GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I just receive my ported exhaust manifold for my 2004 base Vibe from Boosted2.0 and it looks more like a header rather than a stock manifold. I don't have a problem with that at all. The workmanship is great and I'm pleased with the results. But, my problem is that it doesn't have a place to mount my 02 sensor. I'm not talking just no place to insert the O2 sensor but there is literally no room what so ever to mount the 02 sensor in the exhaust system before the first catalytic converter. If I'm right this sensor is pretty damn important and I've been searhing all of the forums: vibe, matirx and celica to find a way to fix this without having to send the header back for replacement (if possible). Any ideas? I thought about hollow the cat (as soon as I can figure out how) and lenghten the wires so that I can plug in the o2 sensor after the hollowed cat and before the functioning cat. I'm not sure that this is a good idea though. I would still have to do something with the second sensor so I don't have to look at the damn cel all day.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Did you ship him one from a vibe or did you order one from him? The headers from a celica are different and from a post on here a while back of someone getting a celica header i think they said it didnt have a bung for a o2, so you'd have to get one welded in from a exhaust shop or someone you know.I am having boosted2.0 port a header for me but i bought a second exhaust header to ship to him just to make sure it was the correct header for the vibe.

I went ahead and installed a DC Sports header. I'm assuming you are talking about a 1ZZ engine. The transformation is nothing short of incredible. Tons of smooth power from idle to redline. My stock manifold was so friggin' ugly, I can't see how it could even be ported. The inside is in a two layer configuration with huge joints between the sections that are not even welded. Unless this inside layer was completely removed, I see no hope. The DC header is a work of art. Nice ceramic finish, perfect fit and awesome performance. It even has an o2 bung in the right place.

The ported stock header was showing better gains than the aftermarket ones

Yup. Thats why I went with the porter stock manifold. I'm pretty sure I have a celica header and I have to get with him to exchange it or something. I ordered the manifold from him and talked to him on the phone for clarification. I work about 50 miles or so from him. He's cool. I'm sure he'll make it right. It just sucks to work in the 95 degree heat all day and then have to put the stock manifold back on with my brand new magnaflow exhaust. Oh well..live and learn.

Hey, I have been trying to figure this stuff out for a while now too. I'm very sry to hear about ur problem. I know how frusrating it is. Boosted also told me that the Celica header is identical to the Vibe, but for me I think they only truly match up if I use a header off of a '02 Celica. At least this is what Northvibe and I have come to think. I'm hoping Boosted knows about this stuff.Such minicule differences in Headers, but such large problems. lol

I believe he does. He seems real honest on the phone. Anyways... what I was in the process of doing until I figured out that the damn exhaust flange was a different size (the new one was smaller and I couldn't hook up my precat and such) was: I had hollowed out the precat (I've seen it referred to as the precat - it might just be 1 of 2 cats -whatever) , then I had soldered in additional wire to the o2 dongle and I was going to install it after the hollowed precat, but before the second cat. I was going to pull the second o2 sensor up under the carpet and replace it with an o2 sensor simulator that I saw online. Then I wouldn't have that friggin light shining on my dash all of the time. It seemed like it was going to come out ok until the flange issue. The header that boosted2.0 sent me was REALLY well done and the difference in appearance was night ad day. The stock manifold looks like crap! The seams need to be filled and the ground down smooth around every downpipe throat and along both sides of each downpipe - It looks like each tube in two tubes half-assed welded together. I would take a heck of a lot of work to make those presentable.

I got the DC sports header for the celica gt. It is NOT a perfect fit and it does need a O2 sensor bung put in. The holes in the lower flange where it meets up with the midpipe is about 1 1/2" closer together. And to top it all off, the whole thing is canted (just slightly enough to pi$$ you off during installation.)Other than that it's the same. I had the bung intalled before I tried to install the header in the car. Found out that it wasn't a direct fit. Then found out that I couldn't return it (because of the bung mod). So my bro-in-law and I MADE it work (mostly). I still have minor exhaust leaks but I'm hoping JP can add the right angle, flange, and pipe size to my midpipe and fix all my exhaust problems.

oh SNAPS! i was right, i forgot about this thread and there was another thread about headers, i think tcam made it....so the 03 vibe gt can have a 00-02 gts header, but the base vibe (1zz) will not fit with a celica header.