Preparing to install my longtube headers in the next week or so. Other than the headers themselves, what else do I need?

1. OEM exhaust manifold gaskets (the metal ones)
2. I believe the upstream o2 sensors will reach according to what I have read, but not the downstream. Can the downstream o2 sensors be tuned out? I won't have cats anymore so i dont see the point in running them
3. Any other gaskets or hardware?

Dont want to have to stop the job in the middle to be waiting for parts!

 

What headers do you have?

I just asked pretty much same question last night. No responses on mine yet either but would share that it seems a good idea to swap motor mounts and trans mounts while doing a header install. The mounts are right there as you do the job and are known to wear out pretty quickly.

I didn't consider 02 sensors, will I need some type of extension for the rears? You think the fronts are ok? I assume I'll need someone to tune out any codes I might get for no front cats.

regards

 

I did motor and trans mount about 2 months and 2500 miles ago, so those should be good. The upstream o2 sensors are all that I care about since that is used for proper A/F mixture while the car is running, and those I believe will reach. The rear ones I have been told will not, but those are "downstream" sensors which monitor the efficiency of the cats, which will be gone.

 

Chris, did you get new copper nuts for the flanges? You may want to grab some spare manifold studs, all of mine came out of the head during my install and I had to use penetrating oil and double-nut to get the old nuts off. I tried several times to deactivate the rear O2 sensors via STAR, but that never took and I kept getting CEL's for them. I attempted to make some extension harnesses, but sold the car before installing them.

 

maybe think about replacing voltage regulator while the exhaust is out

 

Here's my post on what I changed: https://mbworld.org/forums/w219/7351...ml#post7784990

Basically: East Coast Euro motor mounts, crank position sensor, 1 step colder plugs, tuned out the rear O2 sensors

 

Nice thread. Would colder plugs be recommended for my bolt on mods? 77mm pulley, longtubes, PLM heat exchanger and bosch 010 pump?

 

(this is a new account because the password reset on the site is broken and I can’t get in to my existing one - Jake0528)

Also interested for more detail on this. Motor mounts went a couple months ago so I’ve been babying the car since. Didn’t feel them really give up and I guess in the time between me realizing they were bad and now my exhaust manifold on my driver side formed an awful leak that’s getting worse. Picked up the last set of Chinese headers from VRP yesterday.

Legit Street Car video seems to show the rear O2’s DO reach if you detach them from their harnesses? Also wondering about what all to reuse or replace as far as manifold studs/nuts/individual gaskets go. It seemed Alex just did the individual gaskets and the gaskets from the midsection to resonator.

Any advice on what really should be replaced? Also doing motor mounts and curious if someone has a better explanation on using ratchet straps for additional support moving forward.

 

The reason I chose to spend the money on the East Coast Euro mounts was because they sit about 1" lower than the OEM mounts which gives the headers a little more clearance. They are also serviceable and should last much longer than the OEM mounts.

 

be careful with the lowering motor mounts because the long tune headers hang lower naturally and with lowering motor mounts if your car is lowered you might “kiss” some speed bumps or other road imperfections.

 

Good point. I have American Racing headers and 200 cell cats which I believe are the lowest hanging of the available headers out there. I don't believe that the Chinese or MBH headers hang as low. My car is not lowered so I'm not too worried.

 

How low? Pics?

 

I don't have pics at the moment but they really don't hang all that low. I've never had an issue and I routinely straddle some of those speed bumps where you can get a wheel on each side to go over.

 

I had to make an account just to respond to this, hopefully this saves you some of your sanity..

I recommend getting new studs and nuts for the headers, 16 studs, 16 nuts. I did mine about 2 years ago.. trying to find the part #'s. I called a MB dealer and they got me what I needed. Be sure they use your VIN to lookup, the first order I got, the studs were larger for whatever reason and did not fit.

Most of the manifold nuts were seazed on there when I took them out, so basically the stud comes out of the head instead of the nut coming off the stud, that's not an issue but when it comes down to torquing down the new headers best to have fresh hardware and not bother with a header leak. Finger tight the new studs into the head, then add the new headers and when you torque the new nuts down, it all seals nicely.

Best to install the headers with the motor mounts disconnected and motor lifted a bit. You have to take a bolt off of the steering connection to fit the drivers side, no biggie but you need to find that torque value and tighten properly otherwise you will have some big steering slop. While you're there add new motor mounts, yours are probably toasted. M113K makes so much torque that a set of bad motor mounts will tear your new headers in half if the mounts are not good, I did headers and new mounts because my stock manifolds suffered this fate.

Be careful when taking the bolts off the stock manifolds, they are copper and soft, so easy to strip. Use a 6 sided shorty wrench (Forgot what MM.. I think 8 or 10) for the hard to reach ones, and 6 sides socket for the others. The 12 sided sockets can strip the bolts easily, I learned that the hard way and cost me a week of surgical and careful dremmeling in a spot with no space.

