In this tutorial, I'll be instructing on how to install the DC Sports 4-1 header (exhaust manifold) for the xA and xB. If you have a strut bar installed, you will need to take it out in order to get the stock header out and the new header in.

Tools needed:
Socket wrench
10mm, 12mm, 14mm Sockets
6" or 10" socket extension
Floor Jack
Jack Stands

Optional:
New Exhaust Manifold Gasket (P/N 17173-21020)
WD40 or PB'Laster (Godsend!)
12mm Deep Socket
Breaker Bar
Torque wrench
Work Mat/Blanket

First, you have the choice of reusing the exhaust manifold gasket or using a new one. I opted on using a new one. If you decide to use a new gasket, your installation may be delayed since it is usually not a part they have on hand at dealership parts departments. The part number for a new exhaust manifold gasket is 17173-21020.

Before uninstalling the stock header, make sure your engine is cool. You do not want to work on a hot engine. The bolts will expand when hot. To prevent from getting burned, let the engine cool down for an hour or two.

To ease the install, after an hour or so of cooling the engine, go ahead and take off the engine cover (10mm) to prevent any damage to it.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/01.jpg

Unbolt the heatshield's 4 bolts using the 10mm socket and slowly take it out. The header's heatshield has sharp edges, so take caution.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/02.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/03.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/04.jpg

Spray WD40 or PB'Laster on the header bolts/nuts, as well as the spring-loaded exhaust bolts. You should be able to get to the spring-loaded exhaust bolts from the top of the engine. Let the lubricant work into the threads for about 30 minutes. This will save some frustration during the uninstallation of the stock header.

After letting the engine cool down and applying lubricant to the bolts, it is time for the uninstallation of the stock header. Start by removing the 3 bolts and 2 nuts. Begin loosening the middle bolt, then work your way outward.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/05.jpg

The two nuts on the header may need a 12mm deep socket depending on your sockets. I had no problems with a regular Craftsman 12mm socket.

Watch out with the 3 bolts. They are poor quality bolts. If you mess up one of these bolts (like I did), the replacement bolt (P/N 91641-K0822) is now (P/N 90105-A0047) and is a totally different bolt. The new bolt is shorter and tapered. It will not fit with aftermarket headers. The new bolts leave only 3-4 threads to hold the header to the head.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/06.jpg

While you're working from above, go ahead and unbolt the 14mm bolt holding the header to the bracket.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/07.jpg

Next, jack up the car via the designated front jack points. Always use jack stands when using a jack. Do not rely on a jack alone. On the second jack point, let the car rest on the jack stand, but have the jack in place for added safety.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/08.jpg

With the socket wrench (and/or breaker bar), socket extension (6" or 10"), and 14mm socket in hand, go ahead and shimmy yourself under the car.

While watching out for the O2 sensor on the b-pipe, break the two spring-loaded exhaust bolts loose. They are very tight, so you may find yourself cursing the bolts to hell. You'll feel like a new person after taking them out, though.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/09.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/10.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/11.jpg

While you're under the car, you can also unbolt the header bracket from the engine. I, personally, left it on.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/12.jpg

Once the header is unbolted, do not try to take it out from under the car. Shimmy yourself out from under the car and slowly take the header out from the top.

xB owners may need to take their wiper assembly off to get the stock header out and the new header in. Though, I had no problems with my xA.

Here is a comparison of the headers (Thanks to George).
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/13.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/14.jpg
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/15.jpg

Once you're finished looking at the differences between the stock header and DC header, take the donut gasket off the collector of the stock header. Put the donut gasket on the DC header's collector. You may need to use a mallet, or another heavy blunt object (piece of wood), to get the donut gasket on the collector.

When installing the exhaust manifold gasket, be careful not to crease the gasket. Mount the gasket on the two studs on the engine and make sure it is on correctly.

With the header nuts in hand, slowly lower the new header into the engine bay. Once the header is mounted on the two studs, screw the nuts onto the studs to hold it in place. Screw the 3 header bolts back in and tighten them in this sequence.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/4-1headerinstall_xaxb/16.jpg

Since I did not have a torque wrench, I tightened the bolts to the point where I thought, "Yeah, it's tight." I've talked to a few mechanics and they do the same. But if you would like to tighten them to spec, the header bolts/nuts are 20 ft. lbs.

Once the header bolts/nuts are tightened, grab your socket wrench with 14mm socket and the spring-loaded 14mm bolts, then shimmy yourself back under the car. Bolt the spring-loaded bolts back onto the b-pipe and header. The bolts will actually stop turning, so listen to the "Jack-in-the-Box" music until they stop. Again, tighten until "it's tight." The torque spec for the spring loaded bolts are 32 ft. lbs.

