Some may have seen my headers thread in the Exhaust section, I thought I would start this here to get peoples opinions: Warning rant starting
Last year I purchased some stainless steel extractors for my 1UZ, since then I have pulled them off 4 times myself after fitting to chase air leaks. In hindsight I should have checked first, but this last occasion I was at my wits end with these farting headers. After some reading I pulled them out (not easy in my 4Runner) and checked the header->head flange. The result: Both were insanely warped.
So yesterday I took them to a reputable engine machine shop to get machined. Note* I need my car, it is my daily, I can't afford to wait while they are sent back OS to the manufacturer.
These things were so warped it took over two hours on the machine. Both of them had massive dive offs at each end. The worst side was bad enough that the shop had to machine 1/4" off the whole flange to get it remotely square! Looking side on you can easily spot how much thinner the middle of each flange is now.
So, two hours labour and $154 later I have nice flush header flanges ready to be refitted for the 4th inconvenient time.
The purchase story goes: I bought them off an Aussie company (won't be named yet as i'm sure he'll be helpfull) who imports them from somewhere in the US. They are made and designed to suit the 1UZ engine.
The question is: Who should wear the cost, which equates to over 25% of the purchase price? Me? The person who imported them and onsold for a profit? Or the manufacturer who supplied the shythouse product to begine with (not sure who, I think the box said X-Power or something of the sorts)?
Last year I purchased some stainless steel extractors for my 1UZ, since then I have pulled them off 4 times myself after fitting to chase air leaks. In hindsight I should have checked first, but this last occasion I was at my wits end with these farting headers. After some reading I pulled them out (not easy in my 4Runner) and checked the header->head flange. The result: Both were insanely warped.
So yesterday I took them to a reputable engine machine shop to get machined. Note* I need my car, it is my daily, I can't afford to wait while they are sent back OS to the manufacturer.
These things were so warped it took over two hours on the machine. Both of them had massive dive offs at each end. The worst side was bad enough that the shop had to machine 1/4" off the whole flange to get it remotely square! Looking side on you can easily spot how much thinner the middle of each flange is now.
So, two hours labour and $154 later I have nice flush header flanges ready to be refitted for the 4th inconvenient time.
The purchase story goes: I bought them off an Aussie company (won't be named yet as i'm sure he'll be helpfull) who imports them from somewhere in the US. They are made and designed to suit the 1UZ engine.
The question is: Who should wear the cost, which equates to over 25% of the purchase price? Me? The person who imported them and onsold for a profit? Or the manufacturer who supplied the shythouse product to begine with (not sure who, I think the box said X-Power or something of the sorts)?
