Jet-hot headers installed today lots of problems
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,831
From: Middle Tennessee
It sounds as though you have multiple problems.
The best solution is to STOP, take a breath and attack one problem at a time.
Your y-pipe is an ORY, in fact, all or at least most of the y-pipes on the market for long tube headers (Hookers and Jet Hots anyway) are catless y-pipes. You have a couple of options here, buy a couple of high-flow cats (like Carsound cats) and have them welded into the tubes before the y, or one high flow cat (stock or not, depending on your mileage you might as well buy a new one) after the y.
Now, as for the rough feeling engine, the shaking. I agree that this is most likely caused by either poorly connected plug wire at either the plug or the opti end, or wires out of order. If you look at the Opti from under the car it should be labeled for which cylinder it should hook to. Shoebox has a page with the connections shown too. You can trace each wire to the proper plug and verify that it's all plugged up properly at the same time.
Your voltage issue is most likely caused by an alternator issue. I'd bet it's either not connected, or got a loose connection. You can take the alternator to Autozone and they'll test it for free if you can get a ride there.
As for your sound problems, those can be caused by misfiring, and exhaust leaks. If the shop that installed your headers didn't get them sealed up right, that would cause odd sounds from the front of the car.
Good luck getting your problem sorted out.
The best solution is to STOP, take a breath and attack one problem at a time.
Your y-pipe is an ORY, in fact, all or at least most of the y-pipes on the market for long tube headers (Hookers and Jet Hots anyway) are catless y-pipes. You have a couple of options here, buy a couple of high-flow cats (like Carsound cats) and have them welded into the tubes before the y, or one high flow cat (stock or not, depending on your mileage you might as well buy a new one) after the y.
Now, as for the rough feeling engine, the shaking. I agree that this is most likely caused by either poorly connected plug wire at either the plug or the opti end, or wires out of order. If you look at the Opti from under the car it should be labeled for which cylinder it should hook to. Shoebox has a page with the connections shown too. You can trace each wire to the proper plug and verify that it's all plugged up properly at the same time.
Your voltage issue is most likely caused by an alternator issue. I'd bet it's either not connected, or got a loose connection. You can take the alternator to Autozone and they'll test it for free if you can get a ride there.
As for your sound problems, those can be caused by misfiring, and exhaust leaks. If the shop that installed your headers didn't get them sealed up right, that would cause odd sounds from the front of the car.
Good luck getting your problem sorted out.
Super Moderator
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 4,060
From: Inverness, FL
You already have a lot of good ideas here so I'll just make a comment... The shop charged you $600 and didn't even test drive the car to make sure it ran right or had no exhaust leaks? Sounds like professional rates but not so professional work. If the wires are screwed up and that is what is causing one of your problems (other sounds like the alternator electrical connector isn't connected) I'd get some money back from the shop for time wasted and you having to fix their screw-ups.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 231
From: Los Angeles, CA
UPDATE!!!!
I took the car back this morning. When i got the guy already had an idea of what was wrong... the alternator. The connection was loose and they had to recharge the car for about 20 minutes. After that the car started up fine
Thats the good news
When they were revving up the engine the car seemed like it sounded alot better... wrong!! I still have that high pitch, weird exhaust tone going on. The car runs real good. I can tell the new wires and plugs helped smooth the car out. My low mph stumble is gone. The only problem is the exhaust sound. I asked them do i have a offroad y-pipe and they said yes which is no surprise now. Maybe this is what some board members complain about when they run no cats?
I told him i wanted to run my cat and i didn't intend to get a orp and he told me to contact thunderracing (where i bought the pipe from) tell them my story see if they can work it out, if not i'll weld the old cat or just by a new one since it a few years old.
Should i contact thunderracing about this? Is their anything they can do? If i weld in my old cat should this high pitch fart pipe sounding crap go away? I hate the sound of my car right now like you wouldn't believe.
To top it all off i scrapped my car three times in my complex (i have some small speed bumps). I went as slow as humanly possible and couldn't avoid it. I have dms springs and bilstein shocks. Im taking these springs off very shortly and going back to the stock ones.
thank you to all that replied
mike
I took the car back this morning. When i got the guy already had an idea of what was wrong... the alternator. The connection was loose and they had to recharge the car for about 20 minutes. After that the car started up fine
Thats the good newsWhen they were revving up the engine the car seemed like it sounded alot better... wrong!! I still have that high pitch, weird exhaust tone going on. The car runs real good. I can tell the new wires and plugs helped smooth the car out. My low mph stumble is gone. The only problem is the exhaust sound. I asked them do i have a offroad y-pipe and they said yes which is no surprise now. Maybe this is what some board members complain about when they run no cats?
I told him i wanted to run my cat and i didn't intend to get a orp and he told me to contact thunderracing (where i bought the pipe from) tell them my story see if they can work it out, if not i'll weld the old cat or just by a new one since it a few years old.Should i contact thunderracing about this? Is their anything they can do? If i weld in my old cat should this high pitch fart pipe sounding crap go away? I hate the sound of my car right now like you wouldn't believe.
To top it all off i scrapped my car three times in my complex (i have some small speed bumps). I went as slow as humanly possible and couldn't avoid it. I have dms springs and bilstein shocks. Im taking these springs off very shortly and going back to the stock ones.
thank you to all that replied
mike
Last edited by kyzer soze; Dec 2, 2003 at 09:27 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,743
From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Shocks do not change the ride height, only the springs.
Thunder does not sell a Y-pipe for LT's that has cats other than the whole FLP header kit, which is $1250. I have never seen a Hooker/JetHot Y-pipe that sold with cat's in it.
Mike
Thunder does not sell a Y-pipe for LT's that has cats other than the whole FLP header kit, which is $1250. I have never seen a Hooker/JetHot Y-pipe that sold with cat's in it.
Mike
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 231
From: Los Angeles, CA
Originally posted by engineermike
Shocks do not change the ride height, only the springs.
Thunder does not sell a Y-pipe for LT's that has cats other than the whole FLP header kit, which is $1250. I have never seen a Hooker/JetHot Y-pipe that sold with cat's in it.
Mike
Shocks do not change the ride height, only the springs.
Thunder does not sell a Y-pipe for LT's that has cats other than the whole FLP header kit, which is $1250. I have never seen a Hooker/JetHot Y-pipe that sold with cat's in it.
Mike
I ordered a carsound cat last thursday it should be here soon. Hopefully that should take the raspy exhuast note away. Would i have a problem welding the cat on the orp?
thanks
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dbusch22
Forced Induction
6
Oct 31, 2016 11:09 AM