WTF DC Header problem

[47_MasoN_47]

Ok, last night I finally decided to install the DC Header I bought from Garm on black friday. It took about 2 hours just to get the old one off, since Toyota was kind enough to tighten every bolt on my car with the fury of a thousand suns. After getting all that stuff off, the new one went on really quick. Unfortunately, the damn spring bolt on the midpipe flange is running right into the O2 sensor, so there's no way to tighten it down. Thus I have an exhaust leak that sounds like a BBC anal pornstar farting the whole time I go down the road.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Kc6rVykFOTY/T0c1mTplohI/AAAAAAAABn4/6qT1-S4bpL8/s800/2012-02-24_00-45-15_94.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--K70O83Jdmc/T0c83V6ln3I/AAAAAAAABok/-UqIYeNpvyA/s800/2012-02-24_00-45-27_575.jpg

I read several threads of people installing these without problems, and the included documentation says to use the existing spring bolts. I don't see how this is even possible though with the O2 sensor sitting right over the damn bolt hole in the flange.

Help?

[cali yaris]

You have a gasket in there?

and great pictures btw, wish everyone included clear images of the problem.

[47_MasoN_47]

I'm not real sure, would that have been stuck to the original header or the midpipe? I never saw a gasket when we pulled the old one, unless it's stuck up in the collector of the header and I just thought it was piece of it. Where's the gasket normally at?

Thanks Garm.

BTW it was interesting to try to get pictures from underneath the car while doing weird acrobatics at 1am to get a flashlight and my phone up in there. It took many tries to get clear ones.

[WeeYari]

The gasket could have stayed stuck to either the header or the downpipe. Check your OEM header to see if it is in there. Based on your pics, it would appear that no gasket is in place. The header/pipe gap is far too narrow.

[ilikerice]

yea, looks like this. Should have swapped it out of the old header

[47_MasoN_47]

Fuck. Opened the box in the trunk and yanked on the end of the collector and sure enough, I left the gasket on there.

Think I can get it on the new one without taking the header back off?

[Doc Zaius]

FYI, I've had to replace my header gasket (with stock header and stock downpipe). Guy at the muffler shop said was common. I might suggest buying a new one just to give you a couple extra years of no worries. :thumbsup:

[cali yaris]

I think the exhaust has some play in it, and you can get the gasket in there without removing the header.

I think the gasket will create the gap you need so the bolt fits and the O2 sensor is safe.

More great pics, please. :biggrin:

[WeeYari]

Think I can get it on the new one without taking the header back off?

There is just enough play between the pipe and header to worm the gasket in. Pay attention to the pic posted by ilikerice. It shows the correct orientation of the gasket.

BTW, this is what my gasket looked like after 5 years on the road.

[47_MasoN_47]

Sweet. I'm checking around to see if anyone here at the office happens to have a floor jac in their trunk. If so I'll just jack it up in the parking lot and install it real quick. If not I guess I'll wait till tomorrow morning.

I'm kicking myself for leaving that out.

[thebarber]

Nice!

[47_MasoN_47]

Holy crap, that thing is rough!

The one I have still looks good. My Yaris is 3 years old with 39.4k miles on it.

[47_MasoN_47]

Got a jack, crawled up under there and put the gasket in. It's running like a BAWSE now. Thanks for the help fellas!

[1.5]

Is that with or without the defouler?

[47_MasoN_47]

I'm just using a stock O2 sensor. DC didn't say anything about needing a defouler.

[1.5]

o true you might throw a CEL in the future.

[47_MasoN_47]

Hurt anything or just be annoying? I guess it can be swapped out without taking the whole thing apart at least.

[pennyracer]

hi did you feel a slight gain with the dc header installed ?

[cali yaris]

The anti-fouler goes on the SECOND O2 sensor, on the midpipe, NEVER on the first air/fuel sensor on the header.

And, if you didn't before, disconnect the battery for 10 minutes to force ECU re-learn. You'll get more out of your new header if you do.

[47_MasoN_47]

Thanks for the tip Garm! Would it work the same if I just unplugged the ECU itself so that my radio doesn't go all stupid and lose its settings, or do I need to disconnect the battery from everything?

pennyracer, I can already tell some improvement, most noticeably on the low end. The torque feels better and the acceleration is smoother. I also have a HK axle-back, NST 10% underdrive pulley, and AFE short ram intake. With the combination of the other 3 mods I had a weird slowness during accel until the car got to about 1500ish RPM, after which it would launch proper. Not sure why that was the case, but with this header it's a much smoother acceleration.

[47_MasoN_47]

Also I see you mention getting it tuned in other threads. What exactly does this entail?

[cali yaris]

I would disconnect the battery. Best not to fool with your ECU.

Break a pin = dead car

Tuning involved wiring in a management system and tuning on a dyno with someone who knows what they are doing.

[47_MasoN_47]

Sounds expensive. Is it worth it?