Tomei UEL Header Installation Tips
 

Just purchased a Tomei UEL header and overpipe. Any of you guys had any tips when it comes to the installation of these items. I'm going to schedule an appointment next week to rent a lift and get these items installed. Please advice.

Like any exhaust component

Patience, heat and some PB Blaster/WD 40.

This I know, but I was looking to see different ways people go about installing these components. For example, what to look for? trouble areas?, etc

Have another person there to hold the headers during install so it won't fall on your face. I think everything else you can pretty much do by yourself.

Yesterday I was removing my headers to install my turbo kit, and I tried to hold it up myself by pressing my arm against it while unbolting it... but it still kinda swiveled down and hit my face a little LOL. Maybe I will figure out a 1 man install version eventually.

Lol. I hope you're alright. I'm going to be bringing my brother to help me out.


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FIRST THING is to PB Blast the bolts connecting the header to the overpipe. More than one person has snapped a bolt taking it off as the nut may be seized or bind halfway. Other than that, a deep socket is needed for engine side bolts is required. Not much else, and pretty simple. A u-joint would help too.

Thanks for the tip. Also, where you able to torque down the engine bolts? I've heard some header bolts are hard to tighten down because of the weird position they're in.


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Depends on the design of the pipes. If it covers the bolt, then you'll have to guesstimate the tq for that bolt. I had to use a u-joint for at least one bolt on my P&L header install, but ensuring held up fine, no issues. Hardest part is that one top bolt on the overpipe.

Use WD40 to begin with to unscrew all the bolts.
When bolting on the headers and overpipe try to get as much clearance on the passenger side of the overpipe as possible, so when tightening the screws try to push it as much to the driver side and more towards the back of the car as possible because i had clearance issues with my overpipe touching the passenger side of the engine bay and would rattle so had to reposition.
When bolting the exhaust back on screw everything lightly, then start tightening from the header and back.
Also great thing about these Tomei header is they come with all 3 new gaskets and also a nice heat wrap for the oil pan which is actually amazing.

Other than that there's not much else to it, make sure you tighten everything properly to avoid exhaust leaks, and enjoy your headers :)

I have a Tsudo UEL header but I'll share tips from my install:

• My header bolts came off easily, I probably didn't even need WD40 but I sprayed them anyway a few minutes prior to trying to remove them.

• Disconnect the o2 sensor wires where they connect to the engine, as well as the zip-tie connection points (2 on each wire I think), and let them dangle in the header area. If you do not do this and drop the header, it will be dangling by these poor two wires, and possibly damage\break the wires\harness. Once the stock header is removed from the car, remove the sensors from the stock header and install them on your new header. Make sure you put the sensors in the correct locations.

• One of my o2 sensors was really hard to remove, it took multiple shots of WD40 and some wait time. The other came off without issue.

• Disconnecting the mid-pipe from front-pipe as well as disconnecting the front-pipe connection\secure point to the car allows you to easily remove the stock header. This is needed since the stock header has studs welded onto it so you need to push back the exhaust system to separate the over-pipe from header.

• Before unbolting the header, I set my floor jack so it was cradling the header. Once unbolted you can then let the jack down some to make sure it is ready to come loose, if it is then let the jack out all of the way. Much easier than trying to unbolt it and support it yourself, plus no strain is put on other studs while nuts are removed in other locations.

• I coated the header studs with anti-seize and torqued them to spec. I could not torque one of the nuts because directly below the nut was one of the header pipes and could not get the extension\socket to it. I used a regular wrench and tightened it until approximately the same amount of stud was protruding through the nut.

Good luck

That reminds me. Disconnect the o2 sensor plugs, remove header, then unscrew o2 sensors. Much easier.

I lifted the engine for the stock op to come out and also to put the new one in

Easy enough to do on a set of ramps?

i used 2 jack stands and a jack with a block of wood to lift engine... i dont trust ramps