Shimmy yourself back out from under the car. Clean up anything that may be under the car, then jack the car up enough to get the jack stand out, then slowly lower the car back to the ground. Do the same for the other side of the car.

Recheck the bolts/nuts on the header and you're done! If you want to reset your ECU, check this tutorial out (click me (http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=33062)). I, personally, did not reset my ECU, nor did I throw a CEL when I started my car.

Some people may wonder if their shifter linkage cables will melt since there is no heatshield to protect them from the header. With the ceramic coating on the DC header, it should not be any trouble. I’ve had my DC header on my car for a month or so and I have not had any problems. I can’t say the same for the other brand headers.

With the DC header coupled with a stock exhaust, I noticed improved throttle response. I could punch the gas to whatever RPM I desired much faster than with the stock header. I did not notice a significant loss in the low end RPMs, though I did notice an increase in the mid- and high-end RPMs. Also, I noticed no sound differences with the stock exhaust. Once I installed my new exhaust, the full potential of the DC Sports 4-1 header was evident.

If you have any questions, please post here, pm, or email me.

Excellent write up with great documentation and pictures. What aftermarket exhaust did you install?

HKS universal muffler

did you use the new bolts you got???

Did your header fit completely flush with the exhaust pipe connected with the spring loader screws? Everytime I go in reverse it sounds like there's a lot of air comin out from the header.

did you use the new bolts you got???
I did not use the new bolt (P/N 90105-A0047). I used a generic bolt that had a better head on it.

Did your header fit completely flush with the exhaust pipe connected with the spring loader screws? Everytime I go in reverse it sounds like there's a lot of air comin out from the header.
Well, the donut gasket filled in any gaps I had. I didn't notice any sound differences when going forward or reverse with the stock exhaust...

just as long its a grade 8 bolt i don't really know the metric ver. of a grade 8 bolt

did you use the new bolts you got???
I did not use the new bolt (P/N 90105-A0047). I used a generic bolt that had a better head on it.

Did your header fit completely flush with the exhaust pipe connected with the spring loader screws? Everytime I go in reverse it sounds like there's a lot of air comin out from the header.
Well, the donut gasket filled in any gaps I had. I didn't notice any sound differences when going forward or reverse with the stock exhaust...

Crap, I think I've got a problem

Thank you Mikochu, that gasket fixed the problem. Also gave me a good reason to install my short ram and clear out my lenses.

this header is the best!!! it improved my highway crusing power alot

your right about the fasteners very cheap!!! luckly i didn't mess any up (i used a "6 point sockets" is a must) and i also never seez'ed (spelling error) the spring loaded bolts

those were a pain in the sack i had to heat 'em up with a little help of m.a.p. gas torch (kind of like this :flame: :silly:) then they poped loose litteraly after i PB'laster 'em but i didn't PB'laster the nuts and bolts on the head

i did notice a little under hood growl sounds very nice i might add!!! :D

tried to torque down the hear bolts and the torque wrench wouldn't fit very well :roll: well just one and that gave me a good feel for the rest of the fasteners on the head :)

took me about 2.5 hours too do

ooops forgot to add i might do some heat shield wrap around the shifter cable thats closest to the header for added messure

Excellent tutorial, Mikochu!

NOOOOOO!!!! i just finished the install, revved the engine a little..... I forgot the damn donut gasket.
i hate my life

wish the bolts on my Z24 header were that easy to get to. I actually look forward to one day installing the header on the xB.

just as long its a grade 8 bolt i don't really know the metric ver. of a grade 8 bolt I used the equivelent to grande 8 on a replacement bolt and bam i stripped half the thredads out the head was weaker than the bolt
luckily some extra bolts from my 87 supra were the smae length , strength and pitch as the stock bolts on tha scion.

In your excellent article on the header installation, I didn't understand this sentence... do you mean "loss" in the low end RPMs?

"I did not notice a significant lose in the low end RPMs, though I did notice an increase in the mid- and high-end RPMs."

Would anyone hazard a guess as to the torque/hp curves that result from putting in the cold intake, 4:1 headers and axle-back exhaust? I couldn't find any data on the manufacturers' sites.

In your excellent article on the header installation, I didn't understand this sentence... do you mean "loss" in the low end RPMs?

"I did not notice a significant lose in the low end RPMs, though I did notice an increase in the mid- and high-end RPMs."

