Header install problem

[jbahra]

I don't know what people would do without these web pages. I just wanted to say thanks to v10man for referring me here since I also made the mistake of buying Borla headers without looking here first. I noticed you have had problems with your headers and that most of you (I think) have a 1999 Ford. I also noticed somebody posted a part number of 17172 and my question is -> I have a 2001 F-250 V10 auto and Borla headers part #17185 and wondering if anybody has had the problem with this part # or year truck with borla headers? Thanks again for the posts they have been extremely helpful.

[Dr Matt]

V 10 man

Yes the factory fitting was supposed to seal by bottoming outthe tapered shoulder at the end of it's streight cut thread and the bung on the Borla's is a pipe thread. If your factory fitting would thread together at all you had me beat. Mine would not even catch a thread. I took mine to a machine shop to have my factory fitting rethreaded to pipe thread but they could not do it for some unexplainable reason. Instead they cut off the threads and welded in the pipe plug that came with the borla's and drilled a hole in the plug. Duh I could have done that if I wanted to but would have preferred it to be one piece.

jbahra

The EGR fitting for a '10 is completely different than on the '99. When I first had the problem with my Borla's I ordered fittigs for '99-'01's. According the the computer at my local dealership there is only one fitting for the '99-'00's and a different one for the '01's. I ordered them both and the '99 was exactly the same as mine but the '01 was totally different.

BTW the Borlas are not an equal lenghth tuned header. Does anyone know if the Banks are? If so I would expect even better performance with them.

[Stan Wright]

My dad (a tool and diemaker) and I looked at the fittings. He initially thought the Borla fitting could be easily retapped for the Ford fitting, but we realized he had been looking at the O2 sensor fitting (God love him) [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] He did some measuring and found the fitting in the Borla headers is a 3/4 X 14 pipe thread fitting. The parts list that came with the headers called the fitting 1 1/16 X 12, but that didn't match anything. He said the Ford fitting was either metric or an AN fitting. I've checked most of the auto parts stores in town and no one has the correct adapter, or even knows if they make such a thing. He suggested cutting the threads off the Ford fitting, welding the Borla-supplied pipe plug to it, and drilling a hole in the pipe plug. It looks like that's what I'll probably end up having to do.

[V10 man]

Dr Matt,

The Banks headers are not equal length but I believe they are a bit longer than the Borlas. The Motorhome V10 headers are long tube design, maybe even equal in length.

I wonder if a complaint to the California Air Research Board(CARB) would get a little action? Something along the lines of Borla is knowingly selling aftermarket CARB approved devices that the emmissions equipment cannot and will not opperate correctly. Maybe if a powerful government agency got on their butt they'd do something. Anyone want to fire off a letter to them? [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] The BBB should also get a letter.