My Hotshot header install experience (20 pictures, 4.38mb)

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 04:27 PM

I recently bought some Hotshot headers. I decided to put them on yesterday. I know this sounds bad, but it took a total of 14 hours to put them on. The engine bay is very crowded for the installation of the rear exhaust manifold. Here are some pictures of the install.

Y-pipe:

Front manifold:

The rear manifold, next to the O2 simulator:

Hotshot badge on the front manifold:

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 04:27 PM

The radiator fans and top coolant hose had to be removed. It allowed for more room to work on the front manifold.

One of the bolts of the heat shield was stripped. I decided to bend the shield and pull it off:

The stock front manifold. If you look closely, you can see that stripped bolt that was used to hold the heat shield on:

Stock manifold removed:

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 04:28 PM

Warpspeed Performance Y-pipe vs. Hotshot downpipe:

Stock front manifold with secondary O2 sensor attached:

Removal of secondary O2 sensor:

Crossmember with front and rear motor mounts attached:

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 04:29 PM

Stock front manifold vs. Hotshot front manifold:

Rear head with rear manifold removed:

Hotshot rear manifold test-fitted:

Stock heat shields and manifolds:

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 04:30 PM

Before install. 4 plugs.

After install. 2 plugs. The secondary O2 sensors and O2 simulator are all underneath the engine cover:

Close-up of front manifold:

Hotshot header install done!

10-22-2005, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

Before install. 4 plugs.

After install. 2 plugs. The secondary O2 sensors and O2 simulator are all underneath the engine cover:

Close-up of front manifold:

Hotshot header install done!

Nice job, so what does the Butt Dyno predict?

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 05:02 PM

It feels and sounds like a different car. There is much more top end, that wasn't there before. I love it.

10-22-2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

It feels and sounds like a different car. There is much more top end, that wasn't there before. I love it.

Are you 6spd?

*03BlkSETE* · 10-22-2005, 05:17 PM

Nice pics.

Give it a few days. I swear my car felt faster everyday for about a week. You'll feel a power increase throughout the rpm range. How's the sound difference over the y pipe?

*Epacy* · 10-22-2005, 05:23 PM

Very nice Van. Now come do mine.

Enjoy those headers.

And just cause I posted first....he is auto.

Stalldaworld · 10-22-2005, 05:33 PM

thats awsome... i will be going the with headers myself hopefully around my birthday in july. if u dont mind me asking what did the whole set up cost ya...r u pulling any codes, or do the sims take care of that? how loud is it compared to what u had on b4?
a lot, a lil, the way everyone wants our car to sound?
whyd u go with hotshot instead of cattaman?
sorry for all the ?'s

***gtr_rider*** · 10-22-2005, 06:20 PM

Great pictures as usual..

whazzzzuup · 10-22-2005, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stalldaworld

thats awsome... i will be going the with headers myself hopefully around my birthday in july. if u dont mind me asking what did the whole set up cost ya...r u pulling any codes, or do the sims take care of that? how loud is it compared to what u had on b4?
a lot, a lil, the way everyone wants our car to sound?
whyd u go with hotshot instead of cattaman?
sorry for all the ?'s

The entire setup cost me $560, including the $30 O2 simulator. The O2 simulators will fool the ecu in thinking that the precats are there, hence no codes. It is way louder than it was before. It sounds like a beast at full throttle. I will try to post some vids of my car very soon. I went with Hotshot because if their good reputation. Fitment was good. I didn't want to spend more than $600 for some headers.

**Puppetmaster** · 10-22-2005, 06:53 PM

Great pics man and good job on the install.... those headers look like they're of good quality too....

*Bluesbrekr* · 10-23-2005, 03:44 AM

I'm happy to hear there were no fittment problems. I believe there were some on earlier production ones. Thanks for the pics...I'd really like to get some next spring. The install is a PITA, so 14 hours is not an excessively long time.

**SEmy2K2go** · 10-23-2005, 03:55 AM

Do you have any pics of the under side of the car where the exhaust components are mated up together?

maxgangsta02 · 10-23-2005, 06:54 AM

did you get them from sportcompactonly.com ? i plan on ordering a set from then within a month or so. where did you get the 02 sims?

thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

The entire setup cost me $560, including the $30 O2 simulator. The O2 simulators will fool the ecu in thinking that the precats are there, hence no codes. It is way louder than it was before. It sounds like a beast at full throttle. I will try to post some vids of my car very soon. I went with Hotshot because if their good reputation. Fitment was good. I didn't want to spend more than $600 for some headers.

*jimmycapp* · 10-23-2005, 07:20 AM

Nice pics, and good job.

It concerns me a little about the o2 sensors being under the engine cover. I assume they are still hooked up and the signal is simulated, but they are heated O2 sensors. They get kinda hot.

James

RodzMax2002 · 10-23-2005, 10:58 AM

Enjoy man, Those headers look great.

*Lontar1* · 10-23-2005, 11:08 AM

looks nice....... good job man.....

*Italiano* · 10-23-2005, 11:47 AM

looks 10x better than the stock header, nice pics..

whazzzzuup · 10-23-2005, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxgangsta02

did you get them from sportcompactonly.com ? i plan on ordering a set from then within a month or so. where did you get the 02 sims?

thanks

Yes, I did. The o2 simulators are purchased from o2simulators.com.

whazzzzuup · 10-23-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmycapp

Nice pics, and good job.