Would anyone hazard a guess as to the torque/hp curves that result from putting in the cold intake, 4:1 headers and axle-back exhaust? I couldn't find any data on the manufacturers' sites.
Yup, a typo on my part. I meant "loss." As for guessing...probably a 9-10hp/torque gain. I wouldn't expect anything more...

10-12% increase from just a header? Seems a little high to me.

That's header, cool air intake, and exhaust all together...
9 hp is about an 8.33% increase.

10% of 92 (whp) is 9.2.

guess I missed the part of the post that mentioned the intake and exhaust. reading isn't a strong suit for me today it seems.

Hi,

Any Gas Mileage improvements to date ?? If so, how much?


Dave

I was wondering if since my car is fairly new (Only about two months), would it be safe to say its fine to use the stock gasket on the new headers? I understand its optional to get a new one anyway, but I just wanted to know if its a better thing to get a new one, or if the one I've got on there should still be good.

As for the gasket, I would replace it. You would probably be "ok" to stick with the original, but why take the chance that the new part wouldn't seat the same as the old part when the gasket is probably $10 or so.

The gasket will form to the header/head. I would replace the gasket. If you want to save 20 bucks and gamble with it, go for it. But if you have a leak, you'll need to uninstall the header to put the new gasket.

Well, I did my header just yesterday. Got a new gasket for it, followed your walk through closely. It was fairly simple. Besides tightening those spring loaded bolts back on. *Rubs arm* Blah. But anyway, after starting the car and running it for a while, I noticed that while in gear, my car tends to idle rather low. Low enough to make the car shake. It floats around 600-800 RMPs, or around there. And for a short while, a heard a 'air' type of sound, like when I punched the gas hard, it just sounded like I could hear all the air flowing through the engine. It wasn't really a good sound, trust me. Though that has disappeared already. The only thing that persists is the low idle. Everything else is fine. With the exhaust, intake and headers there is a fairly noticable difference in the mid to high-end power. Plus it just sounds nice. ^_^ Any imput would be great. Thank you.

recheck the torque on the bolts. perhaps you didn't get a good seal?

Thanks for the excellent instructions. They worked great!! I am a little nervous about the shifter cable being so close. I am thinking about making a bracket for it and that will keep it away from the header. The install was easier than I thought that it would be. I only have 1200 miles on the car, so that might be one reason why it was so easy. So far I have noticed a diffence in the car throughout the RPM range.

Thanks!

should there be a gap between the b-pipe and the header, my springs are completely compressed and yet i can still see the donut gasket in between the two. I did have to buy new bolts since the threads got messed up on it.

I did a 8 gauge ground wire loop as in your write up (very nice by the way) at the same time. I had to make a makeshift breakerbar as I forgot I lost mine. I started at about 2:30 today, finished at 8:30. Now before anyone thinks about flaming me. I should have thought this out more before making 1 trip to Walmart, then checker, the pepboys then autozone, for the lower spring loaded bolts I made my first 4 stops without even having looked at the car. I guessed on 2 inch grade 8 bolts. (Unless your friggin He-man you are not getting the nuts on 2 inch bolts) WRONG! I went back to get nuts that fit the stock spring loaded bolts, don't have them as far as I found. So I went to Lowes, Lowes is your friend with the grade 8 bolts, nuts, washers... I grabbed 2.5 inch bolts, some washers, nuts and I'm on my way. Well I thought I grabbed 2 2.5 inch bolts, I grabed another 2 inch and a 2.5. I get home get under the car wrong again. Damn it back into my truck that just loves the 115 degree heat, back to lowes, get 2 3 inch bolts get home, Wrong move again. bolts are long enough, washers don't fit. I unroll my forked tounge and unleash the foulest language you can imagine. My wife comes out to ask if everything is alright, she left crying. I kissed up, only after hauling back down to lowes again. I have spent about 4 hours in my truck, burned up a 1/2 a tank of gas (read about $30 worth) driving back and forth to get the right bolts. That was the only thing that threw me was those 2 bolts.

Anyone thinking of doing this please atleast buy a quality 14mm and 12mm sockets and you MUST have a 10 inch extention. I snapped a 14mm socket trying to get the spring bolts off. When it broke I freaked, till I turned it over and noticed it was something someone had left at my house, made in Tiawan go figure.

Note to those who don't want to just sit for 2 hours waiting for the engine to cool, get a floor fan and fan it. I did my grounding wires at the same time. Worked out well, right up till I had to drive 11 miles each way to Lowes 4 times. The cops thought I was cruising the street, yeah I'm cruising I-10 and Ina for the heck of it, getting about 11 miles to the gallon, raging mad. Take the bolts with you. I suggest 3 inch bolts that are threaded most of the way, match all the washers and nuts at the same time, same yourself the hell I put myself through. BYW I like the header even my wife knows it revs faster and the ground wires appear to have smoothed out the rough idle with the A/c on.

