Should I replace my exhaust manifold? (aka headers?)

[G-spot]

I just struck a dillema. I ran an OBDII scan few months ago and came up with P0431 and P0421 ( Cat-converter bank 1&2). Just recently, my cabin air has been smelling like fine metal & sulfiric acid mixed together every time I accelerate the gas pedal. I had this same problem with a truck years back and a bad cat-converter was to blame. The question is: because I'm gonna nip-pick the exhaust manifold piping should I buy a cali spec exhaust header when I (ever) install the new catz? Any brand would be fine but I wouldn't mind to making another review with those "ebay ones".....

What ya'll think?

[tjones156]

Since you're gonna be replacing the cat...I would go for it and get the headers anyway. I dont see how it would be a problem long as you do it after or during the time you install your new cat converter. Hopefully you do a review for that OBX header on ebay. Was interested in that one for the looks and plus the inlet spot for the o2 sensor it has. Just curious as to the specs and reliability it dishes out......

[beam514]

if you get cali spec headers won't you only have one cat? the one after the y pipe

[G-spot]

From this picture it looks like I can still retain the precats and maybe reweld the hi-flow cat at the end.

[beam514]

hmmm I don't know. With the length of those runners, it doesn't look like a cat will fit. The stock Cali exhaust manifolds have super short runners

[fatal1]

i would go with whatever your catback is whether its specifically for cali spec or fed..the only difference in the aftermarket exhaust dependant is the length of the flex pipe cali is longer i believe while the fed spec is shorter

get a universal cat and be done with it...theres no need for precats when your running headers... you wont throw any codes or anything for that...

since your obviously not doing it for the main purpose of performance gains, the only thing with headers is that when they are cheap they not only run the risk of breaking at the welds since you arent sure of the quality but the will probroblly sound like crap and be very raspy

the cheapest header i would go with would be megan....the gains arent great but the quality is decent and they sound good when paired with a decent exhaust especially after welding in a cat. and as far as quality, while they arent the best by any means its not too bad...not to mention they dont cost much more then those ebay headers either

try wesellcarparts.com for them

[ricky_db]

that looks like its all pipe no pre cats. it looks like it would be cheaper to just buy new cats but idk about exhausts lol

[seth98esT]

From this picture it looks like I can still retain the precats and maybe reweld the hi-flow cat at the end.

Those are flex pipes, not pre-cats

[Isaurio]

I just struck a dillema. I ran an OBDII scan few months ago and came up with P0431 and P0421 ( Cat-converter bank 1&2). Just recently, my cabin air has been smelling like fine metal & sulfiric acid mixed together every time I accelerate the gas pedal. I had this same problem with a truck years back and a bad cat-converter was to blame. The question is: because I'm gonna nip-pick the exhaust manifold piping should I buy a cali spec exhaust header when I (ever) install the new catz? Any brand would be fine but I wouldn't mind to making another review with those "ebay ones".....

What ya'll think?

Hey bro!! Before you change the cat converter, did you check your oxygen O2sensors? They usually go bad and your ECU will give you the codes because a bad reading of the sensors. Check your oxygen O2 sensors. Bank one is located right in from the cat (in front of the radiator) bank 2 is on the button of the cat pipe.

[Serstylz2]

what ever happened with this? i wouldn't buy from a company that couldn't spell WARRANTY... but yea those are flex pipes and don't influence the overall tone unless they have gone bad and frayed, in which they would be louder at the spot of failure