Cattman Headers Installed
11-03-2003, 11:30 PM
#1
Cattman Headers Installed
My intention this weekend was to install both the headers and the cams. Myself and Y2KSESteve didn't get started until late Sunday, so I decided to just go with the headers right now. It will also give me the chance to dyno with the headers only.
First off installation. Not really to bad, but time consuming. I started with soaking all of the exhaust bolts with WD-40 while it was still hot.
The process went something like this:
*Removed Y-Pipe(14mm)
*Removed O2 Sensors (22mm Wrench)
*Removed Fan Assembly(10mm)
*Removed Front Heat Sheild(10mm)
*Removed Front Manifold(14mm)
*Installed Front Header
*Installed Fan Assembly
*Removed Rear O2 Sensor(22mm)
*Removed Intake Manifold & Components(8, 10, 12 & 14mm + Pliers)
*EGR Nut on Manifold(24mm)
*EGR Nut at Valve(Adj. Wrench)
*Removed Rear Heat Shield(10mm)
*Removed Rear Manifold(14mm)
*Installed Rear Header
*Installed EGR Tube
*Installed Intake & Components
*Installed Mid and Rear Flex Section Exhaust Pipe(new bolts 5/8")
Problem Areas:
EGR tube nut: Time consuming because of lack of space to turn wrench
Rear manifold heat shield: What a pain. Finally bent it out of the way enough to remove rear manifold then removed them together.
O2 Sensors: The front manifold O2 went in without a problem. The rear....It never made it in Sunday night. It seems the threads were a little small for the sensor, so I had to take it to a muffler shop today.
Other than this everything was smooth. Fitment was perfect.
Results:
The sound is unbelievable. I expected the exhaust to be louder, but it is actually quieter inside under normal throttle and at idle. At WOT, the engine starts to really sing. It's not deeper, but a very harmonious whine. It sounds completely different now. A++ on the beautiful music the VQ now makes.
I haven't had much time to really test them out, but power is definitely increased after 5000rpm. The VI switchover is now much more pronounced and it has a slightly different tone. They seem to be responding very well together. I'll be able to be more specific with a couple of days of driving.
Dyno will come Friday and the track will be Saturday. I can't wait to see how well they will respond to the nitrous.
Sorry for the vague how-to, but I will answer any questions you have.
Matt
11-04-2003, 12:13 AM
#4
Originally Posted by ivelweyz
nice, can't wait for the dyno graphs. Do you have a before dyno???
can't wait to see your numbers 
11-04-2003, 05:47 AM
#9
[QUOTE=Iron Lung]I dynoed back in March, should be a good reference as long as its the same type of machine. I have put a dynomax muffler on since then, but it shouldn't make much difference.
I was checking out your cardomain home page, and I think your car looks AWESOME!!. Everything from your dual exhaust setup (with the extra cutout in your Stillen rear valence) to your choice of black chrome in the ROH wheels really do make your car stand out. Can't wait to see the dyno. You make the install sound fairly simple. Is this something anyone who can follow instructions should be able to do (Do they even come with instructions ??) Or is it recommended for someone with moderate mechanical experience ??
I was checking out your cardomain home page, and I think your car looks AWESOME!!. Everything from your dual exhaust setup (with the extra cutout in your Stillen rear valence) to your choice of black chrome in the ROH wheels really do make your car stand out. Can't wait to see the dyno. You make the install sound fairly simple. Is this something anyone who can follow instructions should be able to do (Do they even come with instructions ??) Or is it recommended for someone with moderate mechanical experience ??
11-04-2003, 08:38 AM
#14
Originally Posted by Dave B
Is removing the intake manifold really necessary. According to Cattman's directions, removing the engine cradle brace is the key to much of the rear manifold.
I'm looking forward to the dyno.
Dave
I'm looking forward to the dyno.
Dave
He probably wanted to have access from the top as well as the bottom. That may make it quite a bit easier if you're doing the install without a lift.
holy **** .. your name is matt too
11-04-2003, 09:04 AM
#16
Originally Posted by AltiMAX
You make the install sound fairly simple. Is this something anyone who can follow instructions should be able to do (Do they even come with instructions ??) Or is it recommended for someone with moderate mechanical experience ??
Originally Posted by Dave B
Is removing the intake manifold really necessary. According to Cattman's directions, removing the engine cradle brace is the key to much of the rear manifold.
11-04-2003, 10:12 AM
#19
Originally Posted by Y2KSESteve
Sound = Teh Awesome. 
I put a few more random pics of the install on my homepage(2nd page).
11-04-2003, 10:34 AM
#22
Originally Posted by IwANnAMaX96
I noticed the "before" dyno you posted is pre-MEVI so we won't really get a good idea of what the gains really are unless you take it off and dyno again...
11-04-2003, 10:49 AM
#24
Moderator who thinks he is better than us with his I30
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Posts: 9,335
Originally Posted by Iron Lung
Actually that is with the VI. It looks like it drops like one without, but it is about 25 more horsepower at @6300. I'll try and find my old dyno.
