Nismo header install sucks!!

pigzsnout · 06-17-2009, 10:39 AM

Well I started yesterday afternoon at 4:45 in the blistering heat and humidity of south mississippi. BIG MISTAKE!!
Well everything went so-so for the first 2.5 hours until I was ready to start unbolting the head bolts. I had to acquire the assistance of my dad to shock the nuts loose by hitting the end of the ratchet with a 5lb. beater. I'm positive I would have destroyed the nuts and my knuckles if I would have kept trying to break them loose by hand. I had quite a bit of trouble tightening up the nuts once I installed the nismo LT's. It was difficult to reach the nuts with the stock manifold in place, but once I installed the LT's it got even more difficult due to the individual header tubes making it impossible to use a ratchet.
Once I got the headers installed it was pretty easy to get everything bolted back up and into place for final tightening. All in all the entire passenger side took me from 4:45 to 9:53 to complete. I would have never thought it would take me just over 5hrs to complete one side.
This morning I got up at 8:00 and started working on the drivers side at 8:30. I got the steering shaft out of the way, the AFR sensor out, the motor mount bolts loosened, the engine raised, the heat sheild removed, and the b-pipe out. I did all of that in just over 1:15. I decided to stop there until my dad is home from work so he can come over this evening and help me get the head nuts off again. I hope to have and should have everything done this evening.
Wish me luck.

Oh yea, for anyone about to attempt a task such as this, I recommend you use a metal rasp or file to and file down the sarp edges on the top of the upper A-arms. They are very sharp, and my left forearm has some pretty bad and painful scratches. Especially when they get covered in grease and grim.

dksfowler · 06-17-2009, 11:03 AM

man that sucks to here this mine should be here this weekend. and was looking at doning them myself. mm maybe I will call around and see what it will cost me

pinoytitan · 06-17-2009, 11:06 AM

installing headers on this truck sucks!!! NO space whats o ever. Nismos aren't as hard as the DT headers.

Good luck!!!

layer1 · 06-17-2009, 11:09 AM

No one said it was going to be easy. Buddy and I did my long tubes in 5.5 hours and I have a 4x4. You just need the right tools and mind set. Yes, some bolts are going to be tough to get off and difficult to get to but thats the nature of the beast.

**DeadRiver** · 06-17-2009, 11:44 AM

sometimes i underestimate how long a particular task will take and feel demoralized.

then i think back to when i was in my teens working in my dad's shop and experiencing the same set back i experience when tackling projects on the titan.

the difference is that back then i was getting paid by the hour, and now it's just my free time. funny how that changes your perspective on things.

like the other day i was changing my oil, a very simple, quick job. you know what became the most time consuming part? CLEANING! I let the stealership change the oil last time and the mechanic was not to tidy about things... if you've changed your oil you'll know what i mean. the inside of the skid plate was coated with oil as was the cross member, sway bar, oil lines adjacent to the filter, etc.

hang in there, it's a tough job!

chieflikalotapus · 06-17-2009, 11:51 AM

Where did you get the nismo LT from and how much if you don't mind me asking

**twistedfreedom** · 06-17-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layer1

No one said it was going to be easy. Buddy and I did my long tubes in 5.5 hours and I have a 4x4. You just need the right tools and mind set. Yes, some bolts are going to be tough to get off and difficult to get to but thats the nature of the beast.

I wonder how you did that in 5.5 hours!!!!! you must have had a helping hand

**DeadRiver** · 06-17-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistedfreedom

I wonder how you did that in 5.5 hours!!!!! you must have had a helping hand

some tool with some tools helped him

**twistedfreedom** · 06-17-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadRiver

some tool with some tools helped him

Sounds about right.

pigzsnout · 06-17-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chieflikalotapus

Where did you get the nismo LT from and how much if you don't mind me asking

I was gonna order them from leeparts.com but when I called to order them I was told the production has been cancelled. I was given a list of dealerships that have the headers in stock per the nissan parts database. I called the first dealership in West Virginia and was told $885 plus shipping. HA!!! I called the second dealership on my lst which is in Oak Ridge, TN. They had a set that they sold to me for $600 shipped. The set was installed and removed from a '05 titan. The CEL light was on due to the O2 sensor and the owner wouldn't sign acceptance of the vehicle like that. The dealership honored it, and removed them and refunded the owner. I got them as a 'open box' item. They were on the truck a total of six days, and looked brand new with hardly any exhaust suit in the pipes.

layer1 · 06-17-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layer1

No one said it was going to be easy. Buddy and I did my long tubes in 5.5 hours and I have a 4x4. You just need the right tools and mind set. Yes, some bolts are going to be tough to get off and difficult to get to but thats the nature of the beast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistedfreedom

I wonder how you did that in 5.5 hours!!!!! you must have had a helping hand

You must have missed the part about Buddy and I..

O-FiveCC · 06-17-2009, 06:50 PM

Yeah its no fun install!! At least it is the easiest of the header install. It took me an 2 Titan friends about 4 hours to do mine. It helps having a couple extra people, cause someone can always take a break! LOL

pinoytitan · 06-17-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by layer1

No one said it was going to be easy. Buddy and I did my long tubes in 5.5 hours and I have a 4x4. You just need the right tools and mind set. Yes, some bolts are going to be tough to get off and difficult to get to but thats the nature of the beast.

took us about 6 hrs to install the DT headers on a 4x4 WITH a rounded nut...

titanss · 06-17-2009, 08:38 PM

It may suck, got my mechanic friend to install my Stillen's, but the first drive will make you forget all the time, aggravation and pain.

Hawaiianbasshead · 06-17-2009, 08:58 PM

I just got a quote from the local 4x4 shop owner (they did my buddies T JBA's, which he said was a mutherfuker) and they're doin mine tuesday quoted me $300

can't wait, I'm gonna keep on the PB blaster every day until then so as to insure no head studs break off

I told him I'd keep on it too since he was quoting me such a low price... he asked me what I thought would be fair and I told him I wasn't sure, I was gonna tell him $400 anyway glad I kept quiet LOL he did my buddies for like 4 or $500 iirc JBA's w/welding the stock cat back on and crap.. I had him come out and see mine were LT/bolt on. IF he comes in for $300 I'll pay cash, and give him a case of beer as a tip, gonna ask him what he drinks. I didn't tell him about the cash or beer parts but I did tell him I'm gonna be needing new tires soon 35 12.5" 20 so he knows I'm gonna be a repeat customer