If you're looking at the header side of the flange, you're NOT looking at nuts, you're looking studs. The nuts are permanently attached and the studs comes out with the nuts. The nut is both to provide a wrenching surface and to trap a tensioning spring.
That's to what I was alluding earlier in this thread. It caught me by suprise, too.
Roadstersport Midpipe Installation
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hsiungfucius
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slartibartfast
- Posts: 111
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The NC header flange is threaded. The midpipe flange is not. It feels a little strange when unscrewing because it is a sprung connection (two springs are in there to keep constant tension...yet actually allow the header outlet to move a little like a ball in the socket of the midpipe receiving piece. Very cool bit of design. Anyway, those springs make removing the nuts feel odd...feels like you are not making progress even when you are. Whole assembly looks like this:
Also, it can be tough to get the nuts off the stud....very common the entire part unscrews from the header flange as you see above. You can soak them real good and use an impact gun (harbor freight sells cheap impact guns that run off your battery as emergency tire changing items for about $20). Anyway, common that the entire nut and stud will come out of the header flange rather than just the nut. If the nut is stuck to the stud as you see in this shot....then you likely will not get it back in. In that case, take these to local autoparts store and replace with simple bolt of same length and use that with the spring.
Also, it can be tough to get the nuts off the stud....very common the entire part unscrews from the header flange as you see above. You can soak them real good and use an impact gun (harbor freight sells cheap impact guns that run off your battery as emergency tire changing items for about $20). Anyway, common that the entire nut and stud will come out of the header flange rather than just the nut. If the nut is stuck to the stud as you see in this shot....then you likely will not get it back in. In that case, take these to local autoparts store and replace with simple bolt of same length and use that with the spring.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
ABOVE install is for the NC generation Miata.....but the NB generation RoadsterSport Midpipe is much the same. The NB version does NOT have the unusual header connection studs with springs. Instead, the NB version has a standard TWO BOLT flange. Customers regularly call and say we sent the wrong pipe because their car has THREE BOLT flange at header exit. That's NOT where the NB midpipe bolts. Look for the TWO BOLT flange connection point. The other tips here regarding length and using the slip joint are the same.
Note we locate the O2 sensor AFTER the converter instead of IN the converter. Why? Because with a highflow converter there is a good chance of a code if you leave the sensor between the two internal "biscuits" of the higher flowing unit. Thus, we locate the sensor connection a few inches BEHIND the converter to best avoid codes. Yes, the wires will reach (pinch the boot where it meets the body if you need to pull a little more wire as needed).
Note we locate the O2 sensor AFTER the converter instead of IN the converter. Why? Because with a highflow converter there is a good chance of a code if you leave the sensor between the two internal "biscuits" of the higher flowing unit. Thus, we locate the sensor connection a few inches BEHIND the converter to best avoid codes. Yes, the wires will reach (pinch the boot where it meets the body if you need to pull a little more wire as needed).
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
I got full exhaust installed few days ago.
Midpipe was pretty straightforward - both to remove and to install.
My mechanic got header and muffler installed first.
Then the midpipe could be located only one single way.
O2 cable extention for the nearest sensor was a bit short - so we unclipped the black connector (that the cable goes into) from the engine and it gave enough length.
For the farest sensor was way too long (definitely better than too short
). So we could route the cable as far away from the exhaust piping as possible.
Small issue - metal rod which is welded to the middle of the midpipe and goes into rubber "holder" (the part that holds midpipe suspended in the air) was a bit too long and touched PPF.
My mechanic just cut about 1 cm from it to make it shorter.
Gennady
Midpipe was pretty straightforward - both to remove and to install.
My mechanic got header and muffler installed first.
Then the midpipe could be located only one single way.
O2 cable extention for the nearest sensor was a bit short - so we unclipped the black connector (that the cable goes into) from the engine and it gave enough length.
For the farest sensor was way too long (definitely better than too short
). So we could route the cable as far away from the exhaust piping as possible.Small issue - metal rod which is welded to the middle of the midpipe and goes into rubber "holder" (the part that holds midpipe suspended in the air) was a bit too long and touched PPF.