Mac Master you will have a gap if you used the doughnut, if you used the flat gasket then the gap will be as thick as that gasket. Start it up, if it doesn't go ,ppppffffftttttttt more than usual your good, a leak will tell you right away.

:bow: I sort of the new guy on the block, just purchased my XB couple of months ago, but I wanted to say that by reading the great tech tips thats available, made my installation of my headers a breeze, with no hang ups! Keep up the great work guys!
:clap:

headers just may be my next big upgrade after reading this. I have always heard that headers were one of the nicer performance upgrades you can do.

I am going to dyno test my box after I get my exhaust installed, then again after I put on the injen air intake ..just to track the differences.

ok got my Strup header & exhaust sitting in a box in living room driving me insane to put it on lol

going to get the gaskets tomorrow, and will grab some bolts as well possibly....appears that makes a difference

almost done doing mine right now, i was up late and figured id just go for it ....man the spring loaded bolts are TOUGH!!!!

letting some more wd40 seep into those bad boys, i dont really have a breaker bar but i may go up to walmart and see if i can get one i this is too hard to do, or get some sleep and go up to autozone tomorrow and get one

edit: ugh, I highly recommend the breaker bar, I could not for the life of me get the spring loaded bolts loose. going to borrower a breaker bar and do it later today

if you do not have a breaker bar, i also would advise you to jack up the car and try those spring loaded bolts FIRST...no sense taking everything else off if you cant even get those bolts off (like i did) :no:

So does the DC sport header on the XB throw a CEL light or not? b/c i'm reading everywhere else that an aftermarket header will cause a CEL.

Thanks,
Kapil

So does the DC sport header on the XB throw a CEL light or not? b/c i'm reading everywhere else that an aftermarket header will cause a CEL.

Thanks,
Kapil

Yes same here........the fix is something about an anti fouler modification.

Just need to find it and how to install it........

I Want my DC sport header on the car but i don't want to have problems.

I just had the dc header installed.


drove about 20 miles......I guess I could feel a little more power at about 50-60 mph. The car is box is louder a bit.

Are all DC headers for the box 4 to1?

I had to go out and get an extra long ratchet (about 13"). A longer breaker bar might have been easier, but I preferred laying down the cash for a ratchet that I would use more often.

I bought a 6" extender, but I needed to add a two incher to get at the exhaust bolts.

Getting those two exhaust bolts off is a religious experience. I did not think it was possible, but I managed to contort myself to add my feet into the torquing, which was the only way I could break them loose!

I reused my gaskets without problems so far. I would have considered new ones, but I did not think about that until I had it taken apart. By then, I was so not in the mood to reassemble and wait for the blasted Toyota parts department to order something. My dealer's department does not even bother calling when the order comes in, or will NEVER come in.

I did notice a performance increase. Nothing incredible, but worthwhile. I have a MMW 4-2-1 in conjunction with K&N Typhoon. The MMW has tubes of ID 1 3/8" versus the stock of 1 1/8". The shape of the MMW is way nicer than stock, but then it would be hard to beat stock in how nasty the gas flow looks.

I could not fit the MMW without removing the wiper and tray assembly on my xA.

I will add one thing that might not matter: these aftermarket parts tend to have bits of metal and dust inside. I was not so worried with the header as the intake, but I figured it would be bad to have that crap going into the catalytic converter or potentially going back into the engine (single cylinder engines often have reversed pressures at start and stop, so it might happen on car engines too). So I wiped out the inside of the header before installation.

Thanks for the tutorial. I would have ripped more of my hair out had I not realized the need of a breaker bar.

no it does not throw a cel

had mine on for about 10,000 miles +/- and its still great!!!

JUST INSTALLED DC SPORT HEADER. ITS A GREAT UPGRADE, DEFINATELY HAVE MORE POWER AT ABOUT 50 mph and higher.... you can really feel the power at 80 mph, michkuo's instructions were on point, no CEL's, but do invest in a can of WD40 and a breaker bar to get these bolts off!!!.....my car sounds AWSOME....GROWLS..... InjenCAI/GREDDY EVO 2/DC SPORT HEADER....next suspension :)

Megan Racing header....

