yesterday i managed to jack the car up and try to remove the 2.4 header to put on my 4-1 rk sport header. the thing is, the 10 bolts are a PITA to remove. to make things worse, the section where the stock cat connects to the back-pipe is rusted badly, so i cant remove it as easily as i had hoped to put on the hi-flo cat
and since todays turkey day i cant goto an auto store to get rust remover spray. but the first step i should at least do is sand down the rusted out area? what have you, those who had changed the stock cat to a hi-flo done in the past? thanks a bunch everyone.
Yeah I have a 2.2 ecotec and I tried to run open headers to see a difference in performance, and it was so hard to unbolt the cat from the headers so me and my friend just decided to give up and try again when I get my headers to do everything at once.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2208703
yea im having problems reaching the 2 on the driver's side and one on the pssener sid that connects to the oil, i think. also the area on the cat connecting to the back pipe is f^cken rusted, not to mention the bolt holding the 2nd O2 sensor. anyone know how to loosen it? i tried WD-40 and sandpapering it but i cant seem to get it loosened. it appears now that the bolts holding the cat to back-pipe rusted so much it somehow bonded to the rest of what its touching >.<....please help me....im getting frustrated.....thanks btw....*sigh
use a hack saw to cut the bolts off the Cat back from the Cat, (get the saw in between the flanges), for the front, use PB Blaster, not sure what else, you could try that on the rear section too.
hacksaw? if so, what about the bolts that are rusted between the flanges?
dang..i think i wont be able to do my headers myself if its that hard.
^ yea i was hoping to reuse the stock cat-flange and stock backpipe for future use in case i intend on goin back to stock and sell it. any ideas?
fst_99Z24 wrote:hacksaw? if so, what about the bolts that are rusted between the flanges?
The key is to cut thru them.
ok i just realize and came into a conclusion that the 2nd 02 sensor, behind the stock cat converter is WELDED ONTO THE PIPE??!!! im getting really @!#$en stressed out trying to install both my header and hi-flo cat onto the stock back pipe. has anyone dealt with these problems b4 and if so how did u go about and install the aftermarket cat as well as remove the WELDED 02 SENSOR??? im about ready to just forget about modding the j-body cause GM has to do dumb crap like this. is the best thing for me now is to go to an exhaust shop and ask them to make me a custom bent back-pipe that i can actually use for the 4-1 header and hi-flo catco and screw the whole stock exhaust setup and take it off? if thats the case then i will start saving money aside for that. BUT my next concern would be is the welded 2nd 02 sensor, i havent checked to see if the 1st 02 sensor is freakinly welded, god i hope not! anyone know what i should do for these types of problems? i really like this car, its given me alot to think about cocerning cars and modding it. my younger bro thinks my car is worhtless, just a low-down slow 4-banger of a cavalier cause he drives a 00 300M. anyways thats a different story. for the ppl who do care and would help me out much accolades to you and wish me luck from your wisdom and guidance!
man. i would of gaven up long ago and lets shop install the exhaust
and how do all you j-body owners have headers!?!?!?!? my car only came with one header.
lol just messing with ya. i know (or hope) you guys know you have 1 header.
jago n, i do know our j-bodies have only ONE header :p did i say "headers"? anyways back on topic, anyone? is the exhaust shop making me a custom back-pipe the only answer? but also what about the 2nd 02 sensor? would i need to buy another sensor for the new exhaust system? i know they cost at least 80-85 from an auto parts store
unless theres an laternate route im not aware of?
i took off my master cylinder and it made life a lot easier, still difficult but manageable. i had the advantage of doing the whole exhaust at one time though instead of piecing it together, sawzall owns stock exhaust.
Man I loved doing the header change on the OHV. Took me a whopping whole hour.
Anyways are you dam sure its welded cause mine just unscrewed. Its probably different on the 99 though.
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Madjack wrote:Like I said before, building an engine like ours (2.2 or 2200) is a painstaking chore , since there is so few custom made parts. It's frustrating to me too, but that's what I like about doing this engine, it's the challenge.
im pretty damn sure its welded on-both the 02 sensor and the 3 bolts connecting the flange for the stock cat and the backpipe
. Sawzall? what is that? or rather what and where did you do with it and the stock exhaust?
They are not welded on. The bung is what is welded on and you don't try to turn that off. You try to turn the sensor off. The 3 bolts on the flange are not wealded on eather. Try to put some heat on the bolts to expand the metal. Maybe that will help ease them out.
David Alameda (Zspeedcav) wrote:They are not welded on. The bung is what is welded on and you don't try to turn that off. You try to turn the sensor off. The 3 bolts on the flange are not wealded on eather. Try to put some heat on the bolts to expand the metal. Maybe that will help ease them out.
^^^ what do you mean the 'bung'? i went to pep boys to get the oxygen sensor socket specially used so that to take off the 02 sensor bolt. hell i even tried to use the air tool, although it was a very tight fit, it was useless. unless you have some pics of the 02 sensor connected and disconnected, i dont know what you mean by the 'bung'. no offense or anything dave. secondly, on the 3 bolts on the flange. i bought the pb blaster and sprayed as much as peter north's money shot, and i can see that the area around the bolt seems melted or 'welded' onto the flange. i dont have a digi-cam on me as of now, but i'll try to get some pics of them to clarify what i mean. to those helping me i am truly truly grateful for them, but as of yet im still stuck
No offense taken man. The o2 sensor comes out. I am sure about it cause I took mine out when I put my header in. The bung is the nut looking shape that is welded onto the down pipe that the o2 sensor goes into. Make sure you are not turning that piece. It has been so long since I have done this that I really can not remember what it all looks like and I don't have my car on me right now.
