Vick Auto Header Installation - Tuned Car

Dallarax19

Builder -Dallara Replica
I thought I would start up a new thread but with the details about my installation of the Vick Auto header install on a highly modified car. So after many years my IAP header bit it for the last time. I can't remember when I got it but at worst case its 25 years old and has had many mods and repairs over the years





This photo shows the final straw:

Yep it is very broke.

So after contemplating fabbing up a new one out of Stainless or buying a Stainless Honda header and modifying it to my needs I took a look around and found Vicks had a very good priced header near my specs. So I ordered one up. For me this was going to be a Saturday morning remove and replace (remember this comment :)) . To fab one it would have cost me about the same in just the metal before forming cutting etc and bending SS is no joke, SS does not want to bend and has tremendous spring back. So this is how arrived :





**THAT CLAMP IS NFG - don't use that. Only if you lost a bet would you use it. It crimps the metal together and you cant get it apart if you ever need to service it.

So similar to other SS headers I have purchased that came from China the quality was right on. I built major power in my Subaru with a similar product and it was fantastic. Some pics of the welding:









Here are some specs
Tube ID is 1.228in /1.355in OD
Collector Exit OD 2.376in ID /2.5 OD
Thickness is about 0.062"
Length flange to collector is 35.5"




Here are some general pics of the construction:


[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dallarax19/media/20190830_173542.jpg.html]


All pretty good cept one thing, Problem1 the collector exit is 2.5" and my old one was 2.25". Bitter sweet because it is likely better but now I have to rebuild the muffler with larger tubing. Fortunately the muffler was a 2.5 tube that I was able to save it.

So it began by cleaning up the ID of the welds at the flange:





Problem 2 was the O2 Sensor just happened to be positioned where I have my anti-roll bar.

I have a PBS style bar so I have no idea how it fits with and Addco or other bar.

Time to break out the equipment - normal for race configurations ;-):


O2 sensor and V flange sub assembly:


Coming together:


A bit of trouble here - ARGH! Number 4 tube is quite high. This has always been a problem with the side draft configuration and my manifold has been milled with a slight up angle and cleared around that particular tube.


Fit up, yep #4 not looking good for me:


There it is - Drat!


So I had to break out the MAP gas and heat and beat the tube plus some hogging of material on the manifold and a bit on the carbs but in the end it all came together nicely - there is a thin aluminum heat shield that is later sandwiched in there too:



New muffler bits:


It is now back in the game. Some teething pains (self created) but it came together as expected. My install I would say is not typical and for me this header was a major solution. I will add more in another post about some of the other details but I am quite happy with it.

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Yes, great job detailing your install, thanks. Now please do the same for the REST of your car! :) I'd love to know what all of the modifications are; suspension, brakes, engine, body, etc....car looks good and like a lot of fun.

As a side note, related to your experience of modifying the header. I've thought about using one of these headers to make into a 4:2:1 header. Cut off the four primary tubes at the appropriate length as the travel down. Merge each matched pair of cylinders. Then make a pair of secondary tubes that curve under the car before merging into the final tertiary pipe.
By the way, those welds on the China header do look good.
 
OK the teething pains I mentioned. So I made an improvement and did not put a big enough washer on the outboard studs to secure the manifold and header flange. Low and behold I blew out a piece of the gasket. Which is really inconvenient because the gaskets are not just drag and drop. I have to open up each port with a burr and stone to match my head and manifold and not by just a little bit. Man I hate that job - Argh! I fabbed up some new gaskets, dropped them in and put on larger washers. All seems good and well now.




Washer diameter too small to secure the header - new special nut



So the improvement, well I have everything opened up quite a bit on the intake side of the engine and have maxed out what can be done on the PBS manifold and after all the porting work I have a very thin side wall on the runner. Something I never caught was that as I tightened the outer manifold nuts the open end of my wrench was gouging into the wall and ultimately created a small hair line crack. This is NG because it now has a small air leak.


Deformed wall on the right side (looks like a nub)


So I had a friend try to weld it up but that was just not working. I cleaned up the weld buggers and you can see the light coming though the crack.


I opted for the worlds most expensive solder - aluminum solder and filled the hole. All seems good now.


So the improvement, I took a pair of M7 nuts and drilled and tapped them for M8 so I can use a smaller nut driver. I also ground down a pair of wrenches to the box end with fit over the nut. I seem to be good to go now.

I have a few missed opportunities I may address next year. I have not really opened up my exhaust ports so there needs to be some port matching with the header AND I need to tune the lower profile of the intake manifold flange because it has some contact with the header flange and the ports are not 100% aligned.

#3 and #2 show the mismatch below right at the head- something to look forward too. ;-)
 
Have you used manifold mounting nuts that take a 12mm wrench rather than the normal 13mm wrench?
 
I can relate to the manifold gaskets mod, I need to do the same to mine in order to fit the ports. And what's interesting is my ports are not that extreme; basically port matching, cleaned everything up (those factory castings are pretty bad), and a little shaping. But that was enough to make stock gaskets not fit correctly. I also find that gaskets made for the FI heads (such as mine) are even worse, so I get the carb version and add the correct scallops for the injectors while I'm modifying them.

That PBS intake manifold must be VERY thin. :)

You also reminded me of another little glitch I came across while making everything fit on my engine. The intake manifold (FI version) mounting flange and the exhaust manifold (UnoTurbo cast iron) mounting flange actually touched in a few places - at the shared mounting studs/nuts. That allows a lot of direct heat transfer between the manifolds, not good. So I faced them to add a air gap between the manifolds. Not sure if the contacting surfaces was because of mounting a UT manifold on a X1/9 head, or just poor castings.
 
Have you used manifold mounting nuts that take a 12mm wrench rather than the normal 13mm wrench?
These are available as copper lock nuts from Belmetric - perfect for this application - recommended to me by a local Ferrari tech and I've used them ever since.
 
The M7 nut uses an 11mm wrench. They are steel so the smaller size seems to not have stress issues. It was easy peasy cuz I have oodles of them from my Renault resto.
 
I second that, a flex joint really helps prevent cracks. The early style exhaust that had a long heavy arm extending from the transmission/lower engine mount to the muffler was intended to preclude this problem by making the entire exhaust one solid piece that moves together with the drivetrain. But there is just too much weight and vibration and heat.
 
So if I remember correctly, longer primary tubes equals better torque vs. shorter ones which is more hp. Be curious to see if you notice anything.
 
A 12 point nut works well in tight places too. These use a 12 point 11 mm socket.
P1050191.JPG P1050194.JPG
 
Mike, do you have a thermocouple on each exhaust runner? If so, has it been much of a benefit with tuning, or are they for other purposes? I've contemplated using EGT as a tuning aid, but the external tube temps look much easier to do, making it more realistic for monitoring each cylinder. Curious what your experience with them has been, thanks.
 
Sound video - A bit of a cold start up



Some pages from a study Brad Garska did 11 yrs ago. This was for my engine. Brads engine and a stock engine required a slightly different header.




 
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