I have china special Long tubes 'Maximizer' brand.. Only issues with scraping is if I go over a tall speed bump a little too fast. It came with clamps but they leaked so I took it to a exhaust shop and had it all welded properly with 200 cell cats.

As for the rear 02's.. you could extend them.. each o2 has 4 wires. Front 02's fit no issues. If you want to delete the rears (I did) The Eurocharged tune deleting the rears did not work for me, I had to load a Eurocharged tune WITH the rear 02's then use STAR to delete the rear 02's That removed my CEL issue entirely. If you try to use STAR to delete the rear 02's with the Eurocharged rear o2 delete tune, it will not work. (Star errors out)

It's a lot of effort but even with my stock exhaust cats-back I get so many compliments on how mean the car sounds. Plus all that extra power.. these cars are stupidly fast but you know that already.

Good luck!

 

A 10mm GearWrench will be your best friend.

 

Good advice. Thanks for the tips! Hoping to tackle the installation here in the next week or so!

 

I’m planning on it this Friday! Hope it all goes smoothly, update us when you get it done!

 

I have the Cheap long tube headers from VRP and after that I am completely straight piped and I mean completely straight piped it sounds WICKED GOOD!! A wee tad loud at full send. To see and hear a burnout check out @FLTHY 55

 

How was install on them? That’s what I ordered as well.

 

it was horrible!!! I tried to do it by myself with a jack and jack stands. I wasn’t able to do it and had to get it taken to a shop to do finish it. If you have a competent person helping you and have everything you should be able to do it. Be very careful like someone already stated in this thread about removing the nuts and studs that you don’t round of a nut or then it gets even more exciting. I removed the complete exhaust system in about and hour WHICH I HAVE FOR SALE IF ANYONE IS INTRESTED!! I then spent about 5-6 hours trying to get one header installed and finally gave up.

 

Dang! Fitment issues are to be expected to an extent with the cheaper headers but I’m hoping it isn’t terrible. I have access to a 4 post lift and an extra pair of competent hands so I’m hoping we can knock it out in a day but not holding my breath either. I bought replacement nuts but am using the studs again.

 

oh you should be perfectly fine then! Fitment was actually not bad at all but I only have 2 hands lol

 

+1 for all new studs. Don't bother reusing the old ones, you can get the nuts off, thread them into the head but the nuts won't spin freely on the rusted studs and you will need to use a rachet to tighten them the entire way down in a very tight space, not fun.

Eurocharged will delete the rear 02 codes but not the heater circuit for them. So you either keep them plugged in or delete the codes with star. Jerry said they can't do that one with the tuning.

 

I sure hope to be able to start this soon but as I prep, but wanted to share intended parts list for anyone else looking into this in future

Magnaflow X-pipe (10792)

OEM Header Gaskets (1121420180)

All New OEM Nuts (112-142-00-72, BTW, don't pay $2 for this 35 cent part...saw that a lot out there)

All new OEM studs (not 100% sure I'll need all or any) 272-990-00-05

Exhaust Pipe to Manifold Gasket seal ring flange 2114920181

Catalytic Converter Gasket Rear Left - HJ Schulte 2084920081

Kano Aerokroil Penetrating Oil (Best penetrating oil on market. Every bit helps)

I still need to figure out if I'll need to extend O2 sensors and if so, weather or not there is is an extension available (I assume a standard extension will work) or if I need to mess with getting access to STAR

Copper RTV

I could get new clamps but am planning to just use the ones that came with it along with the copper RTV and see how it goes

Inverted torxsockets (already have these but am listing them for anyone else). I think I'll need only one size but not sure what yet. I also assume my swivel extensions will help here too

I also got motor and trans mounts as it seems to be the best time to do those and its a common maintenance item. For the motor mounts I am getting a Mercedes Benz Offset 16mm Engine Mount Socket Wrench to make that easier

 

Everything stated above is accurate about studs and nuts.
I'm currently installing long tubes from fabtech-performance. Issues:
The flange side that connects to the engine is not flat/leveled. I hope this will not cause a leak with oem gaskets
The flanges are almost twice the thickness of OE, which leaves almost no room to tighten nut onton the studs.
O2 sensor holes are too far down the headers. Both, up and down stream will need to be extended, as existing wiring does not reach.
The passenger y-pipe does not have the flange to connect to the pipe by the resonator.
Questions:
After test fitting the headers and reading some posts, my question is this: stainless steel headers will run hotter and produce more heat to the surrounding items. Main concern is added heat around wiring and excessive heat under the the hood. How do you remedy it? Heat wrap, which is prone to fire if dirty/oily, or if wet leading to headers cracking.
Passenger side y-pipe has no way to seal against the passenger side of the resonator. See picture.

How does one secure the connection so there is no exhaust leak?How does one extend O2 sensors? I've heard soldering is not adviced.
Thank you in advance!