Ok folks, I pulled the trigger!

My junk goes in the shop March 23rd for assessment and to get a game plan and then I'll schedule the labor work at the end of that visit. It should be mid April, I'm guessing.

We're hoping that it's even possible to wiggle the header assembly into the rear bank without dropping the subframe. I'm very highly doubting it. I know it's possible to get the exhaust manifold and cat out from the top with taking off the plenum but there's no way this header assembly is going in from the top. I'm pretty sure we can get the manifold off a taurus in though, and if that's the case, to save money, I will use those.

Pretty freaking excited!

 

Right on. I'm at this scary point where I have a lot to do on the front end, so dropping the subframe would be a great idea for me, so, I really want to install my headers but then I don't know if I should be spending the money on the exhaust work after all the money I'm spending on other stuff. You know, money pit problems. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing the outcome. Are you going with a single pipe from the header collector to the rear mufflers? Or a true dual?

 

Haha yeah I have money pit problems too, this car being the biggest one right now. The wheels are getting powdercoated next week! Haha god stop me!

I don't know what I'm doing yet for a set up. I have the 2 cats and headers to take with me. Didn't go with mina mufflers they are just too damn expensive lol I'm going to leave it up to the shop to decide on a muffler based on their design. I think I want to do duals but I don't want to cramp everything up too much either. I'm up for whatever is the most power gaining route haha if any.

After I posted last I thought about your Mazda anti roll bar mod that the subframe needs to come out for. I want to do that mod too but never really intended to remove the subframe. Maybe I should just go ***** out? Haha oh no!

Are you positive it's a close enough design to fit stock location? Something to ponder. It would be a worth pulling the sub if I was able to get the headers to work AND the anti roll bar. Oh god I think I just talked myself into it!

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure it will fit. I'm not sure you'd want just a bigger front bar though, it would add even more understeer. With my big rear bar it will be balanced nicely, but of course that's not a bolt in bar. I might just try to do the headers too, how hard can it be? Haha.

 

Do it!! Lol I wish I had access to a lift, I'd be doing it myself but it's a huge job to pull the sub assembly without a lift, I don't even want to attept it!

Yeah I want to have Addco build me a direct factory shaped replacement bigger rear bar. I've been in contact with them and they are capable of doing it for pretty cheap. I would just deal with the understeer for a bit until the rear bar came in and I got it installed.

If the sub frame has to come out I only want to do it once so I'm going replace a bunch of stuff, both maintenence and mods, since everything will be so accessible and basically labor free.

 

Yeah I dont have a lift, or even a garage haha. I have to do my left front axel so we'll see how much more I want to try after doing that and the front sway bar. I also need to do inner tie rods, brakes and a few more poly bushings to install. I've been working on a better intake setup this week and moving the battery to the trunk to make room. There is a TON of room up there now haha.

 

Dang man! Progression is all that matters, no matter the severity. At least your doing something! I've got knock sensor replacement, thermostat and upper hose coming up as soon as the parts arrive. I'm not looking forword to it! Lol I've had that intake off so many damn times it's crazy. I have a coolant leak at the water inlet pipe to the block just above the knock sensor which got drowned out so in getting the code.

The battery to the trunk is a fantastic idea. I'll be doing that here shortly and putting the turbo about where the battery sits and running the intake to the driver side fog light area. Even considered doing it zombie hunter super aggressive style and run a snorkel style intake mounted up by the drivers window just for that amazing sound you'd hear (not going to happen but it would be stellar haha).

Honestly, all day today I've just been scheming man. I have huge plans and I've put a lot of life on hold to build this car In the shortest time possible. By this time next year I'll have it done. I used to have a budget for it but now I just don't care lol I just want it but I figure probably 25-35k. I'm going to put a lot of that into the 2nd transfer case haha. Not that bad considering what I'm shooting for.

I've never really been interested in FI but now it's all I want, a boosted X I can just imagine it...

 

Well, bad news...

Pretty dang sure that the rear bank header assembly will not work because of its design. It comes straight down from about exhaust port #5 and will make contact with the transfer case which is why our factory manifold slightly angles up and makes that stupid u back towards the front of the motor so it can clear the transfer case.

If the collector was just a little higher up then it would be doable but there's no way to run piping without a VERY sharp, basically a squared 90 in order to come out next to the output on the tcase like factory and there's no where else to run tubing so, it's going to be the taurus manifolds! I'm sad lol but it is what it is. I'm pretty sure this is why the jag motor project exhaust was never finished...

I am also now going with a 2 - 1 high flow cat instead of the 2 individuals. Lol soooo basically everything I bought is useless haha but it's turning out to be a lot cheaper because the subframe will not have to come out and the taurus manifolds are a lot cheaper than the headers.

