Hey everyone,

I completed the 3.4L swap a few years ago. Everything has been going good but I just got a pretty serious exhaust leak in my crossover pipe from ORS. I was wondering what people are using for headers now that Downey is gone. And...if anyone has any headers they recommend. Or anything for sale?

Thanks,
Marge

 

mt. goat had a similar, maybe exact issue like yours. ORS came out with a new recommendation not to wrap the headers, but to actually get them ceramic coated. Check his thread and see if it's the same crack/issue that a few members have run into: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f160...5/index30.html

 

Yeah, if you're set on headers, some used or leftover Downey's are what you're stuck with. I looked at all the brands I could find available, and called the companies that didn't have pictures of their products, and even got a couple companies saying they'd never heard of swapping that engine into our gens. Probably the most economical route is doin like Mt Goat did.

 

Yep, I had my crossover wrapped. Once I heard the exhaust leak I pulled off all the wrapping, tons of flakes fell out, I had painted the crossover but apparently the heat and wrapping had jacked it up something fierce. And one of the welds had a pretty decent hole in it. I am gonna try to pull it off and get it to an exhaust shop where they can patch it up. Then I will get it coated if it is not too much money. Thanks for the link BoostinChick.

But, nah, not set on headers. The compression on the engine isn't great to begin with so I will have to do a complete rebuild in the next few years. And based on the current condition of the engine I don't think headers will give me much of a boost.

Thanks guys,
Marge

P.S. If anyone has a set of headers they are willing to sell lemme know ;-)

 

It's not just the ORS cross-over. I had mine custom made, but didn't have an expansion joint put in it. So, where the pipe meets the flanges on the exhaust manifolds has started to crack due to the different expansion and contraction rates of the pipes versus the engine. Next time around, I'm having an expansion joint put in and, if I can find someone locally, I'll have them ceramic coated.

Getting the cross-over out isn't going to be very fun at all.

 

Unless you plan on getting a sc, forget the headers and just get the cross-over repaired. Do you have a flex section after the cross-over? If you don't, you need it. The cross-over should also be bolted to the tranny bellhousing at the flange like the OEM cross-over. Ceramic coating is recommended, especially if you are running a sc. If you have the sc, you need a coating that will withstand the higher exhaust temps it will produce.

So far I have over 12K on my swap and haven't developed a crack, yet. Hopefully never. My truck is my dd, fifty commuting miles every day on expansion jolt ridden socal freeways, offroad miles in the Sierras and the Mojave desert and so far so good, no crack. I had both the exhaust manifolds and the cross-over ceramic coated (Jet-Hot Coatings), and have the required flex section. I do not have the cross-over braced yet, but thats coming up.

 

i thought northwest offroad made some 3.4 conversion headers??????

 

Nah Camo, they were one of the companies that acted like they thought I was on crack for asking. What they told me was that they were looking at a long tube header for the 3.4, and maybe developing one like Downey's, but that they didn't know anything about using it for the swap.

 

Yep, pretty much decided on pulling the crossover off, getting it repaired, and then getting the exhaust manifolds and crossover ceramic coated.

RobD, any tips for getting the crossover out? It does look like a sonofabitch job but if I can get my hands on another daily driver I will just take my time with it.

Cadman, what do you mean a flex section after the crossover? There is a flex section on the section that goes from the passenger side manifold to the driver side. But nothing else. Also bolting the crossover to the bellhousing? For added support or...?

Yeah, I have a little over 25k on my swap now and so far everything has been awesome. This is the first real problem I have had. But it is my daily driver and the truck is getting pretty old. I am looking into getting a tiny honda civic hatchback as a daily driver and then fixing up the truck as a camping vehicle only.

 

Well, briefly looking at mine, I'm thinking I might have to drop the tranny to make it easier. I haven't looked too closely, but I think it will just be easier than working my hands and tools in between the firewall and back of the block.

I wouldn't recommend bolting it to the bellhousing. It needs to expand and contract as it heats and cools, and I would imagine that bolting it down would make that more difficult.

Mine has around 92 000 kms (approx 57,500 miles) with nary a hiccup. The only problem I have is that stupid crossover. Oh, well...next year, now that winter is coming.

 

Okay,

I have all the crossover nuts off. But getting the crossover off is not as easy. It is hanging up on the studs which I could potentially unscrew but...I am not sure they will come out of the exhaust manifold very easily. Anyone have any tricks for pulling the crossover off the exhaust manifolds?

Thanks,
Marge

 

I was looking at mine and wondering if it might just be quicker and easier to drop the tranny to get the crossover out.

 

Hmm, not sure. I tilted the transmission to try to angle the exhaust manifold studs down. But the crossover is still hung up on them. I might try unscrewing the studs or pulling off the exhaust manifolds, then I might be able to get it out.

I will let you know.
Marge

 

Uh yeah, couldn't get the crossover out. So...I removed the transmission. That made it a lot easier. I had some really bad cracks and one hole in the crossover. I am gonna take it to a welding shop for repair and sandblasting along with the exhaust manifolds and then I am planning on sending them all to a ceramic coating place.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where to send my exhaust manifolds and crossover pipe to get ceramic coated?

Thanks,
Marge

 

Alright, so I took the crossover to an exhaust shop. The guy said the crossover metal was "crystallized" or "layered" which means it won't weld up nice. Anyone know what that means? It did look pretty bad. He also said that getting a new one won't help much because the metal is not stainless. So I was thinking about picking up some of those OBX headers. They are for a 1999 - 2002 4Runner but the bolt patterns are the same right?

Here is a picture:


Thanks everyone,
Marge

 

Apparently I can't figure out how to post pictures. Ah well, here is a link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mariogia...eat=directlink

Thanks everyone,
Marge

 

Looks similar to what mine looked like. I basicly layed a new section of pipe over the old section, one strip at a time. The wrap was the problem, it held the heat in and allowed the metal to get red hot and oxidize. There is a place in OKC (Performance Coatings) that does ceramic coating.

 

From what I can see in the pics, it looks repairable to me Marge. The guy that was welding on that either didn't know what he was doing or didn't have the proper tools or didn't care*. It would probably be best to find someone that does TIG welding to repair it and have it coated. If you can find someone with a TIG welder take them my pics of how I repaired mine (see link in post #2). If you can't find anyone in Enid, get it to me in Edmond and I'll do it for a price.

*Its obvious he was using a MIG welder on it and didn't even bother to wire wheel it to get down to good metal. Not saying it can't be repaired with a MIG but it will be harder for them. Getting down to clean metal is a must!

 

Thanks Dale!

Yeah I just moved from Enid in June, I was in Air Force fixed wing training at Vance AFB. Now I am living in Enterprise, Alabama flying helicopters for the Air Force at Ft Rucker. Thanks for the welding offer though. I am gonna try a welding shop around here.

Thanks,
Marge

 

Good luck and thanks for your service to our country.

God bless