No one here is having a go at Chrome! Far from it ... it is better that we all know what any issues are and venting a little frustration is no bad thing!

Chrome, all my stuff came in one box and the one gasket missing is definitely the up-pipe to turbo.

I will try and phone Max seeing as my email to him did not get a response.

Cheers
Paul

 

OK ... simple error with the gaskets - Max will send the missing one to me on Monday. Now, just gotta suss out the down-pipe (I could always knock an inch off my back box I spose)!

 

sounds odd re: dp ..
double check with Max as to the why- and how to get around it??

 

"Hi Brad,
Doh... will send all these (header gaskets) out first thing Monday.
The uppipe bung is M12x1.25 as verified by our mechanics
Thanks
Max"

 

A stab in the dark......has anyone had a change of circumstance and does
not want thier Exhaust Manifold and up pipe for a classic.......if so i am willing to buy...

Cheers

Bash

 

turns out that we ALL ar emissing the heads>manifold gaskets!!! grrrrrrrrrrrr
max sent them out priority post on monday direct to me btw.
will 1st class em out to all when they arrive.
to say I was a bit pissed off was an understatement when I found EVERYONE had no header gaskets!!
max got a nasty email demanding to know wtf thery were playing at!!
we also had one order to jersey go completely awol.. and one DP to scotland too..
feckin cowboys in the warehouse methinks...

sigh


btw- spennyB- empty your PM inbox!

 

Chrome,

just on that note, i have still not heard anything about my Downpipe and the package code for tracking is a load of ****.......Sounds like its went missing also!

This guy has not got back to me regarding 2No. E-mails sent over the past 72Hrs.

Chris

 

oh ffs.
will phone him tonight and have a go..


sorry chris

 

max is on vacation. and has been for a few days apparently.
I am waiting on Mike @ GruppeS to email me back confirmations of both shipping of the gaskets, AND your DP chris.
thanks for your patience.

 

argh.
the saga goes on...
apparently the suppliers did not send the shipment of header gaskets to GS. hence the lack of for us lot.
apparently they 'forgot' to mention the gasket issue to me.
Mike is sending out FOUR sets of header gaskets to these people:

**waiting for confirmation**

The rest are being sent in around *10* feckin days or so when their supplier gets their *** into gear.
------------------------------------------------
ChrisK:
believe it or not, your DP has been sat in their storeroom!!!!
I bollocked them over the phone over the incompetence too.. ffs

so, that's now on its way saturday AM (our time). apparently the tracking number IS valid. but it helps if the goods get POSTED
Sorry again mate.
I suggest you send an angry email asking for the number for their MD/manager and see if you can get a freebie or two for the inconvenience..

 

Chrome, PM Inbox now emptied...sorry mate, had an influx whilst away!...just read above few threads though, cheers again, don't stress, we'll get there!

...just an excuse to have them on the kitchen table to look at until I can fit 'em!

 

fwiw: we CAN use the OE gaskets-
although I must warn that the gruppeS ones ARE thicker than OE!!

so you may have leaks from the OE gaskets if you use them in the short term!!!

..use loads of exhaust paste if you cant wait for the divvy suppliers to sort it out..


this is the last international GB i do.. you guys have been top - shame about the unreliability of the suppliers, and the suppliers suppliers..

 

Presumably the initial 4 sets of header gaskets will be going out to those most in need?

However, if it's a 'lucky dip' as to who the first four are, and one of them is me, then feel free to bump me to the second batch as I don't need my gaskets asap.

 

My nice new shiny downpipe which was about to go on the car last Friday is about an inch longer than stock when compared directly to the stock one and is sitting on my garage floor right now! This was a total waste of time .... this is what Max had to say:

QUOTE:
"As for the downpipe.. it should be the same length as stock.. unless you
have a JDM spec WRX which is actually more like 3-4 inches shorter..."
UNQUOTE:

What do you guys make of this? My car is a STI version 5. My car still has a cat in the dp so I assume that it is stock!

Paul

 

wtf?
what a mare this is turning into

 

Well, as an anecdote (of sorts), i had my headers fitted by PowerStation in Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Now, let's be clear; PowerStation are no fans of Gruppe S headers - from their experience of the mark 1 version primarily, and because they are not equal length, which to PS is the be-all and end-all.

