Bent Header

[SVT_2000Contour]

Ok so I was pulling up to the gas station when I went to far and hit the curb. Didn't think anything of it so I went on my way. Next thing I know the check engine light came on. At that time I looked, well my header is kinda bent in, not to bad or anything. But what do you think this would do to throw a check light? Also could it just be from the shock of hitting the curb??

Thanks,

C

 

[Blur2u]

Maybe it also damaged an oxygen sensor.....but the bent header could throw a CEL, depending on how bad or where it is. It is creating a restriction. I bet if you ran the code it would be a bad O2 sensor reading regardless.

 

[Primaris]

It is the O2 sensor. The dealer gave me a new header and O2 thanks to one of their idiot techs pulling head first into a parking spot and bumping a wheel chalk. If you bump the header you will be replacing the O2.

 

[SVT_2000Contour]

Its really not that bad, maybe a 1/16" deep to 1/8". I don't get how bumping the thing will mess up the o2 sensor. Maybe I'm wrong, feel free to fill me in on this.

 

[Primaris]

The header flexs and breaks the second O2 sensor on the transmission.

 

[Blur2u]

Yeah, I'm with Primaris.....can you take it to a place like Autozone and let them read the code? They do this for free. I am sure it will be a O2 sensor code.

 

[SVT_2000Contour]

Yeah I'll take it to autozone soon, I just replaced the front o2 sensor about 5k miles ago. This sux! Who in the hell designs something like this.

 

[Primaris]

I know it sucks, but it's not the designers fault. No part is designed to be hit by a curb.

 

[SVT_2000Contour]

haha true! *DOH*

 

[inteller]

I know it sucks, but it's not the designers fault. No part is designed to be hit by a curb.

well, part of it is design fault, because the header extends down below the generalized clearance profile for the rest of the car. If you are level with the car and look from the back to the front....or even from the front side, you can see the header extends down further than anything else.

 

[SVT_2000Contour]

That was my thinking, but I don't want to argue about it.

 

[Primaris]

well, part of it is design fault, because the header extends down below the generalized clearance profile for the rest of the car. If you are level with the car and look from the back to the front....or even from the front side, you can see the header extends down further than anything else.

While this is true we have a transverse mounted front exhaust engine. Where else could a header collector be located? Now I'm not picking on you. Before the Ford dealer crushed the crap out of my original header I also bumped a wheel chalk. But, I didn't hit it fast enough to damage the header or the O2. Nor am I arguing in any heated fashion, I'm just pointing out there aren't to many other possibilities for the designers to do or cover. Maybe the O2 bungs can be remounted to the side. But I think that would only let the o2 read two cylinders since there is a separator in the header.

 

[inteller]

i dont think the seperator is all the way down to the collector....have you taken it apart to check?

 

[Primaris]

I just saw one at the Nashville SVTOA event. The separator ends pretty close to the end of the header. Maybe two or three inches back from the end.

 

[FORDSVTPARTS]

well, part of it is design fault, because the header extends down below the generalized clearance profile for the rest of the car. If you are level with the car and look from the back to the front....or even from the front side, you can see the header extends down further than anything else.

Stuff like this is quite common actually, The Nissan Quest oil filter hangs off the front of the motor and if you put the front bumper too far over a parking curb you will bend,break or crush the filter many times causing a massive oil leak.

You could cause similar damage on a standard Focus because the cat is in the same place, the SVT is just a little lower and so requires a little more care as to where you park and the driveways you enter. It's the price we pay for driving a car with minimal ground clearance.

 

[Little_SVT_Man]

Speaking of headers, I recently damaged mine back in August; there's also a slight dent on one of the headers, too. My check-engine lite is on. I do here air leak underneath when I'm on the highway. I just took mine to my Ford dealership to have it looked at.

 

[pwnt04]

It could be an oxygen sensor, or you could have jarred something loose on your catalytic converter. Your secondary O2 sensor's function is to monitor the catalytic converter. If you damaged the converter and caused it to not function properly, the secondary O2 sensor will sense it and trigger your "Check Engine" light.

 

[RabidMongoos3]

ive wheel chocked my header twice pretty hard now thinking i had the clearance, and no CEL. guess im lucky so far.

 

[wagonman72]

O2 sensor, happened to me twice.

 

[Little_SVT_Man]

Yeah. I still feel bad having a dent on my header, but what can I do... $299.00 for a new header... but that'll wait.