headers - CEG Archives

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whats up everyone, ive been asking people about headers the last couple weeks and ive been hearing different things about them...if anyone has headers on the zetec, which one is it, and was there any mods?

Contour Zetec headers??

There are some shorty headers made that will bolt up to the main cat on the Zetec, but I think they're fugly and near useless. Somebody will let you in on what is available for shorties, I don't know the names off hand.

Far as I know, only LocoZ has custom fabbed full length headers. There are no full length aftermarket headers made for the Contour Zetec, although ZXtuner.com is now making Zetec headers for the Cougar that might work on the Contour also. You'll have to call them up to ask.

Full length headers will eliminate your cat, so you'll have to extend some wiring & have a cat & O2 sensor bung welded into your exhaust system to remain legal

.

Welcome to CEG, by the way.

There are no shorty headers that bolt up to a contour's cat. The zxtuner header possibly could work, we need to find out, but AFAIK that's the only header that MIGHT not need modification to fit.

I talked to this guy at ZXtuner and basically this is the deal:

1. he is pretty much sure header will fit a contour. as matter of fact, he said he sold few to contour owners.

2. he said the header has no EGR connection and that he does not think he'll be changing that. So basically that could be a problem for pre-98s including myself. BUT, he said thre are ways to either trick EFI to not show EGR CEL or to tap pipe at some point and keep EGR running.

3. 98+ should have no probelms with header.

that is all we talked about. I really wanted to make this header work, and if it is a bolt-on i am really thinking about buying and using it with without EGR (right now i have a CEL for EGR anyways)

What u guys think?

There are a few full lenth headers on EBAY for the zetec. Should fit the motor no problem. Not sure about the EGR but there is a way to trick that as well. It probably won't bolt to the factory exhaust but that is what a welder is for.

Originally posted by 96mercury:
There are a few full lenth headers on EBAY for the zetec. Should fit the motor no problem. Not sure about the EGR but there is a way to trick that as well. It probably won't bolt to the factory exhaust but that is what a welder is for.

Be careful about that!! The Zetec in the ZX2 and Focus have different piping issues under the car that prevent the use of those headers on the Contour/Mystique/Cougar Zetec cars. That is why a new header setup had to be fabbed for the Cougar in the first place.

It's not hard to have it tapped for EGR. I would try to keep EGR as it keeps internal temps down.

I know the Focus has different flanges than we do...what about the zx2? are theirs the same 4 bolt square flange or what?

We get one of these questions ever other month, the header will bolt up but the down pipe won't fit. Thats why i have a custom downpipe that goes down and turns around i think the oilpan w/o2 sensors tapped on it. Its welded onto the flexpipe

Originally posted by Monstour:
We get one of these questions ever other month, the header will bolt up but the down pipe won't fit. Thats why i have a custom downpipe that goes down and turns around i think the oilpan w/o2 sensors tapped on it. Its welded onto the flexpipe

Exactly. You also need to get a flange made ($75) so the aftermarket cat can be attached to the headers. My piping was run the exact same way as Monstour has mentioned. The shorty headers that I have on my car are the Edelbrock ones and they are awesome and I noticed quite a difference. CTA Motorsports sells them.

Aaron

Ok so the piping is different on the ZX2 or focus, but how is it different? Unless the oil pan is different between the motors it should work. Do you mean it won't just bolt to the factory pipe? If so that's not a problem for anyone with some skills.

The oil pan IS different, as well as the subframe.

Well that sucks. I am going to be in the market for a header soon since my manifold is cracking.

I am tired of answering these questions.

Originally posted by LoCoZ:
I am tired of answering these questions.

You didn't answer it this time.

Originally posted by LoCoZ:
I am tired of answering these questions.

You never answered my question when I asked

, but I figured it out so it's aight

Aaron

i just wanted to know what type of headers to get...not to start an argument with everyone

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:

Originally posted by LoCoZ:
I am tired of answering these questions.

You didn't answer it this time.

