2010 headers - Second time around
02-14-2010, 07:11 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 329
2010 headers - Second time around
In this thread I talked about what a pain it was to install some JBA shorty headers on my 2010:
https://mustangforums.com/forum/2010...sive-pita.html
Today I finished installing some Kooks longtube headers with catted X that I bought from another forum member. It took 9 hours working alone over 2 days this weekend. No lift, no air tools. The install of the longtubes was actually MUCH easier than the shorties. This is mainly for two reasons:
First the shorties were very convoluted and it was hard to tighten some of the bolts because the twisted primaries were in the way. With the longtubes, the primaries stick straight out giving ample room to tighten the header bolts.
Second, when your trying to bolt up the stock H pipe to the shorties, there is very little room to get a wrench around the top of the bolt to tighten it up. Bolting the stock h pipe to the shorties is very time consuming and frustrating. You dont have that problem with the longtubes since the mid pipe to header joint is further back under the car.
The easiest side I found is the drivers side. You only have to remove the K member brace, disconnect the steering shaft, loosen but don't remove the motor mount, and move the sound tube aside to get to all the bolts and get the new header in there.
The harder side is the passenger side. You have to remove the starter, motor mount, battery and battery tray, cover under the engine, and jack the engine way up to get the parts in and out and access all the bolts. The starter bolts are a little tricky to get back in once the header is installed. Use some extensions and a swiveling ratchet adapter to get to them from the front through the K member.
I haven't had a chance to drive it much to assess any power gain or change in sound. I'll report back on that later.
https://mustangforums.com/forum/2010...sive-pita.html
Today I finished installing some Kooks longtube headers with catted X that I bought from another forum member. It took 9 hours working alone over 2 days this weekend. No lift, no air tools. The install of the longtubes was actually MUCH easier than the shorties. This is mainly for two reasons:
First the shorties were very convoluted and it was hard to tighten some of the bolts because the twisted primaries were in the way. With the longtubes, the primaries stick straight out giving ample room to tighten the header bolts.
Second, when your trying to bolt up the stock H pipe to the shorties, there is very little room to get a wrench around the top of the bolt to tighten it up. Bolting the stock h pipe to the shorties is very time consuming and frustrating. You dont have that problem with the longtubes since the mid pipe to header joint is further back under the car.
The easiest side I found is the drivers side. You only have to remove the K member brace, disconnect the steering shaft, loosen but don't remove the motor mount, and move the sound tube aside to get to all the bolts and get the new header in there.
The harder side is the passenger side. You have to remove the starter, motor mount, battery and battery tray, cover under the engine, and jack the engine way up to get the parts in and out and access all the bolts. The starter bolts are a little tricky to get back in once the header is installed. Use some extensions and a swiveling ratchet adapter to get to them from the front through the K member.
I haven't had a chance to drive it much to assess any power gain or change in sound. I'll report back on that later.
02-15-2010, 07:59 AM
#6
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 329
Sorry, no pics. It was just me on my back in the driveway.
The sound is very different than the stock H and shorties. It is only a little bit louder than the stock H and shorties. However, inside the car and cruising it is quiet until you get on the gas and it gets louder. But not objectionably loud. Just right in my opinion. The stock H and shorties sounded very burbly and muscle car like. The catted X and long tubes sound smoother, and less burbly. If you've ever heard a infiniti g35 or G37 stock exhaust, that is more like what the car sounds like now. I like it but am afraid I'll miss the burble.
As far as the power goes, it really pulls now. I definitely noticed an improvement. I was expecting maybe a little loss on the low end, but actually it feels like I gained some low end grunt over the prior set up. Overall I am very happy with the change.
The sound is very different than the stock H and shorties. It is only a little bit louder than the stock H and shorties. However, inside the car and cruising it is quiet until you get on the gas and it gets louder. But not objectionably loud. Just right in my opinion. The stock H and shorties sounded very burbly and muscle car like. The catted X and long tubes sound smoother, and less burbly. If you've ever heard a infiniti g35 or G37 stock exhaust, that is more like what the car sounds like now. I like it but am afraid I'll miss the burble.
As far as the power goes, it really pulls now. I definitely noticed an improvement. I was expecting maybe a little loss on the low end, but actually it feels like I gained some low end grunt over the prior set up. Overall I am very happy with the change.
02-15-2010, 11:23 AM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Deep in the <3 of Tx
Posts: 3,925
Do you have stock mufflers? Because with my boomtubes, the sound is A LOOOOT louder with my Kooks + catted H. I recently put my stock mufflers on for a few days for grins and the sound was a lot quieter. Now that the boomtubes are back on, it's back to being loud as the devil's car.
02-15-2010, 04:25 PM
#10
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 329
Do you have stock mufflers? Because with my boomtubes, the sound is A LOOOOT louder with my Kooks + catted H. I recently put my stock mufflers on for a few days for grins and the sound was a lot quieter. Now that the boomtubes are back on, it's back to being loud as the devil's car.
