Now that you've got the 3rd runner wrapped, move on to runner #2. Start the same as you did on the other one, as tight as you can.

When you get down to the bung, double the tap over to runner #3 tightly, so you have something to hold the wrap on it as well. See image for

details of what this looks like. Keep wrapping past the converge point all the way down to where the headers meet.

Step5: With runners two and three wrapped, move onto runner #4. This was the hardest to wrap as they are equal length on the headers we

chose, so be careful with this one. Start the same, and take this one two or three wraps onto runner #1.

Step6: This is where youll use the rest of the tape as this is the last runner. Wrap as normal until you get down to the meet from the runner

#4. Wrap tightly and continue down until they converge 2-1. Double wrap the 2 runners at the bottom together and continue until they come to

one. Since we only had 50ft of wrap this is where we stopped and clamped, using the 5" clamp over both. Make sure it's nice and tight as this

is what holds all the wrap together.

Tada! You now have new headers that are wrapped up nice and tight. Kinda reminds you of Christmas morning eh?

Step7: Install the new headers. Now I had a 3" resonated cat as shown in the pictures and it didnt exactly mate with the obx flange. I think

2.5" might be ok, so I had to weld the gap at the flanges on mine. Clearance is tight near the steering column. We fed them in from under the

car, be careful not to snag your wrap. Get them bolted in and its time for a test.

Once the motor warms up the wrap will smoke like crazy. It will only do this once and it smells quite bad. Might wanna do this outside. We

let it sit idling for about 20mins then took it out for a test drive. The headers changed the power band some from the low end to more

mid/top end. The motor sounded completely different, it was deeper and much louder. It's a feelable difference, and when we parked the car

under the hood temps were dramitcally lower than before. So there you go, enjoy!

[Florida240sx]

Nice, where did you get heat wrap from? I couldn't find it at local stores...

[S3t0_S13]

very cleannbut why does it look like in the very last picture the end of your headers are on fire?

[znelson]

Nice, where did you get heat wrap from? I couldn't find it at local stores...

Ebay, Moroso heat tape.

[znelson]

very cleannbut why does it look like in the very last picture the end of your headers are on fire?

We didn't get the install done until after dark, thats one of my shop lights we had on from mating the headers/cat underneath the car.

[adrianfromthecastle]

nice write-up..

but i heard heat wraps are the number one reason why headers/ exhaust manifolds crack, due to the lack of heat dissapation... true?

[neverlift]

that is very true! Most if not all heat wrap companies have it written on the package "this header wrap voids most header warranties"

dont take that as its bad,its not bad for performance just the header itself. Helping keep the heat in the tubes lets it move faster,but heating those pipes too much can crack them.

Personally I think cast is ok seeing its so much thicker.

Good job none the less. Nice write up

[Ajax]

Have you had any problems with clearance with the steering column. Mine was giving me major propblems. I had to wrestle with the steering wheel to get it to turn. My mechanic is cutting and rewelding that lower bung to fix it.

[znelson]

As I said above.. it was a real tight fit but other than I didnt hit have to cut anything.

[neverlift]

ajax do you have nismo mounts too? That would come into play seeing the stockers are rubber and mushier. one of these days I'll have some too............. end day dreams

[Ajax]

I do. The problem existed with both the old and new Nismo mounts though. I think it was worse with the nismo mounts, but I'll never switch back to the stockers- those things were like jello.So heads up to people with nismo mounts and the OBX header- there may be steering clearance issues!

[SirSilvia]

I do. The problem existed with both the old and new Nismo mounts though. I think it was worse with the nismo mounts, but I'll never switch back to the stockers- those things were like jello.So heads up to people with nismo mounts and the OBX header- there may be steering clearance issues!

Are you freaking kidding me? Those are the first two things I bought, Nismo mounts and OBX headers... What will fix that problem? relocating the bung? I just got my headers today. Wait a minute, is this post for the KA24DE? is it any different for the KA24E? I got these headers because my complete stock exhaust has turned to sh1t. These were cheap and looked sweet, anyone else know of a fitment problem?

[Chezedik]

I didn't have any fitment issue with them on my DE with the exception of the EGR which was promptly taken off. To fit the EGR correctly you loosen the EGR a bit and hang the header on the studs. you screw the EGR together and then slowly bolt the EGR and header down.

The only other problem I had was a slight bump on the steering shaft getting them in, but let me tell you, it is nothing like putting on a downpipe.

[ka24deColt]

i dont get what your saying to do with the nickel?

[Soravia]

I also found that removing the steering joint link is necessary if your engine is already in place.

I didn't have any guides when I did mine but luckly I cut all the pieces in right lenght and had them overlapped right. Used multiple clamps 4 on the each downpipe, one in the middle one at the end. I also put on some silicone coating.I'm not worried about heat damage since I have 3.5" pipe back, no CAT, no ERG and a 4" muffler.A really loud KA though.

[SirSilvia]

well i finally got the headers installed and the problems I've seen for the KA24E is of course: 1) The EGR which I left on the engine, what I did though to make it fit was cut that pipe and bolted it in, then used a piece of heat resistant rubber hose the connect it again with clamps.2) because of the lower bung for that POS tube that has to go around the steering link, i also cut that and bent it a little more to clear the linkage, then connected the two tube with another piece of hose3) (and this was stupid of OBX) the put the O2 sensor facing the back of the headers which hit the firewall ...solution? beat in the firewall a little bit. TADA!4) because of my Nismo mounts, the lower section of header about 10" from the cat bracket, It touches the floor panel, which I've been told it will be ok, I'm gonna see if causes any problems heat wise for now