Just a small update, got the car back today after correcting the steering issue feels much better and smpoother after having everything greased up. Steering is much better and now is self centering. I still think that with the EPS the steering rack the slider wears out over time as I have read these are plastic and this is where the self centering issue comes from.
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Tiny little update today.
Changed out the spark plugs on the car, old ones were white. I have been noticing an issue of high fuel consumption so hoping that will help with that.
Also was set to do the headers today but my brothers jack that I was using was not able to lift the car high enough to fit the jack stands under it so we abandoned that thought until I can source a proper jack.
While looking under the car at the headers I did notice that the cat has been welded onto the pipe on both ends??? Is this actually normal? I was under the assumption that they could just be unbolted and I could fit it to the headers without welding.
Looks like I will be needing to source a high flow cat then. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I should look at?
Did any of you guys that changed your own headers use any type of exhaust sealant when doing your install?
Was going to change the oil as well but we found that our oil removal tool was too big to fit around the oil filter and we decided to air on the side of caution instead of using the screw driver method to get it off, sigh.
Here's some more pics of the headers assembled.
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Hmm I think you could possibly be right about that we were mainly test fitting the pipes to see how hard they were to get in I wouldn't have realised if you hadn't mentioned that lol....
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The oem cat comes off in one big section, which is joined to the secondary pipes of the headers. I think that's what your referring to when you say welded to the pipes.
They should look something like this googled image when they`re out: (note the o2 sensors are a bit easier to access once u take off the heat shield on the cat).
I think i used some permatex gasket sealant on the very end 2 hole gasket connecting to the cat back section.
Not too sure if the plm headers come with a test pipe, if they do. Try find a cat which is shorter than that, as you can get it welded up where the tset pipe sits. Alternatively you could just run it with the test pipe and no cat (not recommended, as its illegal). Yes if the test pipe is supplied then it should be a straight bolt on job, no welding required. But again doing that, you'll have no cat.
Yeah thats what I mean about the cat. I didnt realise these are welded on to begin with. Mine doesnt actually have the heat shield on it.
The PLM's do come with a test pipe but as you mentioned I would not want to take the risk of running without the cat. When you say get a cat smaller than where the test pipe sits what exactly are you referring to? I have two sections of test pipe, one is straight through from the end of the headers which is longer for running without a cat and the other is the one fitted on the pics above where I would assume I could just buy a hi flow cat and bolt it straight up.
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The cat is on the left, the test pipe (the test pipe is the end pipe, with the 3 hole flange on one end and a sliding 2 hole flange, with a flared end for the doughnut gasket) is the straight pipe on the right. We cut up the straight bit of pipe i.e. the test pipe, then replace that section with the cat. From memory my cat was 12 inches. Which was cut down slightly. We then welded the flanges and o2 bung at the front left of the pic to the cat. You'll need a small hole saw bit to drill out a hole for the bung. Make sure you check the clearances for the secondary o2 sensor, making sure it doesn't touch the body/exhaust tunnel.
Pretty sure you'll be hard pressed to find an aftermarket cat that bolts up to that section.
Hope that makes sense. All the best with the install
Originally Posted by Mikeyy168
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