Disappointed in DT Header welds and Ypipe. Just me?

[TimeCrunch]

Just dropped some cash on the LT Headers and Ypipe from DT. They came in today and the welds look...meh?

The mating surface looks uneven on the headers and I'm worried about the gasket leaking.

There is still a bit of wire inside the ypipe from welding too... It honestly reminds me of week 2 of welding class. I probably wouldnt have passed with some of those welds.

Maybe I'm asking for too much for $1200?

4runna - Album on Imgur gallery with a few more pics

 

[royal T4R]

Got any more pics?

It is hard to see the lip you are talking about but i can see that the header mating surface looks like it has the machining/grind/cast marks from before the welds were done.

 

[TimeCrunch]

Got any more pics?

It is hard to see the lip you are talking about but i can see that the header mating surface looks like it has the machining/grind/cast marks from before the welds were done.

Only whats in the gallery at the bottom of the post. I can take some more pictures tonight. I'll try and use a real camera instead of my phone. The lip is from the weld bead and tube alignment.

 

[0verland]

The Y-Pipe definitely looks like trash... that said, it is on the inside and who cares what it looks like as long as it its structurally sound with no leaks. As far as the headers go, can you physically feel a lip to the inlet flange of the headers? Is it not a flush surface? If not that is when I could see it being an issue. Mine looked very similar and haven't had an issue in the year and a half they have been on. My 4Runner was actually just at the shop that installed my entire exhaust system, to include the headers. They were welding up my rock sliders and I had them look over the entire exhaust for any leaks, everything checked out.

When I installed my DT headers, I used Stage 8 8918 10MM header locking bolt kit and new OEM gaskets, rather than the factory hardware and the gasket provided by DT. I did contact DT directly prior to install and they said the OEM gasket will work the same. Personally, I went with the OEM metal gasket over the DT simply for the life expectancy of the gasket. Arizona is extremely dry, so I didn't think it would stand up to the task. I felt the metal will last much longer than the DT provided, which seems to be a rubber compound of sorts.


Parts if you want them.

17173-50030
17198-50010
STAGE 8 8919 4.7L V8 TOYOTA 10MM HEADER KIT

 

[zbadboy69]

What are there noticeable performance benefits to DT headers?

 

[TimeCrunch]

The Y-Pipe definitely looks like trash... that said, it is on the inside and who cares what it looks like as long as it its structurally sound with no leaks. As far as the headers go, can you physically feel a lip to the inlet flange of the headers? Is it not a flush surface? If not that is when I could see it being an issue. Mine looked very similar and haven't had an issue in the year and a half they have been on. My 4Runner was actually just at the shop that installed my entire exhaust system, to include the headers. They were welding up my rock sliders and I had them look over the entire exhaust for any leaks, everything checked out.

When I installed my DT headers, I used Stage 8 8918 10MM header locking bolt kit and new OEM gaskets, rather than the factory hardware and the gasket provided by DT. I did contact DT directly prior to install and they said the OEM gasket will work the same. Personally, I went with the OEM metal gasket over the DT simply for the life expectancy of the gasket. Arizona is extremely dry, so I didn't think it would stand up to the task. I felt the metal will last much longer than the DT provided, which seems to be a rubber compound of sorts.


Parts if you want them.

17173-50030
17198-50010
STAGE 8 8919 4.7L V8 TOYOTA 10MM HEADER KIT

The headers do have a noticeable lip, you can feel it.

I paid money for it, so I care if it's assembled properly on the inside....It does pass initial visual structural inspection. I do see plenty of stress risers though.

Thanks for the advice and part numbers. I will go with the OEM gasket for the same reasons. I was considering the titanium bolts for them but perhaps not.

I see you have the Gibson catback? How do you like that I ordered one a few weeks ago.

 

[TimeCrunch]

What are there noticeable performance benefits to DT headers?

It's a fix for cracked ones. Slight possibility for increased MPG via increased HP from the header/ypipe combo.

 

[0verland]

The headers do have a noticeable lip, you can feel it.

I paid money for it, so I care if it's assembled properly on the inside....It does pass initial visual structural inspection. I do see plenty of stress risers though.

Thanks for the advice and part numbers. I will go with the OEM gasket for the same reasons. I was considering the titanium bolts for them but perhaps not.

I see you have the Gibson catback? How do you like that I ordered a few weeks ago.

I get it. To me its not a deal breaker and personally I would be annoyed but I wouldn't stop me from installing it as long as it wasn't leaking.

The Gibson side exit does have a great deep tone to it and I really like it... now. I found that it droned between 70-80 mph, which made cruising on the highway a bit annoying. For that reason I added a Vibrant 1141 2.5" Ultra Quiet Resonator right upstream from the muffler. The resonator completely knocked out the drone without degrading performance, with its straight through design.

 

[TimeCrunch]

I get it. To me its not a deal breaker and personally I would be annoyed but I wouldn't stop me from installing it as long as it wasn't leaking.

I'm not going to send it back. It's pretty much my only option anyway. I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

 

[Inv4drZm]

Yeah its a lot of money, and yeah it's not the highest quality. But it's all we got unless you take it to a fabricator to build one from scratch. I was aware of this beforehand.

TBH mine looked better than yours. No big lips on the flange and no welding wire protruding out that I noticed.