This is in regard to my Summit Racing order 5795873
I have a 1992 Ford F-150 long bed std cab 4x4 5.0v8 Auto trans with overdrive. 108,000 miles
I ordered:
Summit Racing® Truck Headers SUM-G9035 (no brand given on website, box labeled Pacesetter)
Summit Racing® Cat-Back Exhaust Systems SUM-684012
MagnaFlow Direct Fit Catalytic Converters 93307

The truck headers "Unless otherwise noted, these headers are designed to fit the vehicle as it came from the manufacturer". However, the seat to the cat y-pipe is rounded, not conical like the OEM cast manifolds. This results in a poor joint to the converter pipe.

The Magnaflow direct fit catalytic y-pipe is at least 1/2" too narrow, with the headers loose, bolts backed out two turns or more. The passsenger side pipe rubs the side of the engine. probably wouldn't if it were wide enough that the header could be tightened down. The seat at the manifold interface is not large enough to tolerate any misalignment.

The cat-back exhaust system doesn't fit. either the pipe is too tall or the supplier hangers are wrong. I've tried the pipe in every orientation won't work.

Summit will give me a full refund on my parts. but because I ordered them individually i.e. as 3 seperate parts on one order, they will not cover the return shipment costs. I appreciate their full refund policy, but their parts don't work so why should I pay the est $100 shipping cost? My only mistake was being stupid enough to order from them.

I'm looking for two things out of this post:
1. Anybody tried this and had better luck? Any advice on how to put it together?
2. I'm hoping to cost Summit at least $100 in future business since that's about what they wouldn't cover on these parts.

I'm probably gonna have to saw up the Magnaflow direct fit catalytic converter to make it fit the headers.

I'm not happy.

 

I had to do some mods to very similar parts I got from Summit, too, for my f-250 with a 5.8. I had to enlarge one of the mounting holes on my Summit (Pacesetter) shorty headers so I could get all the bolts in. I had to cut and widen my Magnaflow cat/y-pipe. In addition one of the flanges that bolts to the header was the wrong size, so I had to chop it off and put one of the right size on. The only good news on my end was I got the Dynomax dual exhaust kit and it bolted right up with no problem. I will say that now that all the work is done my truck has a good sound and no leaks.

 

Gave up on the shorty headers. bought cast iron manifolds from NAPA

Talked to Magnaflow, they acknowledged the part was not right. They created a case that could have resulted in the return shipping costs paid; but I still needed the part and there did not seem to be a way to get a good one without relying on luck. So I ended up with:


Not found of hacking new parts to make them work.

Local exhaust shop installed the summit exhaust and it sounds great. They had to custom make hangers by the way.

Somehow I picked up a light throttle 10 Hz vibration that shakes the whole truck ALOT. Only is noticible at light throttle. doesn't do it at full throttle.

I checked the plugs, they are wired per a diagram I got from this site.
plugs installed for firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8.

checked base timing with timing light, it was off, removed SPOUT shorting bar and reset timing to 10 deg BTDC. reinstalled SPOUT. Still does it. (actually was worse before). with SPOUT reinstalled the timing seems to jump around alot.

Any suggestions on how to next investigate/address the vibration?

 

I would have done what I could and farmed out the rest to one of several exhaust shops near bye. Tweaking a y pipe, and minor mods to get what I want working wouldnt break the bank.

 

I havn't done any exhaust stuff on the truck yet, but anything I have have ordered from them has been a good fit and good value. Sorry to hear about your woes. I also don't usually order their house brand when it comes to parts, as i know they do not make them but farm them out to the lowest bidder.

Matt

 

The shop that finished it up for me told me I got a great deal on the prices.....I just expect stuff to fit

Any thoughts on the vibration? I can't figure out what I did to cause that. or how to fix it.

 

The vibration could be an exhaust resonance that either did not exist or you did not notice because of the difference in the exhaust

Matt

 

I had the same issues with the Magnaflow Y pipe and the Pacesetter shorty headers. The flare on the down pipe was almost too small to seal up but did work. The o2 sensor did not have enough lenght to reconnect either, I wound up extending the leads. I bought a Pacesetter CAT back system and its cheesy over the axle, it will have to be reworked when I put the 3/4 Belltech drop on. I could have probably just went to a local exh shop and had them custom make it all for the same price.

 

I wasn't clear enough about the vibration unfortunately; it wasn't a noise, it was head jarring knock the fillings out of your teeth, like driving 70MPH on a washboard road kind of vibration.

turned out spark plug #4 was broken off. smooth riding now.

yeah, I had to extend the 02 sensor by 6" also.


I do appreciate everyones comments. It all seems to be working now.
Mac