Ok... Due to all the questions I'm posting this up here to help some people out. Please note when I did this, I did it while I was putting everything ON... please use some imagination here folks. Anywho, here we go:
Removal of front header:
First thing I would do is remove the exhaust and also the front down pipe.
front downpipe bolts I sprayed lots of pb blaster on this prior to breaking... these 2 pictures are old pictures from the DIY Clutch Install a long time ago:
Link to DIY Clutch --> Clutch install
Then the down pipe drops and then remove the exhaust accordingly.
Now remove the small beam that goes across the rear, it does a trapezoid movement and holds the ebrake cables accordingly and then disconnect the front mount from the engine with the 3 bolts hooked to the block:
Then the shifter cables:
Then the majorly long bolts on the ends of the front beam.
This should drop the front beam and the front mount together.. If you have any issues with getting it out, go ahead and remove the long 17 that holds the mount to the beam. Honestly, you may want to loosen it anways b/c when you have to install it, you want all the play you can get initially.
Now you need to remove the AC compressor. *I was just recently told that removal of the compressor is optional... however for me I like to take this stuff off anyway because of the extra clearance it gives in working in that area*
This picture represents where the MOUNT for the AC compressor used to be:
There were 4 bolts that held the mount to the block and two that held the mount to the side:
And on the mount there were 4 bolts that held the compressor to the mount. Remove the 4 bolts on the compressor and then also disconnect the wire to the compressor and the whole compressor will drop.
*YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE MOUNT TO GET THE INSTALL DONE* The only reason I did was b/c I know I'm not installing it back on. I'll tell you what though... with all that space installation of the headers was way easy.
Next step would be to remove the o2 sensor. It's a 22mm but I HIGHLY suggest to use an o2 sensor socket. Although I can tell you that even with the socket removal tool I couldn't get it off.
Now remove the heat shield cover off the header. You must remove this in order to get to the nuts that hold the header down.
*If you can't remove the o2 sensor you can do what I did which was use a dremel to cut a slit in the cover in order to pry the cover off. I basically ended up removing the header with the o2 sensor still on it.
After that make sure you use a SIX POINT socket to remove the nuts... they are really soft and will strip on you quicker than you can blink.
Don't freak out if the stud backs out with the nut. When I removed the rear bank, every single stud came out with the nut. You'll be ok.
At this point, the front header should be out.
REAR BANK.
Remove the beam that hits the rear beam and the top which is actually the bottom of the trunk:
here are two of the 4 bolts:
Now the rear bank is a little different from the front bank where the shield is a two piece shield.
Remove the o2 sensor, then the shield again.
Next... again remove the studs and weasel the headers out.
Installation is reverse of removal...
Oh yeah, when putting the extension pipes don't forget to install the gasket!
Now for me I had a big issue. The test pipes did not line up with the exhaust:
So in order to fix this I noticed that the front bank test pipe needed to be shortened and the rear test pipe needed to be lengthened. So... here's what I did:
I cut the front bank pipe and mounted the header piece:
And then after that I put the other half up to the other end, measured how much I needed to shorten and then just cut it. Rememeber... you can always have it too long and shorten it... but you can't be too short and add a piece (cleanly)...
here is what the pre-weld looked like:
For the rear I put the piece to the header side and measured how much I needed to extend. FOR MY INSTALL, I added 2 1/8ths of an inch of pipe on the straight piece. Now yes I got it on properly but with hindsight, I think I would've preferred 2.25 of an inch of extra pipe. Here is what it ended up looking like:
When bringing this to the people to weld make sure you place some straight marks across the pipe so that the orientation of the flanges stays the same.
As you can see, it all came together accordingly.
Few notes:
1. Since I was unable to remove the o2 sensor I was forced to buy a new one. Since I hadn't replaced the front one yet, I figured it needed to be done anyway.
2. I HIGHLY recommend a set of nut extractors:
3. When installing the gasket on the head please note the marking on the gasket that says: "Manifold Side"
BUT don't worry, Honda was nice enough to make it such that if you put it on backwards, you can't bolt it all together.
total extra costs not including the header alone:
$70 for the o2 extension pigtail
$90 for the o2 sensor
$220 for the test pipe
$30 for the muffler shop to weld the test pipes and modify
$15 for extra grade 8 nuts and bolts to mount the test pipes.
Hope you guys appreciate this and that just like the DIY Clutch Install, it helps many people.
Any and all feedback is appreciated... happy wrenching!
Cheers,
x
P.S. - Someone asked me if having a lift would've made a difference in the install. To be honest, I've never had one so I wouldn't know the difference. However, I can say that doing this install nearly 100% is underneath the car, working on the ground wasn't too bad b/c I got to lie down.
