[katnyp]

and

Assuming there's nothing miscellaneous that's wrong with my clutch or ignition, so far I am only half happy with my new headers. They have been on for a couple weeks now, and literally the only improvements I have felt are in the 2k-4k rpm range, with much improved throttle response and torque in that area. The downside is that I feel nothing different in the top end, and last weekend, my 1/4 times actually suffered (a result of carrying approx 8 more gallons of fuel than last time). Yeah, it's not really fair to compare times that way, but I thought the headers would at least help offset the weight a little.

What are the rest of your opinions about how your headers feel?

P.S. Does anyone ever reset their battery right before a run? Could my ECU have been stuck in "city put-put mode"?

 

[DanG]

Katnyp:

Once the headers were installed, I fired up the engine. First impressions were that the sound was much deeper and moderately louder. I drove out carefully, and warmed the engine up by driving around FattyCat's subdivision, nice and easy. Once the engine was hot, I let it go. The pull was the same until the secondaries opened. Then, OH MOMMA!

The pull was free, smooth, and the car was revving higher, faster, and more powerful. On my second run with people in the car, I had it in first gear with the clutch engaged, going uphill. I took it to about 3000RPMs, then floored it. The wheels broke loose without even touching the clutch. Simply amazing.

The computer didn't realize the full benefits of the headers until a full tank of gas had been consumed and the tables updated themselves. The power then became more refined- Smoother on the acceleration, and not as jerky.

If you're about to race, I would not recommend yanking the battery beforehand- You'll lose all of the stock table modifications that the EEC-V's made to account for the free-flowing exhaust.

I found there was a slight decrease in performance when I installed the MIL Eliminators (since my headers came before the MILs were out), but you'll trip a CEL if you run without them. So long as you have an AutoTap handy, you can dismiss the CEL after checking to make sure it actually is the catalyst system causing it.

Hope this helps,

 

[katnyp]

Really makes me wonder about those MIL eliminators. I will probably only understand my problem completely, after taking a trip to the dyno. Something is fishy.

 

[Guest]

Quick question.... after installing the Headers I'll receive a CEL? Will this be on always? I've done a number of other mods to my ride, and have yet to get a CEL. Will the Headers do this?

Shon

 

[Draxas]

You will get a CEL because you have removed the pre-cats....the second O2 sensors downline will detect that there has not been the change they are expecting and the ECU will think there is something wrong.....there is nothing "wrong" its just that you have removed the catalysts and the O2 sensors can detect this.........


Nikolas

 

[Guest]

Oh, ok.... and the MIL eliminators will correct this? Or at least, get rid of the CEL? How much are they, and where do you get them?

Shon

My headers are on the way.... But I've been CEL free, and would like to continue this way.....

 

[katnyp]

If you have MSDS headers on order, they will come with the MIL (CEL) eliminators.

 

[pgtatx]

Will a SHO Shop Hiflow Y-pipe with hi flow cat cause a CEL?? If so will the MIL thingies get rid of it? And what is an MIL thingy....sorry I'mm still new to this car...

 

[Guest]

Great... thanks Katnyp....

Shon

 

[Blackcoog]

no the sho shop will not cause a CEL

 

[Guest]

ok guys i need some help, what is a CEL and MIL? Thanks

 

[Andy]

I totally LOVE my headers. I didn't notice too big of a difference of the line as I expected. Some but not dramatic. The real gain for me is at higher speeds 50-60-70. When I hit the gas, I'm gone. The improve in acceleration at higher speeds, on the ATX atleast, is incredible. The car just keeps pulling and pulling, not wanting to stop accelerating. Before the headers, at higher speeds when I would stomp it sometimes I would get a small RPM jump + acceleration. Now I ALWAYS get a nice RPM jump + acceleration. It seems as if I could easily surpass the 115mph speed limiter. The headers didn't make the car much louder as I expected. A tad deeper, but not outrageously louder. Overall.... These headers kick ass!