First, the gap between the b-pipe and the header is a bit big, but I think I can close it up with the two spring-loaded bolts. BUT the holes in the Megan header are NOT threaded, so I need to go out tomorrow and buy a couple of nuts to hold those bad boys in place. I will edit the post as soon as I get 'em.

Second, as for the donut gasket, how the hell do you get it off the stock header? If I do get it off, do I need to use it with or without the gasket that comes from Megan?

Any help is appreciated since I can't get the nuts until morning anyways.

i do not remember the donut gasket being difficult to remove. the problem is getting it off without damaging it. you could always buy a new one :/
i think that i used a flat head screw driver to get it loose then i worked it off with my hands. the screw driver did damage it slightly, if i recall correctly, but not badly enough to cause any problems (that i am aware of). that was about six months and at least 5k miles ago.

megan gave you a replacement donut? that was nice of them. you should only have one donut on there at a time.

that sucks that there are no threads. the only thing that i can remember about the header-exhaust bolts was the nice rage session i had taking them off. you'll have fun putting them back on if you have to use nuts!

megan gave you a replacement donut? that was nice of them. you should only have one donut on there at a time.

that sucks that there are no threads. the only thing that i can remember about the header-exhaust bolts was the nice rage session i had taking them off. you'll have fun putting them back on if you have to use nuts!

I will try the screw driver method. I thought that might do the trick, but was afraid of damaging the darn thing,

As for the gasket from Megan, it is a regular gasket, not the donut type. I will try to get the old one off then use it, if not I'll try it with just the Megan gasket and see how that works.

Well, off to Home Depot to buy a couple of nuts and then more fun with the xB!!!! :doh:

i put my header on July 1st...........last week the shifting felt wierd...and yesterday i had no 2nd, 4th or reverse. upon inspection the DC sport header that got installed melted the shifter cable.......not sure why i would have a problem and ohters have not......needless to say i had to order the cables from the dealer almost a $400 dollar piece.......so beware of my problem ..... wrap the cable or make a bracket.....

i took pics of the cable but cant post them............can someone post them for me...... just give me your email so i can send them to you.....

$400! EACH?! holy CRAP!
couldn't you get those from salvage?

i have a mmw header which maintains the stock heat shield. it must make a HUGE difference, because i can put my hand down there without feeling much heat after a long drive.

sorry to hear that, man. i know what it is like to lose an investment in car modifications, but not quite that well :/

Mikochu,

I noticed were you had you jack stands, can you put the jack stands on the rails. Is that area where you have them that strong? Thanks for the great write up.



John

I noticed were you had you jack stands, can you put the jack stands on the rails. Is that area where you have them that strong? Thanks for the great write up.


There are designated jack points under the car. These are the jack points I used in the tutorial pictures. I wouldn't rest the car on the jackstands via the chassic (two big box beams under the car).

Thanks for the info!



John

There are designated jack points under the car. These are the jack points I used in the tutorial pictures. I wouldn't rest the car on the jackstands via the chassic (two big box beams under the car).

i always use the points designated in the manual. i know a guy who lifted his floor pan instead of the car by trying an undesginated jack point.
those rails that are behind the jack rail look sturdy, but they do not have that ridge that the jack rail has. i like the ridge because it fits into the groove ofthe jack stands and the jack so they will not slide out of place too easily.
the specified jack rail works well enough that i do not see a point in trying any other place.

great write up! put it to good use ! thanks!!!!

i just installed my headers today. took only about an hour. my spring loaded bolts came off fairly easy due to the low milage on my car. also i had no problems with the bolts and nuts. none were damaged. the key factor is start first thing in the morning before you go anywhere and use lots of pb-laster. AND I DID THIS WITH A BROKEN HAND!

Bookmark!!!

hey all, just followed this tech guide, those spring bolts are a ($#($$% to get loose! My dc sport headers are in, problem is, there is whitish smoke that is coming from around the flange area, is this a loose gasket or could this just be the copius amounts of wd-40 that I used burning away from the exhaust pipes? It still smokes after the engine is off so I woudn't think loose gasket, but I wanted to ask the well seasoned scion life crowd for advice. I reused the 2 gaskets that were on there, because Boch toyota parts department qouted my $47 for the donut gasket... that seems REALLLY high, or is this normal for a dealership?

If anyone is a round please let me know, I don't wanna die from Carbon monoxide poisening if I can avoid it ;)


********EDIT/UPDATE********

So the smoke and smell was just the excess wd-40 on the gasket and exhaust pipes. I figured that was what it was because of the white smoke (oil burns white ), it's all ok now. No noticeable difference in sound or power, I have the YDR intake on, but when my exhaust comes this week im sure there will be more hp freed up and the power difference might be notable by the seat of the pants method :) It looks good.

