rimpainter.com

Kids, don’t try this at home – unless you have a huge variety of tools, a sawzall, and a strong back. Everything you have read about the install being a pain is true. I am one of those “find out for myself” kind of guys. In all honesty, I was expecting it to be the worst thing I have ever installed, which probably made it not so bad. I highly recommend HPC as a protective/temperature reducing coating.

Removal: Soak with PB or similar, start removing everything from the cat forward. At 77K miles and my rigs’ entire life in the SW, all my bolts/nuts came off with a little muscle. The crossover pipe is the hardest thing to physically remove. Just cut it off! I spent 1.5 hours trying to wiggle it out like Edelbrock says to do. I have a 1” body lift, and I still could not get it out. From there, everything is self explanatory.

Install: The stock gaskets were in great shape, but they did not match up with the Edelbrock port size on the new headers. There is no way I was going to chance it. The Edelbrock gaskets fit much better with the new headers. The absolute hardest part of the install is the drivers side, center pipe, 14mm nut. This literally took me 2 hours and a trip to SEARS to tighten down. Don’t skimp on this part – otherwise you will have gasket leaks. After the headers are on, fit the new crossover assembly together. Tighten everything to 50%. Now you must do some cutting on the cat inlet. I had to cut the pipe all the way to the stock weld. Bolt up the cat so you can align the new flange for welding. Once aligned, make a mark on the cat inlet pipe and the new flange. I took it to Midas and tipped the guy $10 to weld it on.

*NOTE* If you do not have one of these, get one before you do the install. It is the only way to tighten down the driver’s side header properly. I had to use this 14mm head in conjunction with floor jack handle extension to turn the nut 1/10 at a time. That was horrible.


First impression There is definetly a little more power, especially at midrange. I would estimate about 10HP. It fires up quicker, and is actually a bit quieter. My 30 – 70 MPH 3rd gear WOT test runs revealed a slight gain. The steel wheels I installed a week ago appear to have slowed me down a bit, but the headers have made up the difference.

Conclusion Would I do it again? Yeah, I guess. I was a little disappointed to be honest. I thought I would be able to feel more of a difference. For the cost of the headers, HPC coating, and miscellaneous parts, I am up around $650. So, if you are going to install them yourself, then yes, they are nice. If you are paying $300 or more for the install, then no. You would be at $1K – which is way too close to TRD SC territory.

Get that crap outta there!


HPC/Edelbrock's up close


Edelbrock set-up


Side view (w 1" BL)

SLC Punk

Nice Pics!

Those look good with the HPC coating on it!

Vato Loco

Wow those headers look real good, do you see a supercharger in the future?

rimpainter.com

No.

KING

You should have painted the headers black so they can match with the black look of the truck. Chrome doesn't fit too good with a lot of black.

So your rig sounds quieter with the headers as opposed?

MTL_4runner

Christian, thanks for sharing the pics and all.

I saw you used open crowfoot wrenches but I find these work even better for future reference.



I thought the headers were in the $350 range, how did the total come out to $650?

rimpainter.com

Keep in mind there is a black cover that was removed for the install/picture, so the headers are not visible unless you really stick your head in there. It does sound quieter. I have had that happen with all the header installs I have done in the past on various vehicles...no real surprise, just interesting.

MTL_4runner

I think the HPC coating looks good esp since it is in the engine compartment.
Matches all the rest of the aluminum in there.

rimpainter.com

Hey those are cool! I might have to pick up a 14mm. Where can I get one?

$375 Headers
$200 HPC
$75 miscellaneous tools, supplies, etc. (high estimate)

MTL_4runner

There are the cheapies from Harbor Freight:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=20774

.....or the nice ones from Snap-on (what I have):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2458063994

KING

If you had to do it all over again, would you do it?

In other words, is it worth what you paid for everything that you would do it again?

rimpainter.com

Yeah, I would. I learned a lot about my rig, and I truly believe it restored the lost performance associated with my heavier steel wheels. In fact, I know it did. Before I ran steel wheels, my 30-70MPH WOT 3rd gear time was 11.7 or so. I never tested after I got the wheels, but I know that it felt slower, and I could not chirp second gear like I used to. 30-70 times are back down around 11.66.

Since the chance of getting a SC are about as good as me getting hit by lightning, it was the next best mod.

3.4v6

looks good ... where did you get the headers from or did i just miss it?

rimpainter.com

I got the headers from Summit Racing. Took about 3 weeks since they were backordered.

KING

Black Steelies are heavier than the stock alloy? Interesting. I had imagined otherwise.

You plan to hang on to the 4RUNNER for a number of years from what you have told me, maybe down the road, the signs of a SC will gradually become more clear.

In fact, being in and around this YOTA site, I can almost bet that within, let say, two years, you'll have one in there.

rimpainter.com

Get married and you will change that philosophy!

KING

I'll get back to you on that one...

MTL_4runner

I can second this one!!!

BruceTS

almost wish I could have afforded headers when I did my engine replacement.....

I'm glad to be single again! and in a few months, no more child support payments either.....

rimpainter.com

For me, the joy's of marriage far outweigh the bad times. But let's face it, this is a thread about headers, so back on track we go!