HS Header & Frank Cat-Back install almost done.
11-25-2004, 09:42 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,815
HS Header & Frank Cat-Back install almost done.
Well as of Yesterday I now have almost completed the HS Header & Frank Cat-Back setup. All that is left to do is extend the rear O2 wires and put them in the bungs that I had installed in the resonated B-pipe after the main Cat. That and I need new copper crush gaskets for the front flange of the main Cat, small leak there.
This setup has some install issues but nothing major.
I bought the headers from Matt (blubyu2k2) and installed them a few weeks ago. I did it myself at a friends shop with some help at times from him. I did it in 2 afternoons about 10hrs total with only about 6-7 of them working on the car. I think I would be able to do it quicker if I have to do it again. I did pull the cradle and did most of the rear from under the car. The only thing I did different than what others have posted is on the front it was much easier to get the lower left manifold flange nut by pulling the low-pressure line from the A/C compressor. Having access to an A/C service machine was nice for that.
The main issues that still remains is the front O2 sensor comes very close to the A/C compressor, the wires even slightly touch it. I think the easiest way to solve this problem is to slightly crimp the pipe on either side of the bung. I thought of grinding the bung down some but it would be very tough to keep a nice flat surface for the sensor to seat to. That and both of the sensor 1 O2 wires need to be extended a few inches so the harness plugs can be attached to their mounting points. The used headers had shown some light rubbing on one of the rear banks primaries (the middle one) as have pictures of others I’ve seen. Nothing taking a pry bar to a heat shield didn’t seem to fix.
I bought the Frank Cat-back on 11/8 and took delivery on 11/20 a little long if you ask me. That and there was no responce to phone calls or emails but I got it in just under 2 weeks.
I bought it because with the WS B-pipe w/res and Flowmaster 50 series muffler setup I had on the car was way too loud after the header install. I installed the Frank piping last weekend after getting it. You can not put the muffler on without a lift or access to a warehouse dock door. The flange will not make it over the suspension without the car very high in the air and I don’t feel safe putting the car on jack stands with the rear of the car 3-4 feet off the ground. We have a ramp at work so I drove it into the warehouse and backed it up right to the edge of a dock door and chocked the wheels. 5min later I pulled out. The drive to work with no muffler was fun,
I just kept the RPMs low.
After getting it on the car I had a lot of rattles from the back of the car. I tried stiffer hangers, the hose clamps that Frankencar supplied and even putting a hanger on top of the muffler like someone posted, all with no luck. So I took it to a Meineke shop near work yesterday. The guy there was very cool, he did the work under the table and let me work on it with him. The first thing he said was “Every time I see flanges as thick”, as the ones on the Frank’s pipes, “I have fitment problems.” So after shortening the resonated pipe 1-1/2 to 2” and heating and bending several spots of the piping around the rear suspension along with about 2 hours of tweaking we got it to sit just about prefect on the stock hangers. He then welded in the 2 O2 bungs. It all took about 2-1/2 to 3 hours and he charged me $110, not too bad at all. I only get the slightest thunk in the back going over a speed bump at a good speed, something I wouldn’t normally do anyway. No noise at all under hard shifting.
The sound is very nice. There is Zero drone, you don’t hear it in the car under normal driving and it has a nice growl at WOT (My intake is louder). The sound is very similar to a stock Z or G. My friends G35c with a Borla Cat-back, it doesn’t have any drone either, is only slightly louder.
I hear a lot of people saying the Frankencar is very heavy. While it’s not as light as may others it still lighter that stock. The B-pipe is definitely lighter than stock and even lighter the WS B. The muffler is about the same as stock if not slightly lighter. The total weight of the Frank with all of the packaging was 51 pounds as listed on the shipping label.
The total cost came to a little under grand, it would have been $200 more if I bought the headers new. Once I’m done with the sensors I’ll take the car to by to be dyno’d and check the AF.
Lastly the only other problem I’m having is a burnt rubber smell (not tires
) the last couple of days, sometimes it almost smells like the clutch or brakes. But when I walk away from the car and come back it smells more like burning wires. I have gone over everything and can’t find where it’s coming from. It’s not from the headers that’s for sure, I’ve had them on for almost a month and not smelled anything. Nothing is to close to them and I’ve checked every wire around them for signs of burning. I didn’t smell anything over the last weekend either. Also it doesn’t do it every time it’s driven. It’s been raining here the last few days and the only thing that seems to be a constant is the HID fogs have been on every time I get that smell. Today or tomorrow I’m going to see what happens when there off to see if that smell still appears then try driving with them on to see what happens. They have been on the car for over 2 months with nothing like this happening so for now it's a 
Anyone have any thoughts?
This setup has some install issues but nothing major.