But - they DID get them fitted. Of course it helped that they stock all the relevant missing gaskets (even though i assumed i had a full set), and loads of experience in this sort of thing. Their impressions were that it was an ok piece of kit, but the biggest downside was that when Gruppe S (or whoever the *real* manufacturers in Taiwan are) weld the pipes to the bolting plates, they don't clamp the plates, therefore quite considerable distortion occurs. This might well be why they supply much thicker gaskets that OEM, but in any case, PowerStation were able to crowbar everything into place, and tighten everything up without any leaks. They really aren't fans of these things, but they did a great job with what they had. I lagged them myself, which in itself was a 3 hour job, but that's another story.

Initial impressions (after about 300 miles);

1. Torque is greatly improved. Although, bear in mind i had a VF34 turbo fitted to replace a VF04 at the same time, so it's not a strict like-for-like comparison.

2. Engine noise is reduced (mainly due to lagging).

3. Some of the flat 4 burble has gone, but not all of it by any means.

4. The back box is significantly "livelier", with more noise, pops and crackles than before.

Overall, i'm delighted with the effects, but as i say, this was in conjunction with a turbo replacement on an already tuned MY97. If i hadn't had the work done by somebody like PowerStation it might have been another story, but so far so good.

 

phew.. at least one happy punter.

gimmemore: any joy?
well I found today that the upipe boss is DEFINATELY M12x1.25
also that the Defi 1/8pt EGT cant be safely drilled into a bung for the boss.. so for me it means drilling a new hole, and welding a boss somewere nearby and using that.

fwiw- I got some M12x1.25 for a song!
50p each! LOL local fasteners company- if anyone wants one I'll send em on 1st class

 

Yep, 12 x 1.25 it is. South Essex Fasteners will sell you the right bolt and washer for the cost of a first class stamp, in case chrome runs out.

 

Chrome,
I've just had an adaptor made to fit the Defi EGT sensor in the up pipe boss - £15 If you want one
It's made in Marine stainless so shouldn't pick up on the thread.
I removed the old adaptor and had them make a new one with the correct thread on. Should be fitting it on Monday!

Guy's do not fit std Stainless bungs in to stainless headers!!!
I know there hasn't been any mention of this yet, but just a warning

 

dyney- yhm

I had no idea about stainless into stainless.... doh
corrosion prone?

 

Chrome, do i need these 25 gaskets that came with my fuel pump?











- Sorry couldn't resist

 

markyboy:

dyney mentioned that if you put stainless bung into a stainless header you could well lose the thread after some heat has been put through it.. ie: run the car..
hm.

 

I was told theat the thread will "pick up". Basically you will have major trouble getting the bung out in future if you use a stainless bung!
I you do manage to get it out it is most likely both the bung and up pipe threads will be Fecked!!

If you use Mild steel, brass, etc bungs the threads should be fine

Just a little warning passed on to me, that I thought I'd share

 

Dyney, I would like one of those Defi EGT adaptors. If you can help, would you email me at richard.hopkins@emap.com with your addy and I'll post off a few quid.

Cheers, mate

Richard.

 

Richard no probs
YHM

Does anyone else need an adaptor for the Defi EGT sensor/Helix up pipe?
The std Defi Adaptor does not fit in the up pipe boss.

This adaptor replaces the Defi supplied part.

The bottom one is the old Defi supplied adaptor, the top one is my new one to fit the Helix up pipe (boss= M12x1.25).

Cost shouldn't be more than £18, hopefully less

Iain.

 

*cough* gb anyone?

 

Mmmmm........I do like a good group buy.

 

btw- a little bird tells me that 1995 2.0 ford transit gaskets will work a treat for those in a rush...

 

Wa-hey!!...gaskets delivered from Max a few minutes ago (not personally, of course...)

Now have two head>manifold gaskets, plus (curiously) another manifold>up-pipe gasket...more the merrier for future use

Cheers Chrome,

Spen

 

Has anyone apart from me actually fitted their headers yet?

Come on, i can't be the only person who now thinks he's got a jet-propelled Scoob?!