Jochen

Hi,

last year i bought a set of B&B Shorty Headers from a Forum Member. They were new, never installed before i bought them. A while ago i installed them, and found out that they didnt really fit.

They mount to the cylinder heads without a problem, but the mounting bracket for the alternator didnt fit after i installed the headers, so the flange of the headers needed some "customizing" to make enough room for the rear alternator braket...
That was not the biggest issue! The major problem was a hughe gap between the flange where the headers meets the H-Pipe / Cat Section. The angle of the header flange is different, and the gap between the header and the H-Pipe section is about 2-3 Inches wide!

I tried to solve this problem by cutting the flange from the H-pipe and weld a piece of 70mm exhaust tube to that flange. Then i conncted the two parts with a band clamp. However, i cannot get that thing really sealed...

The reason why i write this:

After all i think that this B&B Header is not the right one for my 97 C5 (even the seller advertised it as the "right one for my application). As far as i know, there are three different types of B&B Shorty headers for the C5. One for 97-99, a different one for the MY 2000, and then another one for 2001 to 2004 C5 Corvettes.

IU am planning now to sell the Shortys. But before i sell them, i really need to know for what year they are designed. How do i find out the best way?

Thank you very much for your help!

Rgds.

Jochen

PS. trying to post some pictures...

_Will_

It's going to be tough to tell unfortunately.

You definitely were sold the wrong ones. I have them and they fit easily with no issues, really a nice piece.

Jochen

Thanks!

So if its not the 97-99 it can be a 2000 or the 2001-2004 design.

Trying to include a picture from the flange/h-pipe section:



Or here:




Hope one will work...

_Will_

Your best bet is to take some really good pictures of each entire headers on each side, and e-mail them to B&B to see if anyone can tell the difference.

How are the emissions laws in Germany? Might be a good time to upgrade to longtubes.

Jochen

Emission laws prohibit the use of any equiment which is not certified from the german TUV (or equal institution). However, if you have a permission or an authorizing paper that the part you are installing will not change emmissions to the bad side, you can get a special permission to use such a header.

The B&B is the only header for which such an permission exists (according to my information...), so that was the reason why i choose the Shorty. There is no LT that will get such an permission... on a legal way!

Jochen

_Will_

You could always get some Kooks long tube headers, weld them up in front of the stock cats, grind of the "kooks" on one of the upper tubes, and keep the paperwork for the B&B headers. I doubt whatever German official inspects under the hood will know the difference.

flynbya2

There is another easier option for you

How about you pick up a late model h-pipe with good cats?
Everything should bolt up fine now that you have solved the problem with the other fitting issues.
They will have he correct angle and length at the collector with no gap,so that will solve that little issue

And, they are really cheap used!

Besides,your cats are probably about due to be replaced anyways.
Mine went bad 2 years ago on my stock 98 with only 36k mi. on them

This way you can keep your headers and upgrade your cats(newer) at the same time and quite cheap!
Sounds good to me!

EDIT: I just read this other thread about cats and has some interesting info in it about the different year cats and their differences.Looks like you might need to tweak the 'puter a little if you switch the midpipe to a later model one
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1561846713

ILM-Express

My Vette is a 99 and my B&B's fit perfectly

97 to 99 should look like this, less the Jet-Hot coating

Jochen

Hi folks.

Thank you very much for all your replys and help!
Here a picture from the header i bought:



The difference is really easy noticable! The headers i got sold are way to short...Thank you for posting this pictures!

I just wrote to B&B and sent them a picture from the headers i have. They will tell me for what year they are.

I am still not shure what to do now. Going back to stock and selling all the stuff i have (i still have the stock manifold and H-Pipe in my garage, at the moment i am using a R/T cat and x-pipe unit, that fitted the original manifold without any problems), or changing to a LT (which might cause me BIG trouble with TUV and the cops - and the inssurance in case of an accident...) or just using this header and looking for a H-Pipe for the year of header that i have.

I guess the easiest way would be to look for a H-Pipe/Cat section that fits the headers, so i dont have to mess around again in the engine compartment... and i really do like the looks of this headers. They sound nice, and due to the ceramic coating they really dont get the temperature in the engine compartment higher than the stock manifolds...

Thanks again for all your help.



Jochen

0Doug@MorosoPerformance

No problem with the installation on my 99.

mrm1149

that would be the path of least resistance. In the end you WILL pick up at least an honest 10 rwhp if not more. The B&B shorties are a very good product and well worth the effort

ILM-Express

Ja hat jemand Sie die falschen Titel verkauft.

Die Titel, die Sie müssen, sollten aussehen, wie abbaut.

Haben Sie einen guten Tag

Oz

Jochen

Danke

(Thanks)

jovette

The shorty headers you purchased are for a 2000 vette. You can tell because the right side/passenger header AIR pipe is still on #8 cylinder, and the headers have the shorter collector, which is present on all 2000 and later C5s. The right side AIR tube is on #6 on all 2001 to 2004 C5s.

Jochen

Thanks jovette, great info!!!

Does that mean all 2000 and newer H-Pipe / Cat Units will fit physically to this header without lots of modifications to do?

Jochen

flynbya2

I would ask B+B if there is any difference in length between the 2000 and the 01-04 systems

If the answer is no,they should all physically fit.My guess is YES they will

Take note though,as I stated above,about the differences in the make -up of the cats themselves between different year systems

You may have to tinker with the 'puter a little,then again it may give you no problems.

Jochen

Thank you, i am still waiting for the response from B&B to confirm jovettes info, before i am looking for a stock Cat / H-Pipe Unit. Maybe i will use the R/T X-Pipe and connect it to the stock cats. I didnt get any more HP from the R/T cats anyway, so going back to stock wont hurt me there...

Codes are no big deal. In case the PCM throws one, i can handle it with HPTuners...

Rgds.

Jochen

Jochen

The response from B&B confirmed that its a 2000.

However, when it comes to the qustion if all 2000-2004 H-Pipes will fit, they just metion the different design styles:

They are very fast and forcomming in their answers which is great! I wrote them back again and asked if they can find out if there is a difference in lenght of the single tubes...

mrm1149

The 2000 model year B&B shorties are year specific due to the h pipe that year. I know as I had them on my 2000. Great shorties by the way

Jochen

So i will need a 2000 H-Pipe/Cat to fit this B&B Header?