fed ex left me a surprise....

So it does bolt directly to the Cat with no mod?

lol what cat?

Darn, i want to know if these will bolt up to the stock CAt. Emmisions tests here in the lovely state of Illinois.

Well i just checked out JBA's web site. They are the focus zetec headers and are $329. I guess e-bay is the best way to buy. Its better than the remus headers for 1000 and something dollars

If I knew for sure that it fit directly to the cat then i would buy it. How did you eliminate your cat...just a strait pipe to fill in the space?

Yeppers, but not a good idea if your state has Emmissions testing like here in Illinois.
Thats whay I want to see if the Focus Cat and Contour cat are the same.

Originally posted by tourman113:
Well i just checked out JBA's web site. They are the focus zetec headers and are $329. I guess e-bay is the best way to buy. Its better than the remus headers for 1000 and something dollars If I knew for sure that it fit directly to the cat then i would buy it. How did you eliminate your cat...just a strait pipe to fill in the space?

on the original manifold , my dad made a template of the original manifold opening, used a plasma cutter to cut a new flange out of steel, drilled the 4 holes, made a gasket, welded a custom pipe to the flange. same way this one is being done , custom flange and pipe.

So you're saying this isn't a direct bolt-on?
Sorry...my garage english isn't very good.

So its not a direct bolt on?

the header itself goes on, yes. but i had to make a flange and downpipe for it.

unless u wanna spend 109 bux for the ZX3 downpipe with a flange, which is basically the SAME thing i made, for like $8 and does the SAME thing then be my guest. the ZX3 one MUST be hacked up to fit because of the dumb bends in it.

you can buy it here, dumb pipe or, u can wait till i post pics of my flange and pipe, and decide if u want a header or not, and i can make you one for less + shipping. your choice.

I think you need to hurry up and get that made and pics up..you'll have some money coming your way!

i'll be selling the ORIGINAL manifold pipe / flange for $5 + shipping, it looks ragged, but ill aluminum paint it if anyone wants it,bolts on without cat. it works. but weird looking.

Not a bolt-on....big surprise.

Mine fit fine too....except to the rest of the exhaust.

I just hope you don't have the same problems as every other ZX2 or Focus.

Originally posted by bk4293:
Darn, i want to know if these will bolt up to the stock CAt. Emmisions tests here in the lovely state of Illinois.

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
emmission test here is just an OBD II check if no CEL you pass

I passed mine with flying colors and will continue to do so

I also can't see how that would fit in so easy being how tight of a fit it is for hector's

Originally posted by ZetecRacing:
PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
emmission test here is just an OBD II check if no CEL you pass
I passed mine with flying colors and will continue to do so

I heard that, but I'm sure if they hear me coming in with exaust mods they're gonna check to see if my Cats in place. But still no one knows if it bolts directly to the cat or not? I take the statement above as the cat was removed before trying to fit the header. There are ZX3 and ZX5 headers on Ebay for $150.00, looks like the same setup, just different manufacturers.

Originally posted by bk4293:

Originally posted by ZetecRacing:
PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
emmission test here is just an OBD II check if no CEL you pass
I passed mine with flying colors and will continue to do so

I heard that, but I'm sure if they hear me coming in with exaust mods they're gonna check to see if my Cats in place. But still no one knows if it bolts directly to the cat or not? I take the statement above as the cat was removed before trying to fit the header. There are ZX3 and ZX5 headers on Ebay for $150.00, looks like the same setup, just different manufacturers.

my car isn't exactly quiet

and I took the test with my current exaust setup...

But did they check to see if your cats were in place?

sounds good...i would drop a check in the mail for a custom downpipe as long as it costs significantly less that the focus one for $109. I will let you know as soon as i see the pics.

Originally posted by ZetecRacing:

Originally posted by bk4293:

Originally posted by ZetecRacing:
PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
emmission test here is just an OBD II check if no CEL you pass
I passed mine with flying colors and will continue to do so

I heard that, but I'm sure if they hear me coming in with exaust mods they're gonna check to see if my Cats in place. But still no one knows if it bolts directly to the cat or not? I take the statement above as the cat was removed before trying to fit the header. There are ZX3 and ZX5 headers on Ebay for $150.00, looks like the same setup, just different manufacturers.

my car isn't exactly quiet and I took the test with my current exaust setup...

