IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013) Discussion about the 2006+ model IS models

PPE Racing headers quality control

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Old 10-28-21, 08:00 AM
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GrizzlyMan
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Default PPE Racing headers quality control

A grand and almost two months of wait time gets you this from PPE!











From far away it looks fine, 😂

A lof of metal lips that I had to remove, overstep IMO looks and feels as if the headers were done by a noob machinist.
And to add insult to injury Paul from PPE called me and said for the inconvenience he would give me a PPE WATER BOTTLE!!!
*simply wow

Water bottle shown for illustration purpose only. Actual product may vary due to product enhancement, 😂😭


Last edited by GrizzlyMan; 11-14-21 at 03:27 AM.
Old 10-28-21, 10:16 AM
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AMIRZA786
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LOL whoever is head of quality needs to be fired! Those wouldn't touch my car. You're sending them back I assume
Old 10-28-21, 01:11 PM
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Question, are the welds good and are any of the tubes compromised? Assuming they fit (no way to know ATM), it's all cosmetic except the burs and flash inside the pipes?

What's sad is that stuff would show up through a ceramic coating too. Which would be better than a water bottle! 👍🏻
Old 11-01-21, 03:57 AM
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Originally Posted by GrizzlyMan
A grand and almost two months of wait time gets you this from PPE!











From far away it looks fine, 😂

A lof of metal lips that I had to remove, overstep IMO looks and feels as if the headers were done by a noob machinist.
And to add insult to injury Paul from PPE called me and said for the inconvenience he would give me a PPE WATER BOTTLE!!!
*simply wow

Water bottle shown for illustration purpose only. Actual product may vary due to product enhancement, 😂😭

Thats terrible product qc. I'd send back.
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Old 11-01-21, 06:49 AM
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Ultra4
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That's the QC I was expecting to deal with for my ebay'd maximizers, but they showed up in showroom shape.

"Grinder'n paint makes me the welder I ain't" only works if you paint over your flaws. Some of those mandrel gouges look deep enough to affect the thermal capacity of the pipe. Keep an eye on them for differently colored areas after some heat cycles, if you pick up a header tick, that'll be my first suspect.

I guess they've never heard of putting masking tape on tool jaws over there at PPE. Or foil tape, if you insist on table grounding.
Old 11-01-21, 08:22 AM
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Deburring a pipe takes 5 seconds with the right hand tool. Seriously?

Alot of those odd marks along the bends is typical, as part of the mandrel bending process. But those long scrapes and tiger claw marks are beyond acceptable in my book.
Old 11-01-21, 09:26 AM
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Headers were returned at seller's expense.

For the inconvenience Paul offered $100 off feom ceramic coating of $300. I would say is better than a water bottle.

What I googled and could not find, how can I distinguish between rattle can ceramic coating and authentic baked process? PPE Engineering said they only have black finish.

Old 11-02-21, 05:39 AM
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AFAIK, there is no header treatment that doesn't require thermal cycling of some sort to cure. Usually, the product will have instructions for how to run the engine for the first hour or so for curing.

Swaintech and JetHot are the two big companies I'm aware of that do headers, and $300 won't get you both headers done from either place...
Old 11-13-21, 07:03 PM
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After waiting two months for the headers, then about two weeks for the replacement, and hours of torterous wrenching, the freakin O2 sensor passenger side does not fit on the headers.

O2 sensor hits against the transmission cooler


My forearms look like I had a fight with a cat, knuckles hurt, my lower back is killing me. I was so motivated that it was all gonna be worth it...
Demoralizing...


PPE Engineering sent a new set

New set of PPE headers, ceramic coated black

side by side vs. stock, definite bigger collectors



***

below are pictures (screenshots) from other PPE owners...


Not my vehicle To show the proper clearance

(sample online images) the collector is much closer to the flange, clearing the O2 against the transmission cooler

Last edited by GrizzlyMan; 11-14-21 at 12:39 PM.
Old 11-13-21, 09:30 PM
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you'll need a 90 degree o2 sensors spacer anyways cuz if you put the o2 sensors in, the check engine light will pop up lol...
you'll need something like this:

Old 11-13-21, 09:50 PM
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Those are primary O2's, I would not want to use a 90deg adapter there. It's important that they get a good reading of the exhaust stream or the fueling will be off.

the 90deg defoulers are useful for the secondary O2 sensors to eliminate the CEL
Old 11-13-21, 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted by 93MSB
Those are primary O2's, I would not want to use a 90deg adapter there. It's important that they get a good reading of the exhaust stream or the fueling will be off.

the 90deg defoulers are useful for the secondary O2 sensors to eliminate the CEL
Correct that's not going to give the ECU a good finite read to optimize air/fuel and other. The very purpose of 90 degree ones is to mis-read and fool the ECU with a false kinda data.

All these option Suck but, you can try to file away some at the Trans cooler if it does not make anything ware and contact. You can have the bung fixed, cut re-welded up and moved, or send them back to RR. You are having some real problems with them for some reason. Are those PPE Headers RR is distributing and selling? Have you tried contacting PPE directly to see what going on about this?

Last edited by jgscott; 11-14-21 at 06:40 AM.
Old 11-13-21, 10:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Ultra4
That's the QC I was expecting to deal with for my ebay'd maximizers, but they showed up in showroom shape.

"Grinder'n paint makes me the welder I ain't" only works if you paint over your flaws. Some of those mandrel gouges look deep enough to affect the thermal capacity of the pipe. Keep an eye on them for differently colored areas after some heat cycles, if you pick up a header tick, that'll be my first suspect.

I guess they've never heard of putting masking tape on tool jaws over there at PPE. Or foil tape, if you insist on table grounding.
I have those Max Header also and am about to install them. My friend brought by his PPE Headers for me to compare. The Max Header quality is very good vs the PPE. I like that the collector is longer on the Max Headers personally.

Have you installed them yet? What do you think about them if you have? Did you get O2 extensions for the sensors? From where if you did?
Old 11-14-21, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by jgscott
I have those Max Header also and am about to install them. My friend brought by his PPE Headers for me to compare. The Max Header quality is very good vs the PPE. I like that the collector is longer on the Max Headers personally.

Have you installed them yet? What do you think about them if you have? Did you get O2 extensions for the sensors? From where if you did?
Can you post a picture of them?
IMO, these engines need the longest collector possible. That said, I'd take a longer collector over equal length primaries....
Old 11-14-21, 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by GrizzlyMan
After waiting two months for the headers, then about two weeks for the replacement, and hours of torterous wrenching, the freakin O2 sensor passenger side does not fit on the headers.

O2 sensor hits against the transmission cooler


My forearms look like I had a fight with a cat, knuckles hurt, my lower back is killing me. I was so motivated that it was all gonna be worth it...
Demoralizing...


PPE Engineering sent a new set

New set of PPE headers, ceramic coated black

side by side vs. stock, definite bigger collectors



***

below are pictures (screenshots) from other PPE owners...


Not my vehicle To show the proper clearance

(sample online images) the collector is much closer to the flange, clearing the O2 against the transmission cooler
Grizz, that sucks. You pull it off already? It sure doesn't look like it would clear even if you unbolted the exchanger, installed the sensor and put it back.

I will say that a Tundra truck tow package cooler would fit there. Same A760 trans. If you have a desire to run an aftermarket front cooler, you get the added cooling when needed and the quick heat up from the engines coolant.



See the 90° fittings out of the trans, it moves the whole cooler.

Not saying this should be your path, just an option if you don't want to pull and care to haggle some more.


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