This now allows me to throw about 1200 extra dollars at the x like right now! I'm demented, I know. What should I buy???

 

What headers did you have? That sucks though.

 

The MSDS ones.

I'm seriously considering just having a custom header built for the rear bank. It basically just has to be opposite the design it is now, with the longest tube coming from cylinder 5 and stretching towards the front of the motor. Or actually bringing the collector up a couple inches and put a sharper bend facing the opposite direction it points now. Right now it slightly angles toward the rear of the motor and points more downward, right at the tcase.

What do you think? Should I have a custom one made, modify this one, or should I just run the taurus manifolds and move on to other areas of the car? I really want headers just to say I did it but at what cost! Lol what's money anyways?

 

You can always make more money haha. Talk to the shop doing the work and see what they think would be cheaper. They can probably use the one you have and rework it cheaper than building a new one, but who knows. Did you get their contour headers or fusion headers?

 

I actually bought the cougar set because they included my model year but it seems that it doesn't really matter whether the contour or cougar, but I am starting to think I should have went with the awd fusion set because I think they are already clocked in the right direction. Smh...

Mine are already coated so they can't be returned so I think I'm just going to have a new one fabbed or modify the existing assembly. Mod would be cheaper for sure. this just pushes everything back a little longer so I might just get impatient and say screw it and go with the manifolds...idk man, my appointment with the shop is Monday so I guess we'll see what's up then.

 

Ok so this is turning out to be extremely freaking expensive haha.

I figured that if I'm going to do it, I might as well do it the way I've been imagining. Which does not involve any kind of factory manifold...

It turns out that the 4x4 ford escape headers will work because of the rear bank design puts the collector more towards the "front" of the motor, u.s passenger side. It's still not a direct fit out of the box but it's a hell of a lot better of a starting point than these cougar and contour headers. They actually MIGHT work but I'm expecting to have to mod the rear bank a little

I've been in contact with joey at npg and Marty over at msds for a few weeks now and they've both got me talked into the escape headers but they're EXPENSIVE lol. I have a buddy who is going to take these other headers off my hands so at least I'm getting my $ back on those.

Long story short, progress is being made and I can't believe that the R&D on this has been so exhaustive! Lol I'll order the escape headers in a week and the shop is ready and waiting. They looked it over and think it's going to be relatively easy and they don't think the entire subframe needs to come out, it more than likely just needs the rear of it dropped a couple inches, which is enough to swap out the front sway bar with the mazda bar, which is on order! and addco is currently developing the rear bar for me! 28mm in front and 26mm in the rear. I am having them mod the end to accept a stronger, adjustable end link.

Sorry for the delay folks but I'm on the move! Lol it's behind schedule a few weeks but I blame that on my impulse purchases almost a year ago! Haha I should have done more research before I went and just bought **** I thought would work lol. Few more weeks people!

 

Nice that's awesome. Welcome to the world on modifying x types in ways never done before haha. It is rewarding though.

 

Contour front bank header and 4x4 escape rear bank header. o2 bung-less until upstream sensor location fitments but they'll be in the collectors or very shortly after. They came with a handful of loose o2 bungs for installation.

Tubing diameter is the same on each and side by side the collectors are at equal lengths from the flange. The escape header has an egr fitting that needs to be either capped or removed. I'm having it removed.

These will work, no doubt about it. Marty at MSDS is the freaking man.

 

That's awesome. I talked to them a while ago about headers and I remember them saying something like that, or bringing my car to them haha. I'm glad I held off on this though. I can't wait to hear it when you're done.

 

Haha why are you glad? Waiting for me to make all the mistakes first? Lol I'm about $800 into it so far. Now it's just labor and stainless tubing I need to pay for.

I get my wheels back from powder late next week, I can't wait! I think I'll get a bunch of hate for it hahaha

 

How am I just now finding this post haha... Also a fellow michigan x-type man that's been looking for a header setup. And if you need a hand, give a shout.

 

Where at in michigan are you? I shouldn't need a hand I'm having the shop do it all but thanks! I would wait if I were you to see if I can get my set up to work lol not that I'm doubting it but damn these cars computers are picky, I'd hate to send a bunch of people out to do the mod if it doesn't even work lol I'll be the test dummy first. I got hit with a big unexpected financial surprise that made me out the install off a couple weeks. Smh seems like I keep getting pushed back...it'll be done and on the road by the end of may easily.

 

I'm in Ionia... about 45-60 min away. And definitely anxious to see the outcome of the headers, cuz i've hated the fact that two cats sandwich the engine. especially when there's a third under it. haha. so i'm definitely waiting. B)