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No power after header install

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getsum111

Yes I am a Pirate, 200 years too late.
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Messages
4,188
Location
Pillaging in Freedom, PA.
Ok, just got done installing a set of Weapon R headers, Weapon R Y, flex pipe, and Trubendz Test w/ high-flow cat. Once we fired the car up it has a wierd idle almost stubbling/bogging with severe loss of power. There as also a distinct smell after driving the car for less than a mile.

We spliced the front upstream O2 sensor since the stock O2 sensor was not long enough. Could this be casuing these issues?

Double checked plug wires, both vacuum lines on the EGR, PCV hoses on intake, which is all we could think of

Please throw some ideas up if you have some.
 
getsum111 said:
Ok, just got done installing a set of Weapon R headers, Weapon R Y, flex pipe, and Trubendz Test w/ high-flow cat. Once we fired the car up it has a wierd idle almost stubbling/bogging with severe loss of power. There as also a distinct smell after driving the car for less than a mile.

We spliced the front upstream O2 sensor since the stock O2 sensor was not long enough. Could this be casuing these issues?

Double checked plug wires, both vacuum lines on the EGR, PCV hoses on intake, which is all we could think of

Please throw some ideas up if you have some.
Click to expand...

Pull the cpu memory fuses, that should reset the computer. I am guessing since it was "used" to running with the stock headers it was trying to compensate for the new ones. I would also say that the smell was any oil/grease/etc on the headers burning off.
 
elraido said:
Pull the cpu memory fuses, that should reset the computer. I am guessing since it was "used" to running with the stock headers it was trying to compensate for the new ones. I would also say that the smell was any oil/grease/etc on the headers burning off.
Click to expand...

The battery was disconnected for over 8 hours while they were working. Wouldn't that have reset the computer? I'm guessing thats not the problem.
 
getsum111 said:
Ok, just got done installing a set of Weapon R headers, Weapon R Y, flex pipe, and Trubendz Test w/ high-flow cat. Once we fired the car up it has a wierd idle almost stubbling/bogging with severe loss of power. There as also a distinct smell after driving the car for less than a mile.

We spliced the front upstream O2 sensor since the stock O2 sensor was not long enough. Could this be casuing these issues?

Double checked plug wires, both vacuum lines on the EGR, PCV hoses on intake, which is all we could think of

Please throw some ideas up if you have some.
Click to expand...

I would double check the 02 sensor wiring.

The smell is most likely the oil burning off as elradio indicates.

Did you have your car tuned after the install?
 
Guitarman19853 said:
The battery was disconnected for over 8 hours while they were working. Wouldn't that have reset the computer? I'm guessing thats not the problem.
Click to expand...

Who disconnects the battery while the work??!?! LOL. Yeah, that would do it. Did you mess with the spark plugs at all to get to the rear manifold?
 
Yes the battery was disconnected the entire time.

The car cannot be drivin anywhere to get a tune as it is acting up that bad. I don't think it should need a tune to be driveable. I believe a lot of ppl have done headers w/out tuning it right after. But the car has no power to get up even small grades. It sounds like it's running just headers but a little quieter. It has like a pulsing sound to it, and not running very smooth at all. The 2 bolt flange from the Trubendz test pipe and the stock catback are not identical in shape and the stock gasket in there is very poor (even though we reused it b/c we didn't have another one) so there is a bit of a leak coming from that connection. You can feel the air at the bottom and top of that connection. That leak is causing some of the noise but doubt it would not be affecting the performance this much.

Also since the the stock front O2 sensor is not long enough w/ the WR headers, we spliced in some wires to make the O2 reach. We weren't sure if this could be the issue.
 
elraido said:
Who disconnects the battery while the work??!?! LOL. Yeah, that would do it. Did you mess with the spark plugs at all to get to the rear manifold?
Click to expand...

I'm all for the shocker, but I do disconnect the battery anyway. :laugh:

Just removed coil pack, not the ends that go to plugs. :shrug: Goin back ow to double check everything like vac. lines, hoses, etc.
 
elraido said:
Who disconnects the battery while the work??!?! LOL. Yeah, that would do it. Did you mess with the spark plugs at all to get to the rear manifold?
Click to expand...

The wires were taken off the coil pack as well as the coil pack but it was checked twice to make sure all those wires went back on correctly

edit: mornin' scott :crazy:

Scott, I think I might have locked my doors by force of habit. Not positive but I have a feeling. But I can be out of here and back up there in 1 hr and 30 mins.

Also. I do remember I dropped the O2 sensor at one point. I believe the front but not positive, not sure if that could be it????
 
How about the ground for the coil pack did you forget that? It sounds like you are describing a miss to me. Maybe you tore a spark plug wire? Do you have any check engine lights while running? You don't need a tune for headers and a y pipe as long as you have the MIL eliminator for the 02 sensors....

The loudness can probably be blamed on that bad gasket. Leaky gaskets can be pretty loud in my experience.

Edit: I don't see in here anywhere about you running MIL's for the O2 sensors. If you are eliminating the stock precats your O2s will throw codes (if its not tuned) so you need the MIL's.
 
Last edited:
Got the coil grounded, first thing I checked.
No CEL's, he drove it about 2-3 miles, so a miss would flash before that.
We did install MIL eliminators, from Dallas Mustang. nice plug and play product.

Thanks for the responses so far, guys. I just know it's gotta be something simple/dumb.
 
teamSVTour said:
Yes the battery was disconnected the entire time.

The car cannot be drivin anywhere to get a tune as it is acting up that bad. I don't think it should need a tune to be driveable. I believe a lot of ppl have done headers w/out tuning it right after. But the car has no power to get up even small grades. It sounds like it's running just headers but a little quieter. It has like a pulsing sound to it, and not running very smooth at all. The 2 bolt flange from the Trubendz test pipe and the stock catback are not identical in shape and the stock gasket in there is very poor (even though we reused it b/c we didn't have another one) so there is a bit of a leak coming from that connection. You can feel the air at the bottom and top of that connection. That leak is causing some of the noise but doubt it would not be affecting the performance this much.

Also since the the stock front O2 sensor is not long enough w/ the WR headers, we spliced in some wires to make the O2 reach. We weren't sure if this could be the issue.
Click to expand...

This is correct. A tune is not necessary in order for the vehicle to be drivable as I am well aware.

I would definitely triple check the spark plug wiring order, spark plugs and coil pack. "Pulsing" sounds like a timing (missing) issue. Let us know what you find.
 
getsum111 said:
I'm all for the shocker, but I do disconnect the battery anyway. :laugh:
Click to expand...

LMAO! At least you still have somewhat of a sense of humor after all of this. ;)

I know you already know this but, start at the beginning, go back and check everything you took off.

Check those SP wires again. Go back and check the 02 sensor splice.

Don't worry about the smell, it's just the oils/PB BLaster in/on/around the headers burning off. That will go away.

Do you have a code reader? If so, see if there are any pending codes.
 
OK. Everything looks ok so far, so we pulled the plugs to see them. They are kinda worn, but show no signs of running too rich. This is what they looked like. Autolite single platinums. Could adding headers make the plugs finally give up the ghost? What do you think?

 
that is what mine look like, but I know they are shot. Wouldn't hurt to change them. Cheap fix if it works, and since you need new ones anywhos.
 
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