A tip though, get yourself a cheater bar, some wd-40 and some wheaties.. those spring bolts are tough motha's to crack, I thought I would be stuck with headers I couldn't put on, but just be persistent and plug away at it and you'll get them!!

$400! EACH?! holy CRAP!
couldn't you get those from salvage?

i have a mmw header which maintains the stock heat shield. it must make a HUGE difference, because i can put my hand down there without feeling much heat after a long drive.

sorry to hear that, man. i know what it is like to lose an investment in car modifications, but not quite that well :/
Where do you get this MMW header?

Well, I did my header just yesterday. Got a new gasket for it, followed your walk through closely. It was fairly simple. Besides tightening those spring loaded bolts back on. *Rubs arm* Blah. But anyway, after starting the car and running it for a while, I noticed that while in gear, my car tends to idle rather low. Low enough to make the car shake. It floats around 600-800 RMPs, or around there. And for a short while, a heard a 'air' type of sound, like when I punched the gas hard, it just sounded like I could hear all the air flowing through the engine. It wasn't really a good sound, trust me. Though that has disappeared already. The only thing that persists is the low idle. Everything else is fine. With the exhaust, intake and headers there is a fairly noticable difference in the mid to high-end power. Plus it just sounds nice. ^_^ Any imput would be great. Thank you.

I'm having the same "problem" with a low idle after installing the DC 4-1 Header. I already had an Injen IS2100 intake and Magnaflow catback exhaust. My idle was fine until I installed the header. I don't have any air type sound or leaks. Everything is running fine, definitely a meaner growl. Just the low idle which makes the car shake, not terrible, but annoying, especially when everything was running so fine before. Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations on how to solve this "problem"?

Man I just stripped Nut 5 all to hell. Any ideas how to get that offf of there???

I had no problem installing mines. Only took 1 hour. The spring bolts came out just as easy. Used no WD-40. When i first started the engine there was white smoke coming the the location of the DC headers. That only last a few seconds.


marchoftheruiner!!! They have socket sets specially made for unscrewing stripped bolts. Good luck finding them!

And another thing. I drive an '06. I didn't replace the gasket or donut.

Question: Did everyone else have a stock aluminum gasket that sandwich between the header and block? I did!

sparcshinobi:

I DID find those sockets you are talking about.... however they are too shallow to go all the way down that long bolt. If they had like a "deep socket" version of the same thing it would be all good.

ok guys need some help, I just put my OBX 4-2-1 header on and now when WOT I hear a leak. Picked up some sea foam to help locate the leak and it l think I have pin pointed it to the donut gasket.... so where can I get another one with out paying an arm and a leg...thanks guys

get a new decent one from toyota dealer.

Here's a cool site...
https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/partscat.html

I tried to do this today. COULD NOT TAKE OFF THOSE 2 DAMN BOLTS!!!! i was frustrated as hell, took me 3 hours. Then i had to put it all back together and decided to let a shop do it! There is just NO space to work with down there with those 2 bolts! Craziness i tell you! i'm just so damn ____ed right now.....i did everything in the write-up, it just doesn't work with the xb...Going to cost me like $200 to get it done at a shop and I think it's worth every penny.

I'm barrel-chested and it was a tight fit under the car with ramps. A lot of crying and P B'Laster helped get the job done. Remember, they are spring-loaded bolts. This means there's another force that is hold those bolts on tight. A cheater bar and a friend close to a phone to call 911 helps a ton.

isn't there a "special tool" to take those off?

you guys think the mechanics at a dealership could take off that rounded nut on my header?

They should be able to. They're also the kings of making the nuts round. No offense. Personal experience.

isn't there a "special tool" to take those off?


No special tools needed. You'll need an extension for the socket wrench so you won't have to reach your hand in too far. I also combined a pipe to extend the handle of the socket wrench for more leverage. With steady hands you'll be able to unscrew those 2 spring bolts with no problem.

Just a Q to everyone who's installed this on their box: Have you noticed an increase in gas mileage? I'm looking to get the best mpg and I can pick one of these up cheap.

Nothing noticable in my case.

Nothing noticable in my case.

Any decrease? Any difference at all? Is it worth putting on? A friend said that with the 02 sensor moving, it could hurt more than help the mpg... Any thoughts?

I'm happy with it, was noticable in the high RPM range, seems to have a little more oomph up high, i did an exhaust and intake too, around the same time, and to me it was worth it. I have the DC, and i didn't have to move the 02 sensor.