Dave B's VI dyno
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...675_9_full.jpg
11-04-2003, 10:52 AM
#25
Originally Posted by I30tMikeD
Just does not look like most VI dyno's I have seen. Shouldn't you be making your peak power at 6100 rpm's or so with the VI, not 5500?
11-04-2003, 10:54 AM
#26
Moderator who thinks he is better than us with his I30
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Originally Posted by Iron Lung
I would think so too. Maybe the stock muffler was choking it up top?
11-04-2003, 11:19 AM
#28
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,555
Ironlung's MEVI is very strange because it really is no different than a US-spec intake manifold dyno. His power peak is at ~5600rpms and then falls off very quickly. All MEVI dynos I've seen have peak power occuring at 6100rpms with little or no change in power until around 6700rpms. On my pre-JWT ECU dyno, my car made 189fwhp@6100rpms and 184fwhp@6500rpms. My dyno was with the stock muffler and hybrid intake. I've seen dynos for MEVI's with CAIs and power falls off a bit quicker after 6100rpms, but nothing terribly dramatic.
I'd have to say Ironlungs MEVI wasn't opening on that run. It still doesn't explain the massive power and torque his setup is making over other MEVI setups (no JWT ECU). His torque numbers are 15-20fwtq higher than anyone else's with just the MEVI and no JWT ECU. Very strange. To me the dyno looks like a US-spec intake manifold with the JWT ECU judging from the shape of the curves and numbers (the plot looks just like Jeff K's JWT/USIM dyno). 190fwhp/200fwtq is very typical for those setups. Of course this dyno could just read a bit higher than most others because not all dynos spit out the same kinds numbers. Bejay makes some huge power on the dyno with his 4th gen, but he runs 14.7s@93mph which is pretty typical.
Dave
I'd have to say Ironlungs MEVI wasn't opening on that run. It still doesn't explain the massive power and torque his setup is making over other MEVI setups (no JWT ECU). His torque numbers are 15-20fwtq higher than anyone else's with just the MEVI and no JWT ECU. Very strange. To me the dyno looks like a US-spec intake manifold with the JWT ECU judging from the shape of the curves and numbers (the plot looks just like Jeff K's JWT/USIM dyno). 190fwhp/200fwtq is very typical for those setups. Of course this dyno could just read a bit higher than most others because not all dynos spit out the same kinds numbers. Bejay makes some huge power on the dyno with his 4th gen, but he runs 14.7s@93mph which is pretty typical.
Dave
11-04-2003, 12:52 PM
#33
Here is the stock manifold dyno. The curves are similar, but you can see that there is a good bit more power after 6000 with the VI dyno, even with a more restrictive exhaust. It still is unlike any other VI dyno. Maybe there was a small vacuum leak that caused it to drop slowly?
11-04-2003, 04:39 PM
#35
Dang it's too bad we don't have what I would call a "normal" dyno from beforehand. Your dyno is so much higher than mine it's rediculous.
also a comment you made caught my eye, you said "as long as its the same type of dyno it shouldn't matter..." are you saying that you are not dynoing on the same machine as you did before? In theory you are correct, however in practice this is far from the case I've found. So there are going to be 2 issues here, one is that your car already out-dynos just about every other bolt on maxima out there, and two, it doesn't sound to me like you will be dynoing on the exact same machine as before which won't make for as much consistency as one might hope for.
All that crap aside, those headers look awesome under there and I sure do hope they give you nice gains. If I were in the market for headers I'd probably buy a set... but I'm not
also a comment you made caught my eye, you said "as long as its the same type of dyno it shouldn't matter..." are you saying that you are not dynoing on the same machine as you did before? In theory you are correct, however in practice this is far from the case I've found. So there are going to be 2 issues here, one is that your car already out-dynos just about every other bolt on maxima out there, and two, it doesn't sound to me like you will be dynoing on the exact same machine as before which won't make for as much consistency as one might hope for.
All that crap aside, those headers look awesome under there and I sure do hope they give you nice gains. If I were in the market for headers I'd probably buy a set... but I'm not
11-04-2003, 05:29 PM
#36
Originally Posted by Dave B
190fwhp/200fwtq is very typical for those setups. Of course this dyno could just read a bit higher than most others because not all dynos spit out the same kinds numbers. Bejay makes some huge power on the dyno with his 4th gen, but he runs 14.7s@93mph which is pretty typical.
Dave
Dave
11-04-2003, 07:59 PM
#40
Originally Posted by Nealoc187
also a comment you made caught my eye, you said "as long as its the same type of dyno it shouldn't matter..." are you saying that you are not dynoing on the same machine as you did before? In theory you are correct, however in practice this is far from the case I've found. So there are going to be 2 issues here, one is that your car already out-dynos just about every other bolt on maxima out there, and two, it doesn't sound to me like you will be dynoing on the exact same machine as before which won't make for as much consistency as one might hope for.
Maybe we can get Y2KSESteve to dyno before hand. He is going to be getting them soon. That should give us a good idea of what they are worth. Oh well at least I'll have a baseline for the cams.
which dynomax muffler do you have, exactly?
how much?