KLZE header query

Badam · Post by **Badam** » March 24th, 2007, 4:27 pm

I'm working on a KLZE swap, and am in a quandary as to which headers to go with.

Engine is going into a '94 GS 5-speed I bought from a guy who cooked the stock engine. The engine & tranny are out.

The J-spec KLZE I bought from a guy who had it installed (passed smog tests too) and running well in a nice MX-3 who went wrong-end-first around a corner and wiped out, into the proverbial tree that was waiting. He parted out the car, and sold me the engine and tranny. He ran it with K8 intake & KL36 ECU - but sold that ECU before I came along. I plan to get it started with a KL07 I bought, and then chip that to KL36 specs.

Here's my quandary: The exhaust headers and collectors.

I have the K8 header and down-pipe collector/flex pipe that was installed with the KLZE. I have the K8 header from the stock donor '94. I also have a stainless header kit from XSPEED.

I noticed that the headers that came with the donor car, have integrated reactor chambers (not sure of the exact term) that I believe was a smog device, where air is injected in to burn the unburnt fuel. They look fairly restrictive, with a spiral metal core and a flow deflector at the bottom of the chamber - I presume that the core runs RED HOT and serves as the ignition source to ignite unburnt fuels - do I have that right?

Whereas the K8 header that came with the engine does not have this chamber, and drops straight down.

The XSPEED header looks the part, has great welding on it, etc.

I live in California, so need to pass SMOG tests when they come up. The donor car is actually good through April 2008 at the moment.

I spoke briefly to a local shop that does smog checks - I've known the guy for 15 years so trust that he's giving me good information - he says that if I show up for a smog test with the XSPEED header installed, I'll fail on the visual inspection, which puts me on the hotlist for going to a smog referee and all that entails - something I want to avoid! He says that "good" aftermarket headers that have a OE# stamped or tagged on them are OK. So I'd appreciate comments from listers that live in CA that can comment on smog tests and aftermarket headers.

If I don't use those XSPEED headers, then I have to choose between reactor core header and the straight through. Common sense would say "straight through of course, DUH!" but was slightly worried that the car/computer might be expecting it to be there which might get mixed signals if I mounted the non-reactor K8 header - or am I too paranoid? Comments please.

Lastly, the vacuum valve assembly thing that feeds air to the header (whether or not the reactor is there - right?) are they all the same, or not? Meaning, should I keep the vacuum assy that was working with the KLZE there - or take the vacuum assy that was originally with the donor car and swap that in? Again, I'm probably over-analyzing things.

If I do find a way to run the XSPEED headers, then I'll use an exhaust-wrap/tape on them.

Comments and all advice most welcome. TIA.

ryan_Fuerte · Post by **ryan_Fuerte** » March 27th, 2007, 8:56 am

you live in california!! what your calling a reactor, that is your post cat. You need those for emmisions i would believe. Usually most mx3's just have one cat between the driver and passenger seat. I would suspect that it is manditory for you to have the 2 post cats on each cylinder bank, to pass the visual inspection.

Badam · Post by **Badam** » April 7th, 2007, 1:05 am

ryan_Fuerte wrote:what your calling a reactor, that is your post cat. You need those for emmisions i would believe. Usually most mx3's just have one cat between the driver and passenger seat. I would suspect that it is manditory for you to have the 2 post cats on each cylinder bank, to pass the visual inspection.

So ... are we saying that the ONLY header to run in California and allow us to pass visual inspection is to use stock cast-iron header and heat sheilds? Is that really what everyone is doing?

I was hoping that someone would be able to share what they did to get around that.

And, just to make sure we're talking about the same thing, I took a picture of the 94 headers: <p>

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » April 7th, 2007, 3:33 am

OMG thats new to me.. i have never seen that lol.

Badam · Post by **Badam** » April 7th, 2007, 3:44 am

hgallegos915 wrote:OMG thats new to me.. i have never seen that lol.

Is it possible that this is a California-market-only header?

I have a factory 1993 manual - and it does NOT show this header ... which is from a '94.

Would one of the numbers in my VIN denote something interesting, I wonder

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » April 7th, 2007, 4:18 am

I think thats what it is, a california only header, theres some rando,m parts that are only california, cant remember what. Thats a weird azz state.

ryan_Fuerte · Post by **ryan_Fuerte** » April 7th, 2007, 6:54 am

yah california has a lot higher pollution control standards. I would think, that it would all depend on who was testing your vehicle. If they could spot the headers or not. you could try putting on aftermarkets (hot shot, obx, ss) and see what they say.

-Ryan