I just installed Edelbrock TES headers on my GTA and now I need the rest of the exhasut system done at my friends muffler shop. I was just going to drive it over with the open headers, but I need to know if there are any gotchas I should be worried about. I know that there is no problems with the long tube headers, but these shorties dump straight down under the motor. I guess my biggest concern is the O2 sensor - will it totally screw up since it is so close to the collector?

Thoughts???

Eric

 

i dont know about the sensor but if u drive it long enough and its a little chilly when u shut it off it might warp the valves in the head when i had open headers my dad told me the trick to get around that was to put a rage in the flanges so i did. but since u r just going to the shop it should be fine as long as it isnt 10* outside

 

nah, no problem, its gonna be loud as hell though, I did this for about 500 miles or so.
I bet you will get pulled over!

 

Yeah i did the same thing too. I drove mine like that for about 200 miles and now it blows blue smoke. The heads could have just started goin bad but i think the open headers helped it. just my 2 cents

 

TICKETS! I don't think I'll hurt your engine. I ran my engine for the first 30 minutes during breakin at 2200 rpm . Still running fine.

 

EDIT: wrong post

 

I don't think it will hurt your O2 senser. When I built and installed the engine in my old Dart I just bolted a couple short collector extentions to it and then found a couple tin cans the right size and drilled lots of 1/4" holes in them and then used a couple screw clamps to attach them to the extentions and that made it just quiet enough to get to the muffler shop without getting a ticket!!!

 

That will be loud as hell. I agree, you will probably get pulled over. Hope you don't get a ticket.

 

You need to make sure it doesn't melt stuff or set anything on fire. If I were you, I'd at least put on the Y-pipe if possible.

 

this is what I did,


Cops are strict about noise here in Va.

 

I took my car 2 miles up the road to the gas station yesterday with open headers ....Made me reconsider driving it 10 minutes away to my friend's house so we could put exhaust on it

 

just throw the Y pipe on it,, thats waht im gonna do..i hope itll sound good

 

The y-pipe won't help with the sound level. I had that for a day once when the I-pipe came loose, sounded loud and good though.

 

Get a couple of friends and put one car ahead of you and one behind.

Head straight for the muffler shop.

Drive only part throttle (the urge to floor it is immeasurable!!!), that keeps some of the noise down.

Have everything else on the car legal (i.e., plates, lights, insurance). That way if a cop pulls you over, explain the situation.

99 of a 100, they will let you go.

 

I was in the same boat as you when I put my exhaust on. We finished up around 2AM with the headers, but I needed to have the rest of the exhaust welded up the next day. We took it out for a test drive to make sure there were no problems (yes at 2 AM, I bet the neighbors were HAPPY). Loud as all hell, but it sounded like a stock car. After we got back, i checked the floor pan where the y-pipe exited and it was very hot. I can't imagine all that hot exhaust dumping into the engine compartment, might end up cooking something. My advice, get the y-pipe installed and be very nice to it on the way to the shop.

DG

 

how much would a cat calm it down sound level wise?..my cat back is old and sucks,, but i dont need to get pulled over.. but the rice burners seem to get away with it around here.

 

Bah, if it's too loud, you're too old! I've driven prolly 2k miles or so w/ open headers / y pipe between 4 of my cars. Unless you have the bad luck to have a cop get behind you or next to you at a stop, you'll be fine. You simply don't touch the gas when you see 'em though, lol.

Especially if you're just driving to an exhaust shop. Given a polite explanation you should be ok. If not it's hopefully just a fix it ticket (just liek inoperable light or something). You'd have to insult the cop's mom to make him give you a real noise violation / disorderly conduct / real citation though IMO.

 

with the y-pipe on my car isnt nearly as loud as with just open headers. I drove around quite a few times with just the y-pipe ...open headers shakes pictures and stuff on the walls of my house at idle

 

Well, I don't have a y-pipe... I bought the headers used (run only on a dyno, never on the street) but without the y-pipe. The shop will have to fabricate a y-pipe, then install the rest of the cat-back (no cat though - don't need it here) - Dynomax, I think is what he ordered for me. I do have some short extensions for the collectors that I suppose I could throw on, but it may be more hassle than it's worth. I really only have about 5 miles or less to go. I don't know - I could get it towed for free (CAA), but I thought it might be kinda fun to drive


My biggest concern is wrecking something. Guess I'll have to think on it some more. Thanks for all the input.

Eric

 

I have a new Y-Pipe for my engine, But it doesnt match up to my HEaders!!!

Its a hooker Y-pipe, and one side fits the header, but the OTHER side just kinda goes off into no-where. there is no collector on that side! heres the pick of the OLD Y-pipe (Just bent metal) and the NEW Y-pipe that doesnt match up!

 

It seems it was already said, but if you get pulled over, just be polite and telling them your driving your car to get the exhaust put on. Provided the rest of your is legal (valid plates etc) they'll probably just give you a warning and that's it. No biggie