Wow.
That stock manifold comes off in less than 30 minutes with hand tools - period. If you can't get it off or reach the bolts, put down your tools and go play some video games.
I've done like 4 of these, now.
You want to know what's hard? Installing a turbo manifold that wasn't meant to go on the motor... GM designs their manifolds so you can at least reach the bolts in a decent way.... aftermarket turbo manifolds don't consider the bolts or water pump housing and the lower two bolts in that area are impossible to fasten down with any kind of tool. Yargh.
As for the 02 sensors, they both unscrew from their respective bungs. If you can't unscrew an 02 sensor from its bung... put down the tools, put down the video games... and find a new hobby.
Installing a header on a 2.4 is one of the simpler bolt-ons for that motor. If you aren't confident or capable enough to unbolt the stock manifold then do yourself a favour and just pay to get it done.
I will agree that the rusted bolts to the exhaust manifold downpipe flange are a complete whore and I almost always break one of them trying to get them off.
Either way, good luck. If you really can't do it.. let a shop do it.
Good luck.
-Chris-
-Sweetness-
-Turbocharged-
Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
SunfighterGT, i understand what you mean, but you know what, i do intend on getting that @!#$ off. this is something i wanted to start doing AS a hobby. i wont go into a ridiculous internet fight about pride, but the header is not as bad to get off, its only 10 bolts. that i can do, its the fact that the 02 sensor seems difficult to get off. i read and looked over both haynes and chilton's manual and they really dont go into detail on getting the 'bung' of the sensor out. from what i can at least describe the sesnor is the black wire then a long smooth cylinder about 3-4inches then a hex bolt onto the pipe. again i'll try to get some pics to show you as well as the 3 bolts connecting the 2 flanges. its been a bit over a year now and i've learned alot about the mechanics of the car but even more about the j-bodies. so for me to 'put down your tools and go play some video games,' no offense, but go @!#$ yourself, is my response or in a nicer tone, is either please assist me or please keep your opinions to yourself. everyone started out not knowing something before and had to ask, im in the same position, how am i any different than others in the past? thanks for understanding as i am as well.
ok......look at the o2 sensor....the welded part......now look a little backwards from it....you see the actual sensor? on the end of that there should be a nut looking thing, pretty large....thats what you loosen, not the nut that is welded on there......now if you already have the o 2 sensor out and are trying to get the bung out so you can reuse it, then you'll have to use a torch to basically melt it out lol.....then weld it back in...hopw that helps
2000 Camaro V6.
| SLP Loudmouth | CAI Intake | HID's |
haha..I'm lost trying to read this. But ne-waz I'll try and help..forgive me if it already been wrote.
The top bolts can all be access from above
To make life easier on the top bolts(on manifold), remove the cruise control control module and place it to the side. Now you have the free space to all the top nuts (you can even get the 3 nuts where the egr vent section would be on a 99 manifold)
While your on the top, remove the oil dipstick(makes easier fitting of the header)
All the bottom bolts can be access from under the car, there is even a bracket from the flange section of the manifold to the motor that will need to be removed(then just toss it in the garbage..it's useless now)
The o2 sensors can be removed, you can either buy a o2 sensor socket or just use the right size key(i can't recall the size)
The "bung" is the metal ring shaped thing that is welded to the pipe. The o2 sensor screws into the bung.
But I don't see how your going to connect the downpipe from the header to the exhaust before the catalyst..i mean there 2 different sizes. Your gonna need an adapter. Unless you already have plans to go 2 1/4" all the way back..etc
ToBoGgAn wrote:i took off my master cylinder and it made life a lot easier, still difficult but manageable. i had the advantage of doing the whole exhaust at one time though instead of piecing it together, sawzall owns stock exhaust.
I couldnt imagine how hard of a time you had if you didnt remove it. My god ... it just looked like a PITA
dan
Travel with me through my deep thoughts y'all can't learn dubduce18s by the stuff y'all be
readin in The ORG; It's deeper of course ... Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was
wealthy or somebody to tell me that they felt me.
ok thanks and i do apologize on my behalf for not being more specific and not being patient enough. this coming sat-sun i'll go at it again and see if i can actually ake both header and cat off. and another important thing is taking pics of the whole process, as i will try to get a hold of a digi-cam. thanks again ppl
wow after reading all of this from top to end, i think there were a few miscommunications here on which o2 sensor i was referring to. you know there are 2 sensors, yes? one b4 the cat on the exhaust manifold and the other on the end of the cat leading off to the back/intermediate pipe. the 2nd one, leading off to the back/intermediate pipe, where the o2 sensor reads the temp of the gases exiting from the cat is the one im talking about. also, isnt this one also the 80 dollar o2 sensor
, if im not mistaken? getting the header off isnt impossible, just tight, isnt a problem for me.