My mechanic just cut about 1 cm from it to make it shorter.
Gennady
Re: Roadstersport midpipe installation
I just completed the full I/H/M/E install last weekend. Everything seems to be great so far, except that I'm trying to track down an intermittent, metallic rattle which seems to be coming from somewhere along the midpipe.
When I pulled the pre-cat O2 sensor, it had a dish-shaped piece of metal sitting at the end of the threaded part. I couldn't figure out an easy way to get the washer/gasket that was holding it on the threads off, so I left it on. I managed to get the O2 sensor tightened down appropriately into the midpipe, but I'm not entirely confident that the metal dish is staying in place. I intend to crawl back under the car later this week to take a look.
If my suspicions are correct, is it normal for that piece to be present and occasionally rattle, or is it okay/possible to remove it? If I can remove it, how?
Thoughts?
When I pulled the pre-cat O2 sensor, it had a dish-shaped piece of metal sitting at the end of the threaded part. I couldn't figure out an easy way to get the washer/gasket that was holding it on the threads off, so I left it on. I managed to get the O2 sensor tightened down appropriately into the midpipe, but I'm not entirely confident that the metal dish is staying in place. I intend to crawl back under the car later this week to take a look.
If my suspicions are correct, is it normal for that piece to be present and occasionally rattle, or is it okay/possible to remove it? If I can remove it, how?
Mine seemed a little long as well. It didn't touch when I installed it, but it was pretty close, so it's my second suspect. I still need to make a small adjustment since my exhaust's tips are slightly skewed, but if that doesn't adequately move it away, I may seek out a similar fix.Small issue - metal rod which is welded to the middle of the midpipe and goes into rubber "holder" (the part that holds midpipe suspended in the air) was a bit too long and touched PPF. My mechanic just cut about 1 cm from it to make it shorter.
Thoughts?
Last edited by t0ast on Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
2007 MX-5 Sport PRHT, BB, 5mt
AEM CAI, RoadsterSport Head+Mid+Q, H&R coilovers, FM Sways, Cobalt FSTB
AEM CAI, RoadsterSport Head+Mid+Q, H&R coilovers, FM Sways, Cobalt FSTB
Re: Roadstersport midpipe installation
That little dish shaped item around the O2 sensor was a rattle issue on mine too. I don't have a special answer on that other than I kept messing with it until I got it tight enough that it did not rattle anymore.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Re: Roadstersport midpipe installation
Good news: Fiddling around with it a bit did the trick for me as well. It's nice and tight now. Thanks!Brian wrote:That little dish shaped item around the O2 sensor was a rattle issue on mine too. I don't have a special answer on that other than I kept messing with it until I got it tight enough that it did not rattle anymore.
Bad news: My other suspicion regarding the midpipe's hanger was also correct. It's still really close to that chassis piece and since its rattle isn't being drowned out by the O2 sensor's loose dish now, I can hear it. Time to schedule a quick trip to one of the local shops to get it trimmed down a bit. After that, it should be perfect
2007 MX-5 Sport PRHT, BB, 5mt
AEM CAI, RoadsterSport Head+Mid+Q, H&R coilovers, FM Sways, Cobalt FSTB
AEM CAI, RoadsterSport Head+Mid+Q, H&R coilovers, FM Sways, Cobalt FSTB
Re: Roadstersport midpipe installation
In regards to the nut/stud connecting midpipe to header, if the nut remains stuck to the stud, why isn't it possible to reuse the factory nut/stud if this happens?
If this nut/stud can be removed, why can't it be reinserted? I imagine it's related to the nut preventing the stud from reaching the threads of the header or something related to the spring being hard to compress thus preventing the stud from reaching its connection point.
If this nut/stud can be removed, why can't it be reinserted? I imagine it's related to the nut preventing the stud from reaching the threads of the header or something related to the spring being hard to compress thus preventing the stud from reaching its connection point.