I've been searching the forums for the past hour with no answer. Maybe this can be the end-all be-all thread and can get archived.

I bought a full header to muffler RB exhaust from another member. Trying to install it on my S4 'vert, and I'm having a hard time getting the stock exhaust manifold off. Do I need to remove some or all of the intake? It seems that's the only way I will have access to the top two nuts holding the stock manifold on.

What else needs to come off? Smog pump? Anything?

Thanks in advance, fellas. I have an hour of daylight left, so I need to work quick.

 

be sure not to back the studs out. those are pita. anyways. they should come off relatively simply with a 6" extention.

 

I can't get to them. That's the problem. The heat shield is in the way, along with the actuators. I can't get the damn heat shield off, either.

 

if you take the heat sheild off you can get to the upper manifold nuts with a long extenstion, its gotta be a little offset to clear the actuators.

the heat sheild comes off with a 10mm box end

OR

you can take the 6 port actuators off, and its a lot easier, OR you can pull the whole intake....

 

OK, I managed to get the heat shield off, finally. I'm out of daylight, so the top two nuts will have to wait until the morning. I think I am just going to remove the actuators to do that, time to look for a write up.

 

**** searching for a write up. Just keep pming me and I'll walk you through it. If afterwards you want to be a super duper 2nd gen owner and write one up, more power to you.

The relationship/dating advice thread isn't the end all to $100T2's knowledge.

You may need to pry the stock manifold off with a pry bar or large screwdriver, also. Hopefully you've already taken apart everything from the manifold back. If you haven't, you can take the y-pipe and mufflers off in one piece, drop em down, get em out of the way, then once you get the nuts for the manifold off and it's hanging free, wiggle the **** out of the whole pipe, to move the manifold.

James

EDIT: Also, that exhaust system, along with a bunch of others RacingBeat made(so I've heard) when installed nicely with all flanges relatively even, has the left muffler sitting about an inch lower than the right. To remedy this, have a friend stand behind the car, while you loosen the y-pipe to presilencer bolts, ROTATE the whole assembly until they say it looks more even. Tighten it up, get out from under the car, and see how right they were. That's the only way it worked for me. The rubber donuts didn't help me keep things straight, just kept the mufflers from falling off/wiggling around too much.

 

Yeah, if you remove the 5th and 6th actuators off it makes reaching the top 2 nuts of the heatshield a whole lot easier. That was the only thing I needed to remove. After you remove the heatshield their are 4 bolts on the exhaust manifold, 2 on top 2 on bottom that you need to remove. After that it's a cake walk. Take it off and put the header on and the rest of the exhaust.

Good luck.

 

My RB turbo-back was the same way.

I have everything off except the stock manifold and the top two nuts. I just can't get to them. How do I remove the actuators without screwing them up?

Also, should I remove the smog pump?

 

No. you don't need to remove the air pump.

Hopefully you took off your intake tube. Like I said in the PM, use a small ratchet and a small extension, if possible, throw a 10mm socket on there, and unbolt em, and pull em off. Be careful of the linkage. If need be, pry them off GENTLY if they are stuck. There is nothing going to them, they just kind of sit there, bolted on. Label the front and rear, just to put them back the same way they came off.

Also... I hope you're wearing gloves or something when you handle that header. That wrap is fiberglass, and it will make you itch.

 

Do you mean these nuts?

 

Yep, those are them. There are 4 10mm nuts you need to take off, 2 on each actuator. When you are reinstalling them, be careful not to over tighten them. I did that after installing my header and snapped off a bolt.

 

+2 thirteen year old thai boys.

 

Now I'm tempted to go out with my flashlight and finish this.

Damn you, RX-7s!!! Damn you!

 

Sounds like me. I've been doing some flahslight work lately was well because I can't resist the siren-song of a non-running rx-7. I really need to get that damn parts shell hauled off so I can get my car back in the garage.

 

I just got finish fixing my exhaust leak working with only an autozone bought single led keychain light.......
and its freaking cold.....but thats probably because I was only wearing a tee and a dickie shirt...

I always work on my car in the dark since once I get home from work its freaking dark already, and its only 5.30.......

 

well... once they are oiff, you can wire open your ports ( SHUT UP)

 

I've been debating that, not really sure if it's worth doing.

 

wiring the ports open?

I zip tied mines open and it feels fine for me driving in the city, I mean sure it doesnt have the punch it had before but its plenty enough for me though, and I shift at 2500rpm.
My 5th port didnt work, and I took my cat out so I tried doing the airpump activation and that didnt work out too well since I found out my 5th port didnt work (it was rusted shut) and the 6th port opened at 2k rpm.

I wonder how it would feel like if I did a bridgeport on it........

 

PB blaster is your friend.

And I noticed a huge difference in my GTU with 6 ports wired open. No low end at all. It's horrible. Of course my motor is ported and is pretty much built for top-end.

 

Got the exhaust on, runs and drives absolutely awesome!!! What a difference.

 

flashlight! you dont need no stinkin flashlight...

 

Good to hear, glad there are no leaks.

Enjoy.