Ya are lucky. Here in Cali they just changed the smog checks from the one that goes in the tail pipe and reads your emmisions to a full dynostic

Originally posted by bk4293:
But did they check to see if your cats were in place?

nope and I bet they wouldn't even think to look for it in the stock location either

emission checks??? what are those?

i think less than 20 of georgia's 100+ counties have testing.

Emission checks are a pain in the butt. Every 2 years you have to do it unless it is 3years old or newer. Count yourself lucky. I have to pull my intake and install the factory intake for smog checks. Cali don't like moded intakes.:p

Cali doesn't like anything modified.

it's on! easy as hell, took about 3 hours. nothing really got in the way , except my dad....

pics are on SAME LINK as before.

DUH

the first one is of the old manifold removed, the 2nd, and 3rd are of the old "catless" setup i made, kinda shitty but it worked. and the last 2 are the header installed, and the custom flange i made for it to butt up to the header.

...and it runs how??

what do you mean "it runs how"

it drives... it sounds different, barely. as for "haul ass factor" i have yet to know since the inside of my car stinks like paint.

Originally posted by WannaBe-SVT:
as for "haul ass factor" i have yet to know since the inside of my car stinks like paint.

That's what I'm waiting on - the "haul ass factor"

well, a lot of people know about the "mind trick" where when u do a mod, u think your car is faster, but it's not. well, i'll just say you can tell it actually is worth putting on. the acceleration is actually quite better, i haven't gone over 60 yet but im gunna check a 0-60 run , and some other stuff. then a track run next week (damn $15 to run) and see how much it did. btw, the old manifold... omg.. i don't even know how the hell it worked the size was so small inside and crappy.. and the damn o2 sensor was right in the way of everything. but it was definately worth the money to me.

Sounds like a good mod. Looks good in the engine bay

Is this the header where some complained about welds breaking? It strikes me that removing the cat might be part of the reason for weld stress. The stock cat is strapped to the side of the block, which means no leverage gets put on the head studs. Have you got anything holding that custom downpipe in place against the block? If not, any random twisting at the flex pipe is going to cause joint pain in the header...

the old setup never proved to show any strain, nor breakage or anything really, and it was that way for a year. the welds look pretty damn good, and even if they do break, it's not like i don't know how to weld.

Originally posted by Paul Kienitz:
Is this the header where some complained about welds breaking? It strikes me that removing the cat might be part of the reason for weld stress. The stock cat is strapped to the side of the block, which means no leverage gets put on the head studs. Have you got anything holding that custom downpipe in place against the block? If not, any random twisting at the flex pipe is going to cause joint pain in the header...

Yeah this is the header. I have seen the welds broken with the stock cat STILL in place.

I really do think it is the design that causes this.

So basically, it's the perfect header for someone who has their own welding rig.

actually JBA isnt the one with the cracking problem, at least not now. Focus Central is definitely, FocusSport is the same thing as the JBA but cheaper and better IMHO, but the best overall is the Ford Racing header, most complete, and gaskets and everything you need to do a complete install. However if you are doin a focus exhaust setup, you also need to get the focus EGR tube, since its a tad longer and you need the focus dipstick (not necessity, but you will probably want it) and the focus has 2 O2 sensors on the exhaust setup, and most tours only have one.

Oh, and the only reason that the focus header really wont fit exact on a tour is because the tour uses a 4 bolt flange on the cat/header and the focus uses a 3 bolt flange... but nothing a highflow cat for the focus wont cure!

Originally posted by smoothy:
and the focus has 2 O2 sensors on the exhaust setup, and most tours only have one.

as far as I know, every zetec contour has 2 o2 sensors.

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:

Originally posted by smoothy:
and the focus has 2 O2 sensors on the exhaust setup, and most tours only have one.

as far as I know, every zetec contour has 2 o2 sensors.

exactly, and my setup to have everything work correctly, was nifty. a nicely welded 18mm nut in a piece of pipe and the o2 threaded in .

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:

Originally posted by smoothy:
and the focus has 2 O2 sensors on the exhaust setup, and most tours only have one.

as far as I know, every zetec contour has 2 o2 sensors.

nope only 96 and newer...

I didn't know that, but it makes sense. '95 was OBD-I; '96+ is OBD-II.