FastMustang06

Thanks for the encouragement and helpful tips.

FastMustang06

I tried the JBA shorty install today and yeah, it ain't fun! This is where American engineering gets beaten up by Japanese and European cars!

First, I don't know how small their hands are and how tiny their tools are! I think Ford has been watching too much Lord of the Rings and has hired elves and dwarfs to assemble their cars for them.

Second, JBA's design ain't a perfect fit for the V6 and the install is much complicated than the stock headers! There's some bolt holes there that ain't necessary which just cause some leaks in the headers! I have to use the old ones to get a good and perfect install.

I spent 4 hours to do the passenger side and I haven't done the driver's side yet! Wish me more luck and I hope nothing breaks!

FastMustang06

I'm finally done with the install after I relocated the brace that was on the way and move it behind the header bolts. But I still need to do some tuning as I can still hear some ticking noise starting at 2000rpm. I hope it just requires a break in period to get rid of that ticking sound or else it seemed like a leak to me.

I did spend some $95 at PepBoys on tools that can be useful for the install and I'm gonna re-torque the screws again tomorrow. It still saves me $130 if I had it done at Midas who was hesitant to do the install at first anyway, so I guess they are also a newbie like me in this header install.

Other than that the exhaust sound is much more throaty, it also removed the vibrations that I have from my true dual GT take offs! My high end torque seemed to improved now with a much crispier throttle. About the HP gain, I don't seem to feel it yet or it may never have any noticeable gain at all!