Pics from install of JBA Headers and MRT H-pipe (lots of pics)

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

About a month ago I install JBA's Cat4ward shorty headers and an MRT catted H-pipe on my 02 GT vert. I've been meaning to post these pics for a while, just never got around to it.

Here's a couple of views of JBA's headers from different angles:

Here's a couple pics comparing the passenger side stock headers to the JBA:

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

Here's some pics of the passenger side installed (not much to see really):

And here's some pics comparing the drivers side stocker to the JBA:

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

Here's two pics of the drivers side head without the headers attached:

And finally three pics of the drivers side header installed:

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

Here's what the stock H- pipe looks like:

And here's a few of MRT's H-pipe:

I couldn't get a good pic of the H-pipe installed, the car was on jack stands so there really wasn't a good angle for the pic.

All in all I'm very happy with the setup. The sound is awesome, much deeper and louder than stock both at idle and WOT. The install wasn't bad at all, just took time and patience. I can certainly see how a long tube install would require dropping the K-member though.

I had a leak where the H-pipe joins the manifolds. I think it was mostly due to me not putting the two halfs of the H-pipe together well enough. Once I squeezed them together a little more, they matched up to the headers much better.

Beau · Dec 17, 2003

why are the small cross pipes on the stock h-pipe joined while on the aftermarket one, they arent? is there any particular reason for this?

19mustangGT97 · Dec 17, 2003

Looks good, where did you get those headers from and how much were they? Can't afford long tubes plus emissions in cali and I want to get some headers to go along with my headswap.

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

1990StangLX said:
why are the small cross pipes on the stock h-pipe joined while on the aftermarket one, they arent? is there any particular reason for this?

I think its to make it easier to ship. One side fits into the other one, and its a real tight fit. You don't have to use a clamp or anything. I had to use a rubber mallet to drive it in far enough though.

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

19mustangGT97 said:
Looks good, where did you get those headers from and how much were they? Can't afford long tubes plus emissions in cali and I want to get some headers to go along with my headswap.

I got them at http://www.performancecenter.com They had a crazy sale and they were only $379. Their regular price is around $450 though. I think the best price I had found prior to that sale was like $435.

Beau · Dec 17, 2003

NasaGT said:
I think its to make it easier to ship. One side fits into the other one, and its a real tight fit. You don't have to use a clamp or anything. I had to use a rubber mallet to drive it in far enough though.

ohhhhh ok...well that makes sense..i wasn't sure if some other aftermarket part was needed to join the pieces or anything

also i think if you buy direct from JBA you can get maybe the best price...

Black03 · Dec 17, 2003

Pics look good. I'm planning on doing the JBA's as well. Did you do the install yourself? If so how was it? I hear some people saying its easy while others are saying its the hardest thing they've ever done . I see also that you got the nickel plating. Is there really any reason to spend the extra and get the ceramic coating?

Beau · Dec 17, 2003

ok so it looks to me as if what NASAGT did was add aftermarket parts to the portion of the exhaust system that comes before the so called "cat-back systems"...am i right? sorry for the questions but i am learning all this stuff for the first time

NasaGT · Dec 17, 2003

Black03 said:
Pics look good. I'm planning on doing the JBA's as well. Did you do the install yourself? If so how was it? I hear some people saying its easy while others are saying its the hardest thing they've ever done . I see also that you got the nickel plating. Is there really any reason to spend the extra and get the ceramic coating?

Yeah, I did it myself. It took roughly eight hours, but I was doing it a couple of hours a night for several nights after my wife and daughter went to bed. So that made it take a little longer as I wasted time cleaning up and figuring out where I left off.

Its not that hard to do if you have the right tools. I wasted alot of time trying to loosen the stock h-pipe on the passenger side because I didn't have a swivel joint for the 1/2" ratchet. The best tool for the header bolts are those ratcheting wrenches you can get at Sears - it made loosening and tightening most of the header nuts a piece of cake. Having done this once I could probably do the whole thing again in an afternoon.

I think the ceramic coating will keep the heat in the headers so your engine bay won't get as hot. I'm not positive, but the ceramics may also be a little lighter, and they won't discolor as badly as these chrome ones will eventually. Maybe some else will chime in.

1990StangLx: yeah, the H-pipe that I replaced is right before the catback. Sorry I don't have a pic of it on the car.

NasaGT · Dec 18, 2003

I forgot to mention, the stupid dipstick was a pain in the butt. You can remove it fairly easily, but you can't get it back in without loosening the motor mount until its almost free from the car. Save yourself some time and loosen the bolts that hold the drivers side motor mount to the block as soon as you start working on the dipstick.

StratGT · Dec 18, 2003

NasaGT, thats for the pictures. I may go with this setup in the future. Any SOTP difference. Will you be doing a dyno run. If so, lets start placing bets. My guess is a extra 15rwhp and 16rwtrq.

NFCStang · Dec 18, 2003

Great pics. Anytime you want to stop over and help me please feel free

I think I've seen you leaving NASA a couple of time and out on MacGruder? Am I wrong?

00FobraR · Dec 18, 2003

I also have JBA's and the install was fairly easy again with the help of those ratcheting wrenches. The only thing that i have had problems with are first i should have welded the studs to the header before the install that would have made things easier when bolting up my prochamber. Second The passenger side header cracked on me big time right at the collector. Correct me if im wrong but i think JBA is no longer selling the nickle plated ones because of that problem. I actually live in San Diego where JBA is located and i took them my cracked header and got a replacement but they no longer use the nickle plated ones so the replacement they gave me is actually stainless steel from what the guy at JBA told me. Third, now it sounds like my driverside header might be cracked!!! But over all the new stainless steel ones look better and so do the welds. The car lost a bit on the bottom end but now the car screams and pulls harder in the higher RPM's. My 4.10's that are waiting for install after the holidays will take care of the low end loss.

NasaGT · Dec 18, 2003

StratGT: A definate SOTP boost. I don't have a before dyno though.

NFCStang:Yeah, I go down magruder - I live in Coventry just a few miles down the road. I see so many stangs coming/going from the AF side I figure I've probably seen you too and just didn't know it. Yours is red right???

00FobraR: I had heard that they redesigned them, and the new ones don't seem to have that cracking problem. But that was second or third hand so maybe I'm wrong. That would suck to have to pull them again. And I had the same problem you did with the mid-pipe bolts on the headers - would have been much easier if they were welded on.

Cali03Boss · Dec 18, 2003

JBAs

NFCStang · Dec 18, 2003

NasaGT said:
NFCStang:Yeah, I go down magruder - I live in Coventry just a few miles down the road. I see so many stangs coming/going from the AF side I figure I've probably seen you too and just didn't know it. Yours is red right???

Yep...I've got 2 stickers on the rear (Peace the Old Fashioned Way w/ a B-52 and Terroists Beware Rugby player on board) and the plates are NFCprop. I live at the Tradewinds behind the Wendy's

Next time...give a honk and let me know when you're doing stuff like this. I have access to Lifts on base.

BTW know of any cruises?

MT1083 · Dec 18, 2003

Thanks for posting the pics. If if ever put on headers, JBA shorties are going to be the way that I go.

Pics from install of JBA Headers and MRT H-pipe (lots of pics)

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