Busted and Disgusted...
 

Ok, im going to try to attempt to condense this overly long story about my exhaust...

I received my entire catback exhaust yesterday and my 4-2-1 header a couple of weeks before. So my entire exhaust came with...

Header
4-2 Collector
2-1 piece

which connects to my...

Catback
Cat Bypass
and eventually my Catback (minus muffler)

So I went to my local exhaust shop today around 10am to get everything installed. I show them the parts, no problem except they couldnt install the cat bypass (Not a problem, Ill do it myself...)

The work began...
They lifted my car and started to size up all the parts, hmm, one problem, the cat bypass was designed backwards! meaning that the flanges were totally at the wrong ends. Ok, whatever, Ill just put on a high flow cat, not a problem.

Heres where it starts to get weird...

The header matched up perfectly, the 2-1 collector properly curved around the infamous Daewoo Tranny, I was surprised. As far as the catback, it was a piece of cake, it literally bolted right on.

The header has a perfect fit with the block, however, the holes in the flange did not match with the bolts in the block! Actually, it was just the center two bolt holes above and below the exhaust flow holes.

So I suggested that he properly matched the header with the block, drilled the holes where they needed to be, and attach it on like that. He gave me some elongated BS about how it will warp the header, lose performance...etc (He told me this from his extensive knowledge of working on lowriders (his own words) rolleyes.gif )

So what do you think I should do? Drill the proper holes so the bolts will match up with the block or give up on this project?

You've got nothing to loose. The header is worthless to you "as is". Drill the holes and see how long it lasts.

Either that, or return the header and get your $$$ back.

just wondering...what did you end up using for gasket material?

Return the header now ... If you drill it, your warranty and/or ability to return it becomes severely limited.

If you alter it, they are really under no obligation to take it back as it is not in original sale condition.

I would take it back but the person I bought it from acquired it in an overseas shipment mistake so its one of a kind, for my car at least.

I went to meineke and they have gaskets that fit, Im just reusing my stock manifold gasket since I purchased my car about 3 months

[ August 03, 2002, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: Bringrice ]

returning it is not an option. So you've got nothing to loose by drilling it.

You could try to sink more money into it by taking it to a machine shop and have them remove the flange that is on there now and have them make and reweld a "proper" flange, but I would think the costs involved in that would be in the $100 to $300 range. So you might as well just throw caution to the wind, drill the holes and go for broke.

Or just return it to the person you got it from as "defective". If they will not return your money, dispute the charges on your credit card, and in general, make life hell on the guy you bought it from.

Yea, thanks for the info random, I think im just going to have them drill holes in it and hopefully get them to create a new flange later, the only worry I have is the entire header cracking.

If I had them fill the existing holes with metal and then drill new holes, will that overcome the cracking effect?

Seems to me like you should return everything and get your money back or at least the proper stuff. Sounds like your only having problems with this new setup.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Stormtrooper:
Seems to me like you should return everything and get your money back or at least the proper stuff. Sounds like your only having problems with this new setup.</div>Problem is, I cant really get my money back...well I could but I would be without a header, I think im just going to give it a shot, if I lose the header in a couple of years, whatever, I might have a turbo setup by then