Hotshot header stuff

[Wayne Cox]

At 10:41 AM 8/23/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Yes they make power, however, the product is put together by a barrel full
>of monkeys, and "customer service" is some foreign language that Hotshot
>doesn't seem to understand. If Hotshot ever gets some real

I have to agree - the HotShot headers have been very problematic for
me.  Particularly the flex pipes breaking.

I got one of the very early first-gen headers back in Oct 1996.  The flex
pipe started leaking and broke within the year.  HotShot was good about
replacing it, and sent me out a replacement secondary pipe for no charge,
however.  That one later broke the same way.  Fixed it myself by finding a
flex pipe at a local muffler shop and getting our Mil-Spec Certified Welder
at work to (beautifully) TIG it into place.  Later the primary
cracked.  The whole time the "ceramic" coating was fading and flaking
off.  During this time, the car spent several lengthy periods of down time
in the garage, so I'm not sure of the actual miles or months it was in
use.  Probably less than 3 years.

The quality on this 1st-gen was also spotty.  Holes punched for the smog
fittings didn't completely release, leaving metal discs protruding out into
the runners.  Weld splatter was all over the place, impeding smooth flow,
particularly at the junction to the head ports.  Alignment between the pri
& sec was never perfect, unless the joint was twisted a little off its
natural centering point (maybe that's why my flex joints broke?)

I did order a 3-rd gen header about 3 years ago, that I've never
installed.  Quality is a lot better, but still not like the headers the
Honda boyz have to choose from.  I called HotShot recently to order a plug
for the EGR fitting (finally going to install it on the NX.)  I had no
problem getting someone on the phone and ordering two plugs.  Even showed
up within the week.

    -Wayne