got the headers on (finally! ) and the collector won't bolt up on the drivers side. The trans crossmember is in the way. If I go swap the 3" to 3" collector for a 3" to 2.5" will it fit??

 

Bend em...

 

FLP suggests to put a crow bar in the collector and pull down to get more clearance. Something to try.

 

See I told you, bend those suckers! Don't give up you'll always say, what would they sound like with an extra .5 in diameter. It will haunt you.

 

I dunno man... I just have a problem paying over $500 for headers and then having to bend them to get them to fit. Does this seem normal to everyone else?

 

Its not much of a bend, but you do have a point.

 

From what I've read on here before, here's your options:

1. Bend the pipe with a bar (things still might not line-up perfectly).
2. Have a muffler shop modify the y-pipe (cut+weld) to clear the cross-member.
3. Notch the cross-member using a dremel.

I personally would go #2, but that's only because I'm **** about the finished installation. Some muffler shops can build a y-pipe that fits perfectly without needing to bend or notch anything on your car or headers....or they can modify your existing y-pipe.

It seems that most A4 owners have more issues with y-pipe fitment than the M6 guys.

 

Y-pipe has nothing to do with it. In his other post he stated that he is going true duals. Even if he was using a y-pipe, it still has nothing to do with his problem. The collector's will not go on because they are hitting the body. He hasn't got past that yet.

 

well, I'm not running a Y pipe. I checked out bending it...the header flexes, but does not stay. Cutting the crossmember to clear wouldn't do much good as there are bolt heads right in the same place and just as tall as the flange. I wish I lived closer to jet-hot, I'd go drop the car off to them and make them figure it out

 

you could just run headers.....

By the way: I'm sorry for not contributing much.

 

here is a picture:

http://www.sixtyninecamaro.com/images/jethot.jpg

 

i dremmeled my crossmember real good and then used a forced modification device (read: HAMMER) to bash in the top of the pipe..

it only rattles against the bottom under WOT now

 

I'm not trying to make you sound stupid or anything, but is the motor still jacked up? Did you bolt up the motor mount? Seems like that sucker shouldn't be that close to the body. Something's not right...

 

nope, everything is bolted down tight

 

I can vouch for this, I finally got my tranny in tonite and after everything was tightened down I saw the same dilemma.
Oh what to do about the damn tranny crossmember?
I am a little squeamish about bending it, what if you torque the flange? It might leak then. I think I will try grinding it down a bit and see how that goes.