Well, I must say, the power IS there. Secondly, if you can afford to have someone else install them, do it. (But I feel sorry for the mechanic who you take it to) It took me 14 hours, including welding in a Magnaflow resonator into the Warpspeed B-Pipe and relocating the O2 sensors into the B-Pipe. I installed the headers in my garage using floor jacks and ramps. A lift would make things much easier. I didn't drain the radiator, just lifted it and removed the fans. I also didn't remove the crossmember, just removed the rear engine mount bolt and lifted the rear of the engine with the floor jack. I do have some complaints,

1. bolt/bolt hole positioning: HotShot needs to figure out the best location to weld the flanges. If they were positioned a little one way or another, it would have made things a lot easier. One bolt on the rear header took me more than an hour to tighten because I couldn't get at it. I finally had to purchase a 14mm Gearwrench ratchet drive open end wrench. Without this, I would still be there.

2. I also experienced the bolt hole alignment problem on the rear header. I was able to make it work be leaving the front header loose while connecting the Y-pipe bolts.

3. One bolt on the front header is again almost impossible to get at.

4. After the headers were installed, the B-pipe wouldn't line up. It was too tight against the passenger side of the body. I had to cut the B-pipe and lengthen it to center it where it would hit the body or heat shields. . I did this along the part after it turns towards the muffler.

I soldered and heat shrink the O2 sensor wires. It took longer than crimping, but I think will pay off in the future. I also put on the wire loom along the whole route. Speaking of route, I fished the crossmember and ran the wire loom from the front of the engine, through the crossmember and out the rear. I them wiretied the loom to the fuel tubing runnin to the rear of the car. Nice and clean install, looks great.

The sound is tremendous. It is louder at initial start up, but once the engine idles down, it sounds stock. I am still using the stock muffler. The only other time I notice the headers is upon wide open throttle. Nice sound. Other than that, driving down the highway is not noticably louder. (Yes, I am in my late 30's, with a family, so noise matters)

For those of you debating on the getting the HotShot headers, GET THEM!

 

with a lift it should be able to be done in 6 hours. a 4th gen i know had them installed in 7 but they had to weld on the egr port and do a few test fits which made it take longer....glad you like your mod!

 

I would love to see some in car and roadside vids of the headers on a Max with stock muffler.

 

Torgus how was the install of the headers ? I wanna buy some for my Maxima this week- 3.0L, and I'm affraid that they won't fit and its not going to be as eassy as I think it will be. As for tools, I'm not worried at all, I have 2 lifts and all the air tools. I just wanna know if I should bring my TIG and MIG in along with the plasma cutter to modiffy it.

 

the headers from stone racing fit without any major problems. most of the time spent is getting to the manifolds. headers on a na 4th gen max do about 3-5whp. hope you got a god deal on the headers. you should be able to do the install with no problems. a tig, mig, and plasma are overboard i'd say.

 

arent stone racing ones same as HS ? I remember a huge discussion on the SR20 forum bout them stealing HS SR20 header design, producing them for way less than HS header... What do U mean 3-5whp gain ?? Y-pipe gains more on the VQ30DE-K motor. I'm expecting minium 10WHP more than the Ypipe, or its not really worth it.

 

The stone racing headers have the shortest primaries of any header available for any year max IIRC. I highly doubt the stone racing headers would put out near the power the HotShot headers put out.