I bought the headers from Matt (blubyu2k2) and installed them a few weeks ago. I did it myself at a friends shop with some help at times from him. I did it in 2 afternoons about 10hrs total with only about 6-7 of them working on the car. I think I would be able to do it quicker if I have to do it again. I did pull the cradle and did most of the rear from under the car. The only thing I did different than what others have posted is on the front it was much easier to get the lower left manifold flange nut by pulling the low-pressure line from the A/C compressor. Having access to an A/C service machine was nice for that.
The main issues that still remains is the front O2 sensor comes very close to the A/C compressor, the wires even slightly touch it. I think the easiest way to solve this problem is to slightly crimp the pipe on either side of the bung. I thought of grinding the bung down some but it would be very tough to keep a nice flat surface for the sensor to seat to. That and both of the sensor 1 O2 wires need to be extended a few inches so the harness plugs can be attached to their mounting points. The used headers had shown some light rubbing on one of the rear banks primaries (the middle one) as have pictures of others I’ve seen. Nothing taking a pry bar to a heat shield didn’t seem to fix.
I bought the Frank Cat-back on 11/8 and took delivery on 11/20 a little long if you ask me. That and there was no responce to phone calls or emails but I got it in just under 2 weeks.
I bought it because with the WS B-pipe w/res and Flowmaster 50 series muffler setup I had on the car was way too loud after the header install. I installed the Frank piping last weekend after getting it. You can not put the muffler on without a lift or access to a warehouse dock door. The flange will not make it over the suspension without the car very high in the air and I don’t feel safe putting the car on jack stands with the rear of the car 3-4 feet off the ground. We have a ramp at work so I drove it into the warehouse and backed it up right to the edge of a dock door and chocked the wheels. 5min later I pulled out. The drive to work with no muffler was fun,
I just kept the RPMs low. After getting it on the car I had a lot of rattles from the back of the car. I tried stiffer hangers, the hose clamps that Frankencar supplied and even putting a hanger on top of the muffler like someone posted, all with no luck. So I took it to a Meineke shop near work yesterday. The guy there was very cool, he did the work under the table and let me work on it with him. The first thing he said was “Every time I see flanges as thick”, as the ones on the Frank’s pipes, “I have fitment problems.” So after shortening the resonated pipe 1-1/2 to 2” and heating and bending several spots of the piping around the rear suspension along with about 2 hours of tweaking we got it to sit just about prefect on the stock hangers. He then welded in the 2 O2 bungs. It all took about 2-1/2 to 3 hours and he charged me $110, not too bad at all. I only get the slightest thunk in the back going over a speed bump at a good speed, something I wouldn’t normally do anyway. No noise at all under hard shifting.
The sound is very nice. There is Zero drone, you don’t hear it in the car under normal driving and it has a nice growl at WOT (My intake is louder). The sound is very similar to a stock Z or G. My friends G35c with a Borla Cat-back, it doesn’t have any drone either, is only slightly louder.
I hear a lot of people saying the Frankencar is very heavy. While it’s not as light as may others it still lighter that stock. The B-pipe is definitely lighter than stock and even lighter the WS B. The muffler is about the same as stock if not slightly lighter. The total weight of the Frank with all of the packaging was 51 pounds as listed on the shipping label.
The total cost came to a little under grand, it would have been $200 more if I bought the headers new. Once I’m done with the sensors I’ll take the car to by to be dyno’d and check the AF.
Lastly the only other problem I’m having is a burnt rubber smell (not tires
) the last couple of days, sometimes it almost smells like the clutch or brakes. But when I walk away from the car and come back it smells more like burning wires. I have gone over everything and can’t find where it’s coming from. It’s not from the headers that’s for sure, I’ve had them on for almost a month and not smelled anything. Nothing is to close to them and I’ve checked every wire around them for signs of burning. I didn’t smell anything over the last weekend either. Also it doesn’t do it every time it’s driven. It’s been raining here the last few days and the only thing that seems to be a constant is the HID fogs have been on every time I get that smell. Today or tomorrow I’m going to see what happens when there off to see if that smell still appears then try driving with them on to see what happens. They have been on the car for over 2 months with nothing like this happening so for now it's a Anyone have any thoughts?
11-25-2004, 10:25 AM
#4
Originally Posted by Ghase
Burnt smell mite be coming from from the new FC catback. Mine did the samething for like a week(I don't drive very much). They the smell will be gone!!!
11-25-2004, 10:55 AM
#6
Originally Posted by PoLo
hey, i wanna hear the car without the res. see how it sounds...how do you feel about it. maybe sometime this weekend. quick 10 minute meet up.
11-25-2004, 11:03 AM
#7
Originally Posted by Ghase
No problem Polo, I'am going to the max meet on saturday, you going? I seen you in brooklyn twice, at the carwash next to BurgerKing, so I know you'll real close to me.
as for the meet, we'll see. i wasn't planning on going, but maybe i could go for a bit.
