New Headers for my '04 S - Page 4 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Kevfra · 06-19-2008, 07:25 AM

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!

Kevfra · 06-19-2008, 01:53 PM

OK - job is done.

Installed and removed four time each side for fitting and drilling. What a pain! Some holes were off by as much as 1/4inch. The other flange with three holes lined up fine.

When/if I ever have to get involved in there again I'll be looking at some heliocoils to keep things strong. Not a good situation, and again I was stripping the first few threads just with my fingers - that is some soft material!

I assume the five hundred dollar headers are perfect, and hey maybe so are every other set of one hundred dollar headers, and I just got the bad one. But I'm telling you check first before against your stock gasket before you start installing.

chaudanova · 06-19-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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!

Kevfra, which eBay vendor did you get your headers from? Just curious of which vendors are selling the versions with the fitment problems... While they all look pretty much the same, seems like some people are having fitment issues like yours, and some people are not reporting any problems with fit at all...

Kevfra · 06-20-2008, 07:13 AM

I bought from tuningpros in California, but I can't knock them. Their service was great, shipping immediate, price best, and they communicate. I think all of these headers shown in this price range are identical from one source, and there is a quality control issue. The only thing I think a vendor should do is make sure the product is ready to ship by looking at things like the holes etc. I sent a note to tuningpros to advise them of this issue.

Meanwhile the car runs fantastic, a dramtic improvement. But it also runs a bit hotter which I expected. It seems to me with the O2 sensors reading higher hydrocarbons ala no cats, the mixture will be more lean, and that will drive up the temperature. I have no science to back this up, just trying to figure out what the computer is doing.

blue2000s · 06-20-2008, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevfra

Meanwhile the car runs fantastic, a dramtic improvement. But it also runs a bit hotter which I expected. It seems to me with the O2 sensors reading higher hydrocarbons ala no cats, the mixture will be more lean, and that will drive up the temperature. I have no science to back this up, just trying to figure out what the computer is doing.

What makes you think it's running hotter? Are you seeing higher water temperature?

Kevfra · 06-20-2008, 09:25 AM

Yes.

As a pilot I have long established the practice of scanning my guages about once a minute, and I know where they sit exactly, under a variety of operating conditions. My temperature guage is unquestionably sitting higher now. I have run the can around on five trips from full cool to full warm and it now consistently sits at a higher indicated temperature. Not dramatically, but with no room for question that it has changed.

fu03steve · 06-21-2008, 10:15 PM

I bought a set of ebay headers too...
from I believe it's "protunes" or "tunepros"
something like that...

it fits great...no fitment issue....
right now I'm running straight pipe
plus the headers which leaves me with no
cats...and I haven't got CEL except when my o2 sensor came off
but that was my fault...

chaudanova · 06-21-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fu03steve

I bought a set of ebay headers too...
from I believe it's "protunes" or "tunepros"
something like that...

it fits great...no fitment issue....
right now I'm running straight pipe
plus the headers which leaves me with no
cats...and I haven't got CEL except when my o2 sensor came off
but that was my fault...

How's the performance with your setup? Did you feel a big difference when adding the straight pipes.... and then when adding these headers?

Cloudsurfer · 06-28-2008, 09:52 PM

[QUOTE= Meanwhile the car runs fantastic, a dramtic improvement. But it also runs a bit hotter which I expected. It seems to me with the O2 sensors reading higher hydrocarbons ala no cats, the mixture will be more lean, and that will drive up the temperature. I have no science to back this up, just trying to figure out what the computer is doing.[/QUOTE]

There should be no change in the mixture the DME is calling for (other than compensating for the improved exhaust flow), as it uses the first set of O2 sensors to adjust the mixture. The secondary O2s are there to monitor catalytic efficiency, not to adjust engine parameters. What did you do with your secondary O2s, anyway?

Patrick

panameras · 06-29-2008, 09:01 AM

Nice headers

Are you guys sure that they are from the same supplier as Maxspeed on ebay? I bought a set of these from them (maxspeed) for $574 over a year ago. If they are, then damn, you guys are getting a good deal! But either way I'm happy with the quality and performance and sound for the money I spent.

panameras · 06-29-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panameras

Nice headers

Are you guys sure that they are from the same supplier as Maxspeed on ebay? I bought a set of these from them (maxspeed) for $574 over a year ago. If they are, then damn, you guys are getting a good deal! But either way I'm happy with the quality and performance and sound for the money I spent.

Here is the link to it

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Porsche-Boxster-986-2-5L-2-7L-3-2L-Performance-HEADERS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2em14Q2el1 318QQhashZitem220250203181QQitemZ220250203181

Surprisingly they are still priced the same considering others are selling for much less.

Kevfra · 06-29-2008, 01:24 PM

My headers have four bungs, so all four are plugged in.

So you say the first set adjust the mixture - makes sense. And the second set tests for cat performance...then what? Seeing the cats not perform well does it adjust the mix or simply throw a code? I would thik it does not make any correction in the burn, leaving this to the first O2 sensors.

I have not thrown a code and obviously my cats are not performing. Many others have done this and also not thrown a code. Perhaps the failure mode for the cats does not include a burn like mine, but rather some other mode of failure the system is looking for?

My engine is running warmer - slightly. And while it may be this is due to a lean mixture I have another thought...where is the temperature sending unit located? I suspect it is near one of the headers and is getting local influence from the heat of the header pipe, giving it a reading different than the actual coolant temperature. I have a laser temperature guage and could read my coolant directly, but since I didn't do that beforehand I wouldn't have any comparison to go by. If indeed the temp sender is near the header I can do a quickndirty shield to test my idea.

fu03steve · 06-30-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaudanova

How's the performance with your setup? Did you feel a big difference when adding the straight pipes.... and then when adding these headers?

this set up is great!!!
quicker respond on the throttle and way way way louder
before it takes off great after 4-5k rpm
now it will go at any rpm!!

Jaxonalden · 06-30-2008, 07:14 PM

Panameras,

Look at my picture of the headers in post #19 and compare it to the ones in the link you provided. Same headers, different name plate tack welded in four places. My says "HK Racing". And yes I paid $100, $50 for three day shipping from China!! The shipping label confirms it.

I still haven't received my modified passenger side yet. I think I might just find someone that will weld stainless and modify it myself.

fu03steve · 06-30-2008, 10:23 PM

I bought my on E-bay too
and the headers fitted perfect from both sides

Jaxonalden · 08-15-2008, 09:47 PM

I just got an e-mail from the manufacturer telling me my headers are done. I looked at the pictures he sent and it appears it will clear my Tiptronic coolant lines. The test will come when I crawl under my car and install then. I will let everyone know the progress.

The modification was to the pipe on the end opposite the collector. I needed that pipe to turn out as soon as possible from the flange. The pics look good compared to the original headers.