KLZE header query
Posted: 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.
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.