True but he had to type that he was tired so it counts for some waste of time on Hec's part.

nobody answered mine

Originally posted by ContourRacing20:
i just wanted to know what type of headers to get...not to start an argument with everyone

I say go with the edelbrock shorty headers you can get them from CTA Motorsports..Talk to Chris his online name on the site is cawong11.

Aaron

I have the Kamikaze header for the ZX2. I had to relcate the bung for the o2 sensor and had a downpipe made......then relocated the cat and flexpipe under the car.

Originally posted by LoCoZ:
I have the Kamikaze header for the ZX2. I had to relcate the bung for the o2 sensor and had a downpipe made......then relocated the cat and flexpipe under the car.

Witht eh edelbrock headers my magnaflow cat adn all my 02 sensors were put back in their original locations

. My friend relocated his cat and 02 sensors when he put his long tube headers on his neon and he failed the emissions test.

Aaron

Originally posted by ContourRacing20:
i just wanted to know what type of headers to get...not to start an argument with everyone

Nooone is arguing. And emission tests suck. Hooray for georgia and no testing.

We'll have 'em in a year in Tennessee.

Originally posted by ChattavegasSE:
We'll have 'em in a year in Tennessee.

We had them in Florida & got rid of them!!

Apparently, once they get all the crappy cars off the road, the state is happy.

Great.

That means I gotta move to GA until TN is happy all the crappy cars are gone. Then I can come back.

good news guys, zxtuner has made a 4-2-1 header that will fit the contour...its a full length header, downpipe, and cat.

Originally posted by ContourRacing20:
good news guys, zxtuner has made a 4-2-1 header that will fit the contour...its a full length header, downpipe, and cat.

Have you put it on your car? As far as any of us know, it MAY fit but noone has it. And Rob has not tested it on a contour, so even though it SHOULD fit, it may not bolt up completely without modification.

no i havent bought them yet...he said i have to wait until they get finished being powder coated...but i am buying them in the next 2 weeks...so ill write a post after i put them on.

there is no cat on that header...

OK heres an idea, why not buy one of the zetec shorty headers and welding a 3" pipe directly to the bottom instead of modifying the cat flange to fit. It should work, then you could have it bent to go around the oil pan like stock. What do you guys think? I am considering doing this with my stique.

Yeah you can do that. But why get a shorty header? A full length is better.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
Yeah you can do that. But why get a shorty header? A full length is better.

Yes.

Sure, but price and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a full length header that someone has actually installed minus locoz IIRC. Just an idea for someone considering the shorty but woried about the cat fitting. How are the results of the shorty compared to the stock?

And who here has a shorty? Getting either header will require about the same amount of work, just get the one that gives most power.

The point is that it is easier (much easier) to simply weld on a 3" pipe rather then fabbing a full length header to fit to fit. Oh yeah and the cost issue. Many people like me may just want a simple way to get a header to fit. My reasoning is due to the fact my stocky is cracking and I would rather install some sort of header verses the stock again.

even a shorty header could net you more gains then the stock manifold...plus if you were to ever go turbo you could possibly keep the header.

But if you need a high flow cat and bigger flexpipe its pretty much the same amount of work. The header itself just might be cheaper.

Now if you could do your own welding, just get someone to bend your pipes and you're set.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:
And who here has a shorty? Getting either header will require about the same amount of work, just get the one that gives most power.

I have a shorty header an Edelbrock to be exact. The edelbrock header bolted DIRECTLY up to my Zetec block, the hard part was making the magnaflow cat fit in the factory location (cut the pipes on each side of the cat by one inch then angled one fo the cuts), the best thing about having the shorty header is your o2 sensors stay in their factory loacation

. Long tube headers are not good if you live where I live because of the emissions testing that we have to do every 2years.

Aaron

i know this is a stupid question, but the headers im getting...should they be powder coated or ceramic coated
??????

get them ceramic coated or jet coated. my friend powder coated his headers and lets just say his headers weren't powder coated anymore.

Aaron