New Headers for my '04 S

[Kevfra]

I too bought a set of the $100 headers from eBay, no idea if they are from China or wherever as they all look the same, packaged the same etc. Nice looking when they arrive.

Removed my old with no exceptional difficulty, pressed out the four studs on my vice with the old over-sized socket trick, again no problems.

Installed first header - problems. After two days of dicking around I have found the screw holes are badly misaligned, and no way can these be installed as arrived. Using as a template the old gasket and/or the old manifold, the holes are way off.

The bad news is this causes the new bolts to cross thread, and the aluminum heads are so soft that even finger tight at first is enough to bugger a thread - then you're in for some work. I have had to redress four holes of threads, and I only used my fingers to spin the bolts. The misaligned holes on the new headers drove the bolts at a bad angle, and working under the car it's too tough to see perfectly.

The flange can indeed be drilled and made right, so this is not the end of the world. I'm just saying that when you buy some of these first of all be prepared (tool-wise) to drill if needed, then step one compare your old gasket to the new flange before going any further.

I'm not finished yet, but I hope I won't have any more bad reports!