P.S.2 - If anyone else has done this and knows that I missed a step, please say so... I started this post around 6:15 ish or so and it's too early to think right now.. :smile:
Removal of front header:
First thing I would do is remove the exhaust and also the front down pipe.
front downpipe bolts I sprayed lots of pb blaster on this prior to breaking... these 2 pictures are old pictures from the DIY Clutch Install a long time ago:
Link to DIY Clutch --> Clutch install
Then the down pipe drops and then remove the exhaust accordingly.
Now remove the small beam that goes across the rear, it does a trapezoid movement and holds the ebrake cables accordingly and then disconnect the front mount from the engine with the 3 bolts hooked to the block:
Then the shifter cables:
Then the majorly long bolts on the ends of the front beam.
This should drop the front beam and the front mount together.. If you have any issues with getting it out, go ahead and remove the long 17 that holds the mount to the beam. Honestly, you may want to loosen it anways b/c when you have to install it, you want all the play you can get initially.
Now you need to remove the AC compressor. *I was just recently told that removal of the compressor is optional... however for me I like to take this stuff off anyway because of the extra clearance it gives in working in that area*
This picture represents where the MOUNT for the AC compressor used to be:
There were 4 bolts that held the mount to the block and two that held the mount to the side:
And on the mount there were 4 bolts that held the compressor to the mount. Remove the 4 bolts on the compressor and then also disconnect the wire to the compressor and the whole compressor will drop.
*YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE MOUNT TO GET THE INSTALL DONE* The only reason I did was b/c I know I'm not installing it back on. I'll tell you what though... with all that space installation of the headers was way easy.
Next step would be to remove the o2 sensor. It's a 22mm but I HIGHLY suggest to use an o2 sensor socket. Although I can tell you that even with the socket removal tool I couldn't get it off.
Now remove the heat shield cover off the header. You must remove this in order to get to the nuts that hold the header down.
*If you can't remove the o2 sensor you can do what I did which was use a dremel to cut a slit in the cover in order to pry the cover off. I basically ended up removing the header with the o2 sensor still on it.
After that make sure you use a SIX POINT socket to remove the nuts... they are really soft and will strip on you quicker than you can blink.
Don't freak out if the stud backs out with the nut. When I removed the rear bank, every single stud came out with the nut. You'll be ok.
At this point, the front header should be out.
REAR BANK.
Remove the beam that hits the rear beam and the top which is actually the bottom of the trunk:
here are two of the 4 bolts:
Now the rear bank is a little different from the front bank where the shield is a two piece shield.
Remove the o2 sensor, then the shield again.
Next... again remove the studs and weasel the headers out.
Installation is reverse of removal...
Oh yeah, when putting the extension pipes don't forget to install the gasket!
Now for me I had a big issue. The test pipes did not line up with the exhaust:
So in order to fix this I noticed that the front bank test pipe needed to be shortened and the rear test pipe needed to be lengthened. So... here's what I did:
I cut the front bank pipe and mounted the header piece:
And then after that I put the other half up to the other end, measured how much I needed to shorten and then just cut it. Rememeber... you can always have it too long and shorten it... but you can't be too short and add a piece (cleanly)...
here is what the pre-weld looked like:
For the rear I put the piece to the header side and measured how much I needed to extend. FOR MY INSTALL, I added 2 1/8ths of an inch of pipe on the straight piece. Now yes I got it on properly but with hindsight, I think I would've preferred 2.25 of an inch of extra pipe. Here is what it ended up looking like:
When bringing this to the people to weld make sure you place some straight marks across the pipe so that the orientation of the flanges stays the same.
As you can see, it all came together accordingly.
Few notes:
1. Since I was unable to remove the o2 sensor I was forced to buy a new one. Since I hadn't replaced the front one yet, I figured it needed to be done anyway.
2. I HIGHLY recommend a set of nut extractors:
3. When installing the gasket on the head please note the marking on the gasket that says: "Manifold Side"
BUT don't worry, Honda was nice enough to make it such that if you put it on backwards, you can't bolt it all together.
total extra costs not including the header alone:
$70 for the o2 extension pigtail
$90 for the o2 sensor
$220 for the test pipe
$30 for the muffler shop to weld the test pipes and modify
$15 for extra grade 8 nuts and bolts to mount the test pipes.
Hope you guys appreciate this and that just like the DIY Clutch Install, it helps many people.
Any and all feedback is appreciated... happy wrenching!
Cheers,
x
P.S. - Someone asked me if having a lift would've made a difference in the install. To be honest, I've never had one so I wouldn't know the difference. However, I can say that doing this install nearly 100% is underneath the car, working on the ground wasn't too bad b/c I got to lie down.
P.S.2 - If anyone else has done this and knows that I missed a step, please say so... I started this post around 6:15 ish or so and it's too early to think right now.. :smile:
Last edited:
. Wish I saw these instructions back then, way better than the service manual: Remove beams. Remove bolts. Remove headers. Install is reverse.
