For you guys that have aftermarket headers, have you noticed a metalic rattling sound when lightly accelerating? I have been hearing this noise ever since installing my headers and it is starting to make me go nutts. I have looked at all bolts and checked for exhaust leaks and couldn't find any. One thing i have heard from a local mechanic is that the sound could possibly be the sound of the valves and it is more noticeable due to the thinner guage tubing used rather than the thick a$$ stockers. Not sure if this is true or not though.

Any ideas?

 

I believe thats what it is I had the same thing, not really very loud but its just there sort of noise and it wasn't before.

 

yea, its really only noticable when i am getting on the interstate where there are concrete walls for it to echo off of. It just seems like every once in awhile i get a clank along with it . I guess when i open my cuttout i don't have to worry about hearing that noise

 

that's normal.. you can already hear some of it at high rpm's with the y-pipe and stock exhaust.

 

yep i noticed the noise when i had my y pipe, it just got 3x as bad when putting the headers on. I am running the stock muffler right now so that makes it more noticable.

 

i hear the same thing with my hotshots. i wrapped the flex section thinking that would solve it and checked for leaks all over with no avail as well as replacing the gasket before the cat. it sounds worse in warmer temperatures, maybe the metal is expanded that much more, im not quite sure. the wrapped flex seems to cut some noise down but the noise has never gone away.

 

Never heard of these issues from Cattman headers...

 

saving $250 w/ the same performance gains is worth it

 

Here is how I installed my HS headers- put on the manifolds and tighten the bolts up snug - but you still wanna be able to move them around slightly. Then install the Ypipe section onto the manifolds and tighten it all the way. After that tighten the manifolds to the heads from the center out.

I never had any leaks or blown gaskets (knock on wood), I reused my old gaskets on the manifolds to the heads, and used those chinzzy looking HS gaskets between the manifolds and the Ypipe.

Been runing my HS headers for almost a full year now, my Warpspeed test pipe is a little rusty (not SSteel) and the gaskets that they supplied me with look like the are slightly leaking- carbon deposits can be seen on the flanges. I will repleace the test pipe with a new one when this one falls apart- give it bout 2 years still thou.

 

Jez, I heard you wanted to give me your Hotshots.

 

They don't work on 4th gens :P

 

so the hot shot headers work on the vq30dek 5th gens?

 

Yeah they do work- and they MIGHT be for sale once your feed pipes for Turbo are done. I'm itchn to dyno my new setup with advanced ignition timing- NA ofcourse. I am not a big fan of FI on Maximas, I have a really strong DE-K that I would hate to swap out for some BS motor if it was to let go under boost- so I'm still trying to decide what route to take.

 

reason why i asked was because if those headers bolt up to our engines, then maybe our stock vq30dek headers can bolt onto the 5.5gens and they'll be able to use my kit too =D

 

Front exhaust manifold/cat is identical on the 01 Maxima like mine and the 02-03 Maximas with the 3.5L. Rear manifold has a cat on the 3.5L so its diff from the 3.0L which is the same on all 3.0Ls (save for no EGR bung on the Cali specs).

Unless the tranny choice has something to do with it- your feed pipes should fit a 5.5 gen. Auto tranny on the 5.5 gen is same as the 4th gen and 5th gen auto, so your AUTO feed pipes for a 5th gen should work just fine on auto 5.5 gens. 6spd might be a little bit different since the starter sits in the location in bout the area of our Crank sensor in the VQ30. Its similar to a VG30E starter mounting location on a 3rd gen.

 

I'll use a shoehorn. Actually I would like to try a test fit before you sell them.

 

i get that sound with my stillen y pipe. it sounds like it's about to have a hole in it... like rusted metal peeling off the y pipe as the accelerator is applied.

since this thread IS about HS headers, maybe i can ask what the few modifications are to install HS headers on DE-k?

 

thanks for the info.. yeah i'm not sure if it'll clear the starter on the 6speed. but i would think it would fit since it clears the auto tranny which is alot bigger.. we'll see.. i'll just need someone to be bold enough to try it on their cars..

 

Can some one check out a fitment issue I just noticed on my HS headers... When I changed my oil the other day I noticed that the secondary pipe is pushing on the edge my oil pan (bent up the edge)... I was in a hurry so I did not get a chance to take a pic of it. I will be replacing my brakes soon, so I will get a pic then. I have not been leaking oil so I am not that concerned, I just dont want damage to come down the road from this, to the headers or my oil pan.

 

upstatemax- it all depends on the install, my headers do not touch the oil pan at all. There is a bit of adjustment you can do to the headers via large holes for the bolts on the primary flanges and ypipe flanges- which allows the headers/Ypipe to be adjusted a bit. Who installed them for ya ?

OOmaxSE- headers are straight forward install, the power steering rack heat shield(on the back of the subframe) needs to be bent a little bit towards the back so the header primary tubes do not rub on it and cause any metalic noises. Primary 02 sensor on the front manifold hits the AC compressor/line fitting so the 02 sensor bung needs to be relocated or modified. I had a performance muffler shop weld me a bung right on top of the header primary for SUPER EZ access. I drove around in the winter with no AC and 02 sensor screwed into the HS location, when it got warm outside I put the AC back on and had the sensor relocated by that muffler shop for 40 bux. Your car has EGR so the EGR tube needs to be extended into one of the header primaries OR (best way I think) extend the pipe all the way down into the Ypipe for eassier removal, if that ever needs to be removed. This pipe feeds back into the EGR valve, and with it not working you will not pass emissions- and will get a check engine light for EGR system maulfunction. 01-03 Maximas have no EGR valve so install is a piece of cake. On 02-03 Maximas the same 02 sensor that hits the AC compressor isn't an issue- the compressor is different, and mounts differently to the engine also giving you more clearance for it- but the wires will be tight stretch, so removing the 02 sensor connector from its mounting tab would need to happen. Other than that, everything is pretty eassy and straightforward.

 

that noise is the flex section on top of the this guage piping used. The flex section on the HS headers is also too stiff which will cause slight vibrations but nothing that noticable.

 

My brother and I installed them in his shop... I dont remeber that ever being a problem. They have however been "messed" around with by a local performance shop because of a leak issue... I dont know if they did it or not, I would normally never bring my car to a shop that I dont know, however HotShot wanted me to go there because they are one of their dealers...

 

TO THE TOP.
Only thread with rattle and headers in the title I could find. Between 2300 and 2600rpm I get this retarded rattle. It only happens when driving, not while revving in neutral. Thought it was the cat heat shield so I removed it and sound is still there. I have hotshots and a DE-K in my 96 and as far as I can see I have at least 1/4" clearance everywhere. Only area that looks like it could be the culprit is the small metal shield behind the rear manifold. I already bent it as far as I could but nothing changed. Thought it could be bolt somewhere that fell or something but I can't find any loose bolts. Has anyone ever figured this out? Keep seeing bees in a can but that sounds more like an exhaust leak than what I'm hearing in my car and since it's only when the car is under load it can't be it either...

 

I'm almost sure my rattles is coming from that little heat shield on the firewall. No matter how I bend it the rattle is there, either hitting the headers or hitting the lines it's protecting. I did however find tiny pinholes in a few places on the headers. Mostly in the flange welds. AWESOME...