Andy

 

[DanG]

Headers 101:

Headers are installed to increase flow from the engine's exhaust ports to increase power. That is their purpose. To achieve this, you construct a device that uses individual pipes for each cylinder as opposed to simply throwing all the cylinders into one manifold and leaving the gases to find their own way out.

The stock exhaust manifolds contain a small catalytic converter in each to decrease cold start emissions. To ensure these small cats (or pre-cats) are doing their job, Ford samples the exhaust gases both before and after each cat (above and below each manifold, for a total of 4 O2 sensors). Since these small cats are not conducive to good flow characteristics, the headers do not include them. Instead, we have 3 pipes on each header that merge into one collector, then out to the Y-pipe. The phenominon of gases from one pipe flowing over the collector cause a slight vacuum in the other two pipes, resulting in an exahust gas scavenging effect, which allows the cylinders to breathe even more.

When Marty @ MSDS first installed the headers, he thought he could get away with just having the bungs (fittings) for 4 O2 sensors, and all would be well. This was not the case- One of his test cars got a CEL- "Catalyst System Below Threshold" or the like.

CEL: Check Engine Light (an acronym coined here)
MIL: Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Ford's official title for the CEL)

To correct the recurring CELs, Marty had a Mustang shop in Texas make him MIL Eliminators. These in-line circuit fool the lower O2 sensors into thinking that the pre-cats are still there and doing their job. They are a simple RC circuit that take an incoming voltage and generate a sinusoidal pattern which the EEC-V expects to see from the lower O2 sensors. Hence, no CEL, and the job of removing NOs (oxides of nitrogen), converting CO (carbon monoxide) to CO2 (carbon dioxide), and breaking down unburned HCs (hydrocarbons) is left to the main cat which sits after the Y-pipe.

Any questions?

Hope this helps,

 

[jjennings]

Or you guys could just buy a 2001 Cougar, and not have any of those sensors to worry about!! hehe, 4000 miles, no CEL's and no MIL eliminators needed!!

 

[Q]

DanG rules. Thanks for the info. I felt like I just sat through 5 minutes of
Introduction to Headers...

And know what I need to know now, hehe.

 

[katnyp]

Now I'm really starting to think something is goofy here. Example: Let's say I start in a 3rd gear cruize at 25 mph, then ease the throttle to the floor, staying in that gear. The car responds much better than stock, pulling much better from 2k to 4k rpm. The secondaries open and the car ROCKETS to 5k rpm in a blink.....then *fart*...the powerband just seems to flatten or even fall off a little. It feels like stock from 5k to 6.5k. That's what I don't get. It doesn't coincide with what you guys are saying.

Thanks for all your input.

Step 1, I guess I'll reset the battery again, it might help. When I first got the headers put on, I had to baby the car for the first week, while waiting for a new spring for the ypipe-to-cat connection (one of the originals broke, and my shop had to fake something on).

 

[jjennings]

I had to reset my computer multiple times, before my car ran right, but once it did, oh boy, do I love it!

 

[FastCougar]

katnyp,
Sounds to me like you have a fuel delivery or spark delivery problem. I would start with a simple plug switch and see if that cures your ills. If not, then the problem is either plugs wires, coil pack, or fuel related. How many miles do you have on your car?

jjennings,
The 2001 that I inspected at my dealership had all four O2's ... I only fonfirmed the front 2 and assumed that the rear bank still retained it's 2, plus the 5th one after the main cat. I don't know what you are talking about, it would be helpfull if you could provide pictures if you have them.

 

[katnyp]

I was kinda wondering about the ignition too. I'm trying to jump on that deal from CEG, for the 9mm Ford racing wires. I have 37000 miles, and I'm noticing quite a few people are doing plug and wire swaps around the same mileage, so it can't hurt.

I will also check my records to make sure my fuel filter got changed at 30k. If not...."oops", that could be a problem too.

 

[jjennings]

Trevor, there is no sensors on there at all. Only one sensor, after the main CAT. Call Marty, he had my car up for quite a few hours, re-designing the headers to fit the 2001 engine (no it's not the same) and no, there are no sensors.