It concerns me a little about the o2 sensors being under the engine cover. I assume they are still hooked up and the signal is simulated, but they are heated O2 sensors. They get kinda hot.

James

How hot do they get? I zip-tied them in between the two heads. You think that would be a problem?

whazzzzuup · 10-23-2005, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEmy2K2go

Do you have any pics of the under side of the car where the exhaust components are mated up together?

No, I don't. I will take pictures when I get back under the car for something else.

maxgangsta02 · 10-23-2005, 04:09 PM

did you mean http://www.o2sensorsimulator.com/ the link you provided didnt work. 2 more quick q's. did you buy just 1 simulator and wire them up together, and what did you put in the 02 sensor location? a bung or something?

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

Yes, I did. The o2 simulators are purchased from o2simulators.com.

*makavelisk* · 10-23-2005, 04:20 PM

Damn....nice pics and nice work. I really really want to get a set of those.

**Puppetmaster** · 10-23-2005, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxgangsta02

did you mean http://www.o2sensorsimulator.com/ the link you provided didnt work. 2 more quick q's. did you buy just 1 simulator and wire them up together, and what did you put in the 02 sensor location? a bung or something?

www.o2sim.com

*rbrown81* · 10-23-2005, 06:47 PM

Those headers are prettier than my Gen2 Cattman headers.... but do they have as much powerrrrrrrrrrr?

*steven88* · 10-23-2005, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbrown81

Those headers are prettier than my Gen2 Cattman headers.... but do they have as much powerrrrrrrrrrr?

you think so? I think the shinest of all the headers is cattmangz gen1 first batch (full silver coating)....basically the ones on ceasar's chariot...now those are BLING BLING!

btw...sweet pictures van!

*sloppymax* · 10-23-2005, 08:16 PM

now time for a dyno. not just for the power increase but to figure out your a/f. i felt pretty big gains after my headers but found my a/f was running in the 11s after 4k rpms after the headers. with the y pipe that was on before, it was 13.5 across the board. it seems most 3.5s could use an afc or whichever piggyback to cure the a/f with them stock and after headers it seems to worsen.

whazzzzuup · 10-24-2005, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxgangsta02

did you mean http://www.o2sensorsimulator.com/ the link you provided didnt work. 2 more quick q's. did you buy just 1 simulator and wire them up together, and what did you put in the 02 sensor location? a bung or something?

You will only need one simulator. I'm sorry, but the website is called www.o2sim.com. The headers do not have bungs for the secondary o2 sensors (after the precats). That's why you need that o2 simulator.

whazzzzuup · 10-24-2005, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloppymax

now time for a dyno. not just for the power increase but to figure out your a/f. i felt pretty big gains after my headers but found my a/f was running in the 11s after 4k rpms after the headers. with the y pipe that was on before, it was 13.5 across the board. it seems most 3.5s could use an afc or whichever piggyback to cure the a/f with them stock and after headers it seems to worsen.

So will I be able to cure it with a AFC? I am planning to get one next week. Can I tune it myself with a wideband o2?

*rbrown81* · 10-24-2005, 05:40 AM

Does the something like the SAFC II negatively impact emissions results? Will you fail the sniffer test at Inspection?

*kcowden* · 10-24-2005, 07:04 AM

Great pics... are you going do a full write up? I just put on a UDP and headers are on the wish list. A write up with those pics would be sweet.

*sloppymax* · 10-24-2005, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

So will I be able to cure it with a AFC? I am planning to get one next week. Can I tune it myself with a wideband o2?

Yes, either a safc or vafc can be used. I prefer the vafc 2 due to the extra features of hopefully being able to get a 24 point fuel adjustments, controlling my vias and only being 10 more bucks on ebay. The 24 points is unconfirmed at this point but i should know by friday when SR20DEN and I get together for a few other things. An afc will not negatively impact anything unless you tune it incorrectly. You could cause an over lean or rich condition which either cause detonation or reduced power. I am shooting for 13.5 to 14 a/f on the mustang dyno.

whazzzzuup · 10-24-2005, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowden

Great pics... are you going do a full write up? I just put on a UDP and headers are on the wish list. A write up with those pics would be sweet.

Thanks. I will do a write-up after midterms week.

whazzzzuup · 10-24-2005, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloppymax

Yes, either a safc or vafc can be used. I prefer the vafc 2 due to the extra features of hopefully being able to get a 24 point fuel adjustments, controlling my vias and only being 10 more bucks on ebay. The 24 points is unconfirmed at this point but i should know by friday when SR20DEN and I get together for a few other things. An afc will not negatively impact anything unless you tune it incorrectly. You could cause an over lean or rich condition which either cause detonation or reduced power. I am shooting for 13.5 to 14 a/f on the mustang dyno.

That is the one I am looking for. Thanks for all your help. Just let me know what you find out.

ICULookN · 10-24-2005, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whazzzzuup

You will only need one simulator. I'm sorry, but the website is called www.o2sim.com. The headers do not have bungs for the secondary o2 sensors (after the precats). That's why you need that o2 simulator.

Is it possible to have new bungs after the pre-cats for the secondary 02's drilled? I don't want any problems at emissions time.

maxgangsta02 · 10-24-2005, 06:34 PM

bump a great thread

whazzzzuup · 10-24-2005, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ICULookN

Is it possible to have new bungs after the pre-cats for the secondary 02's drilled? I don't want any problems at emissions time.

Yes, it is possible. I don't think that would be a problem at all.