I'm happy with it, was noticable in the high RPM range, seems to have a little more oomph up high, i did an exhaust and intake too, around the same time, and to me it was worth it. I have the DC, and i didn't have to move the 02 sensor.

What do you get for gas mileage with all your mods?

I get 32/33, but i'm not easy on the skinny pedal at all. i commute 30 miles each way on the freeway, run 70/75mph most of the way.

Going to try this install today. Got an ebay header so I'll see how well that works out for me. I have an ebay exhaust that I've had on for the last 50,000 miles, and it sounds great! Not bad for ebay.
This write-up seems pretty simple. Not too many steps to install a new header. I'm just fearing those dreaded spring-loaded bolts everyone has been talking about. I have 73,000 miles on my '06, so hopefully after some good WD-40 love I'll have no problem with these bolts.

hit them with PB Blaster every day for 4 or 5 days before your install. you'll be happy you did!

Going to try this install today. Got an ebay header so I'll see how well that works out for me. I have an ebay exhaust that I've had on for the last 50,000 miles, and it sounds great! Not bad for ebay.
This write-up seems pretty simple. Not too many steps to install a new header. I'm just fearing those dreaded spring-loaded bolts everyone has been talking about. I have 73,000 miles on my '06, so hopefully after some good WD-40 love I'll have no problem with these bolts.

dude, get ready for some major crying! here is my story: http://scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180727

Has anybody tried doing this with air tools? Good grief, those spring-loaded bolts are tough. What doesn't help is the lack of arm room I have to work the socket wrench.
Also, I like how you can't even see the 5 screws on the header. I just have to feel my way to each one??
With time I probably could have finished this today, but I had a very small time frame to do it.

Has anybody tried doing this with air tools? Good grief, those spring-loaded bolts are tough. What doesn't help is the lack of arm room I have to work the socket wrench.
Also, I like how you can't even see the 5 screws on the header. I just have to feel my way to each one??
With time I probably could have finished this today, but I had a very small time frame to do it.

Yes, you cant see them making it 10000000x more difficult. they are practically welded on there, they are so tight. i give you kudos if u finish tongiht. check my first post right above yours on this thread about my story

With the help of one other person, we were able to change out my header in about three hours. Having never done the swap before, I'm sure it could be done in less than one hour with the right knowledge and tools. Peanut Butter Blaster is your friend.

Yea, my buddy and I swapped mine in about 90 minutes.

Did you put your car up on jacks? I don't have any, only ramps. But my car is low, so in order to drive up on ramps I have to take my front bumper off. Doesn't take long, but still kind of a pain. Even then, the car is only inches from my chest when going for the spring-loaded bolts.

I used a low-profile high lift jack. Some people call them racing jacks (don't know why). Put the b up in the air about 2 feet in front. Was just enough room to squeeze in with a creeper and hit the spring bolts. We cleaned up the bolts after inspecting them for excessive wear by using more PB Blaster and a wire brush. Cleaning up the bolts really helped with getting them back on.

Bought a 3/8 breaker bar today. Hopefully that will make getting those spring-loaded bolts off MUCH easier.

Bought a 3/8 breaker bar today. Hopefully that will make getting those spring-loaded bolts off MUCH easier.
btw, have you gotten the screws off on the actual manifold yet? Those were harder for me than the spring loaded.

Haven't tried yet. I'm going to try again tomorrow. All I have off right now is the heat shield and the screw that connects the bottom of the header to that bracket.

Haven't tried yet. I'm going to try again tomorrow. All I have off right now is the heat shield and the screw that connects the bottom of the header to that bracket.

yeah, definitely do the manifold first. they are the hardest due to the fact that you cannot see them. they are facing the firewall and are within inches of the firewall causing little room to access. you will be unhappy when you start them because they are just so difficult to take off. be prepared.

DONE. I used my wife's makeup mirror to locate all the screws up top, so that wasn't difficult at all. =D
Hardest was definitely the spring-loaded bolts. Even with the breaker bar. There's just not a lot of elbow room down there. But I did manage to get them off, and felt like I could conquer the world after that.
Only bad thing I ran into, were the 2 holes on the bottom of the header. Not only did the maker of the header make the holes too big, but they weren't threaded either!! So I had to go to LOWE'S and pick up (2) 3/8 x 3" GRADE 8 screws, some GRADE 8 washers, and (2) GRADE 8 nuts. With these bolts, I was still able to use the springs off of the OEM bolts. With the OEM bolts being tapered, I wasn't able to apply a nut to them. So after putting my setup of screws/washers/nuts on, I just applied some heavy duty LOCKTITE on the threads by the nut to make sure any vibrations wouldn't loosen the nuts.
So far so good! Everything is still tight. Car only sounds louder when I'm at freeway speeds, which is where I can tell the most difference. It feels like it accelerates much quicker and when I'm going uphill, I don't have to have the pedal to the floor to maintain a 75-80mph speed.

