Removing Intake/exhaust Manifold - Help!!!

[Challenger]

Did you try and get a replacement? They seem pretty good for replacing stuff.

[280zx 2by2]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Did you try and get a replacement? They seem pretty good for replacing stuff.

it would have cost more to ship it out and back than to just take it to the exhaust shop and because i wasn't going to wait 2-3 weeks for them to receive the headers back then them send some out (and from what i have heard and seen not many people have received a "bolt on kit" from msa)

[WreZ]

thanks for the info 2by2, i thought it was my own stupidity that caused the clearance issue. You can bet that i'm gonna call/e-mail motorsport and tell them that a few people have been having clearance issues with their kits. As for fixing the problem i think that if it really comes down to it i'll just cut the pipe on the far left and move the cat back a few inches and that should solve it.

So i finally got the intake and exhaust off, put the headers on and am now just putting the whole thing back together. Ok now for hopefully the final question, could i run the car for just a few minutes with just the headers and the collector or would that cause major damage? Its just that the car has been sitting for close to two weeks getting all the parts off and waiting for parts and putting parts on so i'd really just like to start it up if only for a few minutes. Also i've put a few ads in the classifieds for an egr tube but nobody has replied to them, so if anyone has a spare egr tube that could fit a 81 zx, please send me a pm

[280zx 2by2]

i ran mine 40 miles to the muff shop open header, i don't think a few mins to check for leaks would hurt


just don't go rev happy

[hughdogz]

Can't you just move the cat rearward the two inches? The cat doesn't have any mounting tabs (hangers).

Perhaps they designed it this way...bolt the cat to the header, then bolt the pipe to the cat, etc...

[WreZ]

yeah thats what i was thinking too hugh, that maybe they designed the system to sit back farther but with shorter pipes (know what i mean?) anyway i'm just putting all the vacuum hoses and intake crap back on today so i'm gonna leap that hurdle when i get to it and let you guys know how it goes

[280zx 2by2]

Originally Posted by hughdogz

Can't you just move the cat rearward the two inches? The cat doesn't have any mounting tabs (hangers).

Perhaps they designed it this way...bolt the cat to the header, then bolt the pipe to the cat, etc...

the cat back system only goes so far back before it hits the rear fiasca (on my model with the right side exit exhaust) and for other models the exhaust tip would be sticking out 2 1/2 inches, talk about not cool

here's a link to the problems i had http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=147387

i can't say i won't buy from MSA again because besides black dragon and Nissan itself, they are all there is...

[hughdogz]

^^^ That's why they ship a special two-inch hack-saw with the kit! Did you not receive one of those too?!

(j/k guys) Pretty much anything may need to be customized that isn't OEM. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst...that's what I say Mod the mods...that what it boils down to sometimes

[280zx 2by2]

Originally Posted by hughdogz

^^^ That's why they ship a special two-inch hack-saw with the kit! Did you not receive one of those too?!

(j/k guys) Pretty much anything may need to be customized that isn't OEM. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst...that's what I say Mod the mods...that what it boils down to sometimes

well i think they need to call the headers "almost bolt on"

[jacob80]

Bringing an old thread back...how many bolts attach the heat shield to the intake because i've removed four and it still wont budge! Additionally, do I have to remove the heat shield off the exhaust manifold to access all the bolts on the intake manifold? Its an L28ET

[flatblack280]

There ya go. Google search gave me that. And it was a link to a HybridZ album.



Shouldn't have to take the exhaust shield off, that's why they have the dips in the top, so you can access the bolts.



I stripped out one of the heat shield bolts and ended up just cutting the shield off around that bolt, but I didn't put it back on.

Google is your friend!

[jacob80]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at the bottom of the intake manifold, there are 7 bolts holding on the dang head shield???? Also, am I supposed to fit a box end wrench into those little divets in the exhaust heat shield? Seems like quite the task if you ask me...

[Challenger]

Theres only 6 bolts actually. Any yes, you can get a socket in there. Its been done many times.

[WreZ]

hey just a quick update for anyone thats still interested in this, it helps to have set of metric wrenches for this job. I found that often there would not be a lot of room to manuever a ratchet around so using a wrench helped out a lot (especially for the end bolts on those motorsports headers). Also FYI (and someone correct me if i'm wrong) there are 5 bolts holding up the exhaust mani itself then there are 6 common bolts with washers on them that are shared between the intake and exhaust mani then there are also 6 (i think) bolts that attach along the top of the intake mani. Also for anyone interested in the clearance issue i had, i ended up eliminating the cat from the exhaust system all together but it would be possible to fit the cat in the system if you don't mind cutting a few inches off the pipes on either side of that would bolt to the cat.

regarless of the minor fitment issues (and constant head scratching) i am very pleased with the system. The headers combined with the muffler kit give it a deep aggressive growl that almost sounds like its coming from a much larger engine (not to mention the increase in power as measured by my butt dyno). Also when i was running just the headers, its sound actually rivalled that of a small v8. I urge anyone who is on the fence about it to buy it!

[jacob80]

How bad is it to put the intake manifold heat shield back on an L28ET? The bolts were barely accessible when taking them off let alone putting them back on

[SHADY280]

here is a writeup i did to help memebers with the intake gasket re&re

http://www.zdriver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18779

[WreZ]

yeah shady hit it right on the mark, wish i had that a few months ago! (btw why isn't it stickied here?)
putting the heat shield back on is a matter of screwing it back on while the intake is off (thats how i did it) actually while we're on the subject can anyone confirm that having the heat shield on helps in any way? (intake tempe etc)

[SHADY280]

i have my heat sheild, but i cut the manifold webbing out to allow air to pass up thru the runners. i did this as i feel the heat was getting trapped under the manifold. the manifold is now cooler to the touch, as before i couldnt touch

[plexus]

Originally Posted by WreZ

I just have one FINAl question on this project, along with the headers i got from motorsport i also ordered a full exhaust kit. now the kit was advertised as a system that didn't require welding (i was sceptical). Now once i got the headers and the collector on the car while i still had the stock exhaust on i noticed that the collector would not fit onto the cat because it extended about an inch past the connector. i'm also kind of confused about the configuration of the pipes ( i've really only worked with vw bug and mustang exhaust).

im glad you brought this up, i was wondering about thier exhaust system good piece of info about fitment. i wonder if the issue is with a stock cat, would a aftermarket cat work better. i plan to change out the complete exhaust system and dont want the more restrictive stock cat. regarding using bolt over studs and vice versa is there a big difference or more of a personal opinion?

[WreZ]

Originally Posted by plexus

im glad you brought this up, i was wondering about thier exhaust system good piece of info about fitment. i wonder if the issue is with a stock cat, would a aftermarket cat work better. i plan to change out the complete exhaust system and dont want the more restrictive stock cat. regarding using bolt over studs and vice versa is there a big difference or more of a personal opinion?

If you could find a cat smaller than the stock one then there should be no issues, the only thing i can see being a downside is flow, but it won't flow terrible enough to hamper performance that badly (actually i can start to see this turning into cat vs. no cat flow flame war. maybe i shouldn't have mentioned it.) as for bolts vs. studs i used the stock bolts but if you want to know the only reason i've ever been told to use studs is because they get better torque readings and you don't have to worry about breaking off old bolts in the head due to torsional stress so not really much of a difference if all your doing is installing headers but then again others are welcome to share their opinions and prove me wrong