JoeJErnst

I've got a set on-order, with cats, and I have a few questions in order to prepare for installing them:

1. Should I re-use factory header bolts or get ARP?
2. If ARP, do you have a part #?
3. Should I use factory gaskets or aftermarket?
4. Header Wrap: Yes or No? If yes, how many feet?
5. Are the O2 sensors plug-n-play or do I need longer wires?
6. Should I use anti-seize compound on the bolts?
7. Do I re-use the factory bolts for connecting to the resonator?

Anything else I should consider to make for a smooth install?

Thanks!

blackbenzz

Factory uses studs in the head for the headers to mate with the heads and copper nuts. I see no reason to get ARP hardware for this. Use OEM exhaust gaskets.

O-55

Although I do not have ARHs, here is what I went with when I installed my MBHs:

New OEM manifold gaskets and copper nuts
New OEM resonator gaskets (you can reuse the nuts and bolts to reconnect)
Wurth exhaust puddy (My MBH kit is slip fit)
I did not use anti-seize
Disconnect the battery before you begin working on the passenger side

ARH is good about providing O2 extenders if needed for the installation. I am not sure if you will need them or not.

green1212

no need for arp stuff with this upgrade. if you take your time and be patient you can very well reuse the header bolts. but the copper nuts are cheap to buy and replace. factory gaskets: stick with oem on these too. no need to go aftermarket and again, these are very cheap! question on header wrap: no! leave the beauties as they are and enjoy for a LONG time! 02 sensors: arh will send you an additional long set of wires to make your o2 sensors longer if need to, you can upclip the factory 02 sensors from their tied locations and see if they can reach without much strain on the wires otherwise use the arh supplied wire set. last question: yes, re-use the factory bolts for connecting to resonator and there will be a abestos "ring" that connects to that resonator pipe to make it a leak-proof setup, you may very well have to reorder another "abestor ring" from mb dealership. i ruin my ring upon install and could not get it to go back on. its not very strong, quite "soft" in my opinion but you will see what i mean when you get to that stage. good luck!!

JoeJErnst

Thanks Guys! I did not realize our engines had header studs from the factory; glad I asked.

I'll get some new copper nuts and gaskets and stay away from the header wrap. Now I just need to sell my Subaru so I can pay for these bad boys!

2000UZJ

I did not install mine but I had all new hardware put in with OEM gaskets.

Enjoy the new power, it really woke my engine up. Totally different driving experience.

JoeJErnst

Does anyone have the part number for the gasket or asbestos ring(s) that go between the X-pipe and the resonator? I can't seem to find it anywhere and I'd like to have one on-hand if needed during the install.

JoeJErnst

OK, I found them:

208-492-00-81
211-492-01-81

scoto

I installed ARH headers last winter. I had mine ceramiccoated. They were easier to install than the Kleemann header I replaced. I wasable to re route my O2 sockets & did not need extenders. The headers tocome with some thick heavy duty gaskets & bolt to the factory exhaust. Thewrong size bolts (M7) are supplied with the kit. I called ARH & was toldthat according to their records all AMG heads use size M7 bolt/studs. I orderedM6 bolts from McMaster-car http://www.mcmaster.com/#92820a335/=yhe683. If you reuse your studs I would install them after the headers are in place, Iam not sure there will be enough room to swing the headers over installed studs.I have more photos of the install & can post if interested.

J J

Scoto - how much of an improvement did you see over the kleemans?

vioilio

Do not use factory gaskets! ARH primaries are bigger than stock and if you use oem gaskets you are restricting the flow. Aks ARH to send you some gaskets. Get oem studs and nuts. No need to extend the o2's.

blackbenzz

Installing headers doesn't change the exhaust port size on the head

JoeJErnst

Damn those are sexy! I'd love to see any other pics you have, especially anything mid-install that may help things go smoothly when I install mine.

scoto

I did not take photos during install. with a hoist, installation not very hard. Here are the photos I have. If you need a particular photo let me know & will make one. Also perfect time to consider new motor mounts.

JoeJErnst

"...Also perfect time to consider new motor mounts."