11-25-2004, 11:11 AM
#8
Originally Posted by PoLo
must be coincedence...my cousin lives near that car wash. ever since he had bone restructure surgery on his ankle, he's never walked the same, so i'm the "lucky" one that gets to drive his *** all the way home. i'm in the woodside/jackson heights area.
as for the meet, we'll see. i wasn't planning on going, but maybe i could go for a bit.
as for the meet, we'll see. i wasn't planning on going, but maybe i could go for a bit.
11-25-2004, 12:18 PM
#9
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,489
Yeah, smell is the new stuff breaking in. Same thing here. As for noise, I have Zero... My mechanic and I played with the hangers and basically made it mad tight under there and then used another hanger to put up between the rear pipe and the cross section. That is where your banging is coming from. I am sure adjustments will be needed when I do the headers, but for now, not a sound. 
Let us know how you feel about the setup after a week or two. Enjoy.
Let us know how you feel about the setup after a week or two. Enjoy.
12-10-2004, 06:36 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,815
Well I've got everything done. For the most part there are no more banging noises. Every once and a while I get some odd sounds but I can't seem to find the contact points, it may be the cross member.
Also it sounds like there is an exhaust leak but there is no carbon build up at any of the connections so I'm thinking it's just the way the flex pipe sounds. I may wrap it to see if anything changes. Over all I'm still happy.
Today is dyno day, I'm going to get an AF with it to see where I stand. I know I'll need to get an SAFC but this will let me know if it's way out of whack or not. My last dyno was in October of last year with a completely different setup; FirmFab intake, RVM UDP, WS B & Flowmaster muffler. I put down 212.6HP/231.7TQ.
Now along with the headers, Frank CB & UDP I've got the Frank mid pipe and $tillen Pop back on, HD grounding and Kosei K1 TS rims wrapped with Toyo T1-S 245-45-17. I'm hoping to put down numbers like 240+HP/250+TQ but if the AF is way off that may not happen. I'll post the info later.
Also it sounds like there is an exhaust leak but there is no carbon build up at any of the connections so I'm thinking it's just the way the flex pipe sounds. I may wrap it to see if anything changes. Over all I'm still happy.
Today is dyno day, I'm going to get an AF with it to see where I stand. I know I'll need to get an SAFC but this will let me know if it's way out of whack or not. My last dyno was in October of last year with a completely different setup; FirmFab intake, RVM UDP, WS B & Flowmaster muffler. I put down 212.6HP/231.7TQ.
Now along with the headers, Frank CB & UDP I've got the Frank mid pipe and $tillen Pop back on, HD grounding and Kosei K1 TS rims wrapped with Toyo T1-S 245-45-17. I'm hoping to put down numbers like 240+HP/250+TQ but if the AF is way off that may not happen. I'll post the info later.
12-10-2004, 09:44 AM
#11
Originally Posted by MaximaMan77
Now along with the headers, Frank CB & UDP I've got the Frank mid pipe and $tillen Pop back on, HD grounding and Kosei K1 TS rims wrapped with Toyo T1-S 245-45-17. I'm hoping to put down numbers like 240+HP/250+TQ but if the AF is way off that may not happen. I'll post the info later.
12-10-2004, 12:09 PM
#12
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,815
My numbers were quite a bit lower and I guess my TQ guesstimate was a bit high 
The HP was 226.00 and TQ 231.00, they both peaked at the same point as the pull from last year HP@5.6k & TQ@3.5k The correction factor was 1.05 SAE, intake air temp was 77.8
The TQ started dropping at 4.9k which was when the AF dropped below 12.5, after peak HP the AF was at 11.8 and at 6.5k was down to 11.5. The AF started dropping at 4k right after the VI opened up and it hit 13 at 4.5k. With an AF in the 13's I should get another 5 or so HP, maybe more well see.
After Xmas I'll get a SAFCII and maybe a TS L-flash. I've known the GAB makes more power so I guess that's next. That and I haven't had my timing bumped up yet, I wish I knew of a dealer I could go to for that...
The HP was 226.00 and TQ 231.00, they both peaked at the same point as the pull from last year HP@5.6k & TQ@3.5k The correction factor was 1.05 SAE, intake air temp was 77.8The TQ started dropping at 4.9k which was when the AF dropped below 12.5, after peak HP the AF was at 11.8 and at 6.5k was down to 11.5. The AF started dropping at 4k right after the VI opened up and it hit 13 at 4.5k. With an AF in the 13's I should get another 5 or so HP, maybe more well see.
After Xmas I'll get a SAFCII and maybe a TS L-flash. I've known the GAB makes more power so I guess that's next. That and I haven't had my timing bumped up yet, I wish I knew of a dealer I could go to for that...
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