MBRP catback + JBA headers

[Mikk2K]

I recently installed JBA shorties along with a MBRP catback exhaust. It sounds fantastic and I love it. The only complaint I have about it is that the check engine light came on after about a 100 miles of driving. I wouldn't care so much about that, except for the fact now my remote start doesn't work.
Below is a clip of a cold start with some reving.

[ron10]

nice.

[Edge.128]

that sounds pretty good!

[mrray13]

The CEL is most likely caused by a leak around the stacker flanges. In removing my JBAs we noticed that the stackers were leaking. I keep getting a CEL, p2097 and p2099, which is an overrich condition on the rear o2s, that can be caused by an exhaust leak. User Mankind here applied high temp RTV around his flanges after talking with me about this and his CEL went away, and to the best of my knowledge, hasn't returned.

In short, give the system a once over upstream from the o2 sensors. Meaning the weld around the stacker flange, the stacker flanges themselves (most likely culprit) and the manifold gasket area. If nothing else, try the RTV inbetween teh mating surfaces of the stacker flanges and see what happens.

Otherwise, that setup sounds pretty darn good!

[Mikk2K]

Thanks guys. The sound is exactly what I was looking for.

Originally Posted by mrray13

The CEL is most likely caused by a leak around the stacker flanges. In removing my JBAs we noticed that the stackers were leaking. I keep getting a CEL, p2097 and p2099, which is an overrich condition on the rear o2s, that can be caused by an exhaust leak. User Mankind here applied high temp RTV around his flanges after talking with me about this and his CEL went away, and to the best of my knowledge, hasn't returned.

In short, give the system a once over upstream from the o2 sensors. Meaning the weld around the stacker flange, the stacker flanges themselves (most likely culprit) and the manifold gasket area. If nothing else, try the RTV inbetween teh mating surfaces of the stacker flanges and see what happens.

Otherwise, that setup sounds pretty darn good!

I do remember mankind's thread, but I was really hoping to have 67 GTO's luck with the headers. The next time I have up on the lift I'll give the system a look over. I think I'll still put the high temp RTV on there none the less. I won't be able to get looked at for a couple of weeks until mid April. I'll just have to put up with CEL until then. I know I can get a OBD II to clear the code, but is there another way to clear it? Will the fuse pull clear it all?

[John VS]

mrray,

Been meaning to ask someone about this. The "stacker flange"? Is that the section where three pipes join together?

I guess I'm not understanding why, if there's an exhaust leak in the part, it doesn't get sent back for a new one? But it's probably that I don't know what an "stacker flange" is.

[Mikk2K]

I went over to autozone today to have them pull the codes to see what the CEL was for. Like many people before I too was getting the error of 2099 bank 2. I also got PO603 pcm error not sure what that one means.

[mrray13]

Originally Posted by John VS

mrray,

Been meaning to ask someone about this. The "stacker flange"? Is that the section where three pipes join together?

I guess I'm not understanding why, if there's an exhaust leak in the part, it doesn't get sent back for a new one? But it's probably that I don't know what an "stacker flange" is.

The stacker flange, as JBA calls them, is the section that joins the headers to your midpipes. The headers has the stacker welded on from JBA, your shop, or you, cut ~ 10" off your midpipes (downtubes, cat section, whatever you'd like to call them) and weld the other in the place of the removed section. They basicly look likt "T"s that have no gaskets. Then you place a v-clamp aorund them.

In reality, it's not a good setup. JBA could have done much better there. Mankind has used RTV and now a gasket, to fix the leaking and hopefully dicovered a cure for those of us that had/have the CEL while running the JBAs.

[Mikk2K]

I went to the shop this weekend and had the guys take a look at the exhaust system. They didn't find any leaks, but I still had them put high temp RTV on the JBA headers to provide a better seal.

Since I had over a thousand miles on the system so far I asked if they saw any carbon build up to indicate a leak, there was no build up.

I got to about 140 miles before the check engine light came on again. These headers are giving me giant head ache. I am really regreating ever intalling them.

If anyone could help out with any other suggestions that would be greatly appreciated.