Bad motor mounts are what allowed me to "justify" a new set of headers. I have two bad mounts and two cracked manifolds because of it. Since I'm doing the work myself, the total cost with new headers is about the same as having the dealer install new mounts and new OEM manifolds.

Thanks for the pics!

JoeJErnst

Is that heat-reflective tape I see wrapping your mounts? Is that a common practice? Do these headers heat the mounts more than OEM manifolds?

kponti

ARH vs MBH???

JoeJErnst

Hey Scoto,

How did you get the rear O2 wires to reach all the way to the plug? It looks like the white plugs at the top of the picture are in their factory clips, but the black plugs for the primary O2 sensors had to be moved. Did you use the supplied extenders for anything? It looks like they sent me two oil level sensor extenders. I'm not sure how to proceed.

scoto

If you are turning off the rear O2 sensors with Star Xentry you don't need to install them in the exhaust flow. They only have to be plugged in. I have mine plugged in & wire tied up out of the way. I am using the rear O2 bungs for my dual wideband sensors. The supplied extenders I think are for Dodge O2 sensors. I called ARH this past spring & the said they were going to correct it. I guess the forgot. You could also solder in a extension if you are installing Cats. It would be best to extend the factory harness as its a lot easier so solder copper wire, The O2 sensors use stainless steel wire. I will PM you my number incase you need a quick answer to other questions.

JoeJErnst

ARH says they don't have extenders for the E55 so I need to make my own or code out the secondary O2 sensors.

Will the car run OK if the secondary O2 sensors are screwed into the pipes but NOT connected to the wiring harness? I know it will throw a CEL, but can I drive it and will it run normally anyway? Or do I need to wait 'till I can plug the holes in the pipe and connect the O2 sensors to the wiring harness and tie them up out of the way?

BC928

Does removing the downstream o2 sensor sensors show up on a obd2 CA star-studded test? "not ready"?

jmb614

Indeed it does. If you have to extend the rear O2's you may find that soldering the extension is best practice.

JoeJErnst

I finally got my header install finished and all the bugs worked out. Unfortunately it didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped. There were fitment issues with the driver's side header, and both headers were missing the brackets where they bolt to the transmission. Now that those issues are fixed, they sound SWEET!

I thought I'd post some lessons-learned for future buyers. First, here are the answers to my original questions:

1. Should I re-use factory header bolts or get ARP?
   - Re-use the factory studs with new OEM copper nuts
2. If ARP, do you have a part #?
   - N/A
3. Should I use factory gaskets or aftermarket?
   - Use new OEM steel gaskets
4. Header Wrap: Yes or No? If yes, how many feet?
   - The consensus seems to be an emphatic NO!
5. Are the O2 sensors plug-n-play or do I need longer wires?
   - The pre-cat O2 sensors will work, but you need to slightly re-route the wiring harness, taking the plugs out of the clips. The headers DO NOT COME WITH EXTENDERS for the rear O2 sensors. You will need to plug the holes in the post-cat O2 bungs. Then, keep the O2 sensors plugged-in to the wiring harness, but zip-tied up out of the way. This will throw a CEL, so you'll need to have someone with STAR code them out. (The car runs fine though)
6. Should I use anti-seize compound on the bolts?
   - No, but I did use blue locktite on everything
7. Do I re-use the factory bolts for connecting to the resonator?
   - Yes, factory bolts were fine, but got new gaskets (two different part numbers) going into the resonator

Overall the process went pretty well until I ran into fitment issues. The old system came out quite easily. Working on a stainless steel exhaust is WAAAAY better than those rusty old steel ones from the muscle car era! The headers slid into place easily, even though the car was just on ramps, not a lift. Only two of the nuts were really hard to reach and they tightened OK with just a little patience. The motor mounts were a breeze with the exhaust out of the way, so definitely do those at the same time.

I also added a PLM H/X at the same time as the headers, and after a weekend of racing I can tell you that those two mods on an otherwise stock car will shave about 0.15 seconds off your 1/4 mile ET.

shardul

iTrader: (1)

Anytime you turn off the rear 02 the monitors will show not ready. So depending on what state regulations are the car will not pass emissions.

JoeJErnst

Ahhhh, I did not realize that. I thought having the "coded out" via STAR would solve that problem. I guess I need to get some extenders made at some point.