DIY Installing Header 7AFE Corolla 93 - 97

This DIY is for a 7AFE 1.8 motor .


This is a ceramic coated header and a magna high flow catalytic conveter .

First you must do is secure your vehicle . In this case I drove up on car ramps and jacked up one side of the rear and placed a floor jack for safety . Make sure you have plenty of room to work below and not be so cramped . Make sure you use a jack stands.

The first you do is remove the OEM exhaust cover . Then below you remove the 2 screws that are holding the oxygen sensor . Then you can loosen up the 5 bolts that hold the exhaust manifold to your head . It's better to remove the down pipe first then come back up to remove the exhaust manifold so that you don't hit the radiator and bend the fins .

I would start at the catalytic converter either unbolting or cutting the bolts off then , and unbolt the 3 nuts from the downpipe .

Once you have that removed then you can go back up and remove the exhaust manifold . You can use PB blaster to get the nuts off but if there so rusted it's better to replace them with high temp bolts you can buy from any hardware store .

Then once you have everything removed you can use your header gasket that came with your header and bolt down the 5 nuts back the the cylinder head and becareful you don't strip the stud in the head . Once you have that bolted down then you can put your oxygen sensor back on . Make sure you use the oxygen sensor gasket or else you will have have a leak from there and leaks are not good .

Then when you have the top bolted then you connect your down pipe using again your header gasket that came with your headers and then bolt the down pipe and your header together . I used lock type blue because these tend to rattle loose and off sometimes .

Now on your down pipe you have where the red arrow is showing a bracket where you put your down pipe mount .

If you do not use this then your exhaust system will shake and rattle . You need to put this back on your down pipe .

The red arrow is where you connect your bracket . Then you put your catalytic conveter on . Make sure you have the side with the heat shield facing down and make sure your OEM heat shield is there if not replace it with a aluminum piece . If you do not have this heat shield facing down when you park on a pile of leaves or dried grass the catalystic will catch it on fire . Make sure you use high temp bolts and lock washers so yoru bolts don't come loose . Once you have everything secure you recheck all your bolts and nuts . Then you start the car and listen for leaks . Once you feel you have a secure exhaust sytem then you can lower your car . You might smell some funny stuff but it's usally the coat on the header curing .

After a week goes by recheck your header nuts because sometimes the heat will flex the metal and they will come a little loose and all you have to do is hand tight . Check your oxygen sensor nuts . Check your other bolts too as a percaution . Do this for about 2 weeks and maybe a month after and you should be set . It's all up to you and how you maintain your vehicle . Everyone has there own way .