Yeah, once the header is on... that little 1.5L breathes much easier. Best performance upgrade I've done to mine. Did you get a chance to take some before/during/after pics?

DONE. I used my wife's makeup mirror to locate all the screws up top, so that wasn't difficult at all. =D
Hardest was definitely the spring-loaded bolts. Even with the breaker bar. There's just not a lot of elbow room down there. But I did manage to get them off, and felt like I could conquer the world after that.
Only bad thing I ran into, were the 2 holes on the bottom of the header. Not only did the maker of the header make the holes too big, but they weren't threaded either!! So I had to go to LOWE'S and pick up (2) 3/8 x 3" GRADE 8 screws, some GRADE 8 washers, and (2) GRADE 8 nuts. With these bolts, I was still able to use the springs off of the OEM bolts. With the OEM bolts being tapered, I wasn't able to apply a nut to them. So after putting my setup of screws/washers/nuts on, I just applied some heavy duty LOCKTITE on the threads by the nut to make sure any vibrations wouldn't loosen the nuts.
So far so good! Everything is still tight. Car only sounds louder when I'm at freeway speeds, which is where I can tell the most difference. It feels like it accelerates much quicker and when I'm going uphill, I don't have to have the pedal to the floor to maintain a 75-80mph speed.

kudos to you for a complete install

^^why thank you!

And no, I didn't get any pics. I could possibly get an after pic to show the hardware I used. As for 'during' pics, my hands were way too filthy to operate my camera with.

This was my weekend project :icon_juggle: Did the header, axelback exhaust, & rear sway myself this past weekend... super easy! And my box has 98k!

Did start WD40'n the spring bolts about a week prior. Stock header bolts were all good, can see how people can round the outside nuts since they're a pinch to get to, especially the passenger side. Also removed everything with the engine still luke warm. Spring bolts came off easy for me,donno if I was just too pumped up from everyone's horror stories or what but with a 3/4 drive ratchet and 14" extension they cracked no prob! Keys to this and any job is havin the right tools! Six sided sockets, a swivel socket etc.. The hardest bolts for me were the ones on the stock header bracket! Had to make a pipe extension to put on the end of the ratchet to get the leverage needed to break those.

The header I put in is an M2 off ebay. ($41 Shipped :love:)
http://home.insightbb.com/%7Enpuzo/xB/M2header.jpg
Here's a link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330508965485&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT, the bolt holes where the spring bolts are used were not threaded and bigger than the bolts. Couldn't tap the holes or reuse the stock bolts since the threads on the end were basically gone. Found a set of Dodge exhaust bolts at Autozone that worked perfectly with some M8 washers & reusing the stock springs, not the ones in the kit.
http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/drm/03128/image/2/ (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Help-Dodge-1984-1999-manifold-bolt-and-spring-kit/_/N-25ui?counter=4&filterByKeyWord=exhaust+bolts&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=223867_0_0_)


Install took about 2hrs just because of the parts store run to figure out the spring bolts. Everything bolted up nice, sound wise you can hardly tell there's a header on it until ya mash the peddle down, then sounds a little like there's a hornets nest under the hood, not obnoxious tho, goes right away soon as ya let off, Love it! :love:

Combined with the Tsudo exhaust it has a great sound when ya get on it! Not too ricey IMO. Just wish someone would have told me how hard it was to get the stock exhaust off the hangers!!!!! :doh:

Header & Exhaust + Rear Sway = bout 4 hrs (fought those $#@! hangers for a while) Sway simply bolted right in!

nice, but did you have to remove the heat shield?..if so: get back under there and wrap the header with heat tape wrap and/or make sure the linkage is out of the way...I put a header in a long time ago and didn't think nothing of it...about a year later my linkage was fried from heat...was really weird how long it took but was a costly mistake....so an ounce of prevention will be worth it!

Yeah was concerned about that... pulled the little rubber power steering line out of the way, needed heavier ties to pull the linkage out of the way, so even with the metal sleeves on the linkages they're still in danger huh... I've heard others say they were concerned but your the first that's said they burned up on ya :( wish I'd of wrapped them up b4 I installed them it would have been easier :doh:

you can wrap your linkage cable with the heat wrap tape.
I think that should help if you didn't get it on your header