Doug Thorley Problems

Hey I just installed a Doug Thorley header on my 2011.

I encountered some problems that The Truck Shop in SD helped me out with.

1. The Air Switching Valve contacts the header air tubes to the point where they are almost one piece and unmovable.

2. The Intake Pipe Insulator was nowhere near bolt on ready and had to be heated up and bent.

3. There is an exhaust leak where the Intake Pipe Insulator bolts up to the header but I am going to address that tonight.


Has anybody else encountered these problems?

 

#'s 1 and 2 were problems I had. Had to grind bottom of valve to clear pipe which left a hole that had to be aluminum welded from inside of valve after having to take it apart. I didn't want to heat and bend the air pipe in case it should of weakened and cracked. The brownish goop is where it was touching the underside of valve.

 

dang Doug Thorley is blowing it!

The air pipe seemed like it was thick enough to withstand some heat and bending. Mine is going to have to be bent again cause there is a massive gap that was causing the truck to sound like a tractor.

How did you address #2?

Did you reuse all the factory gaskets? Did you use copper coat on the big manifold gasket?

 

Perhaps #1 was our only problem but I do recall another slight problem ( i beleive what you are referring to. It was two years ago we installed it ( I can barely remember what I had for breakfast) Yes, we copper gasketed everything with the stock gaskets.

 

I'm going to have to grind down my air switching valve as well.

Do you remember how thick the material is before you had to weld it?

 

.... y not just return it to DT n tell them of ur problems??? y ruin a perfectly good set of headers n have to hack up ur shit to get'em to fit?? if it was me, id send them back, tell DT to do more R&D n get that shit right! IMO. when i put mines on, only thing i had to "fab" was i stacked washers for spacers onto the mount that holds the header in location from the tranny.

 

I bought the headers through a reputible local shop. The owner said the Doug Thorley isn't very good to deal with and every header his shop installs has to be modified to fit. We already modified the air pipe to fit but the header cannot seal tightly against the head because the air switching valve.

I highly doubt that Doug Thorley will be of any assistance but I will try.

 

O well, already started cutting huh? Can't go back now! Lol

 

This is new to me ,have not read anything bad about DTs for the older 4bangers.
Was planning on getting some soon since lce stop making pipes for mine.

 

I can honestly say I had no problems aside from one of the bolts from the header to the cat pipe being frozen and having to cut it off (with only 5000 miles on the truck !?). I honestly felt everything in the kit bolted up and worked really well. I've got about 8k miles on the header and I'm happy.

 

Well, I returned my 1st header to DT in July, 3 months ago!

I received a new one in the mail this week and I just got done installing it. The header bolts up to the head correctly and the Insulator Pipe bolts up to the Air Switching Valve nicely(this was the previous problem). But the midpipe doesn't seal properly with the header. I can feel exhaust gases puffing out through the gap.

I'm going to try to see what I can do about it tomorrow but DAMN! I'm really despising Doug Thorley right now!


Has anybody else ran into this problem?

 

You need to replace the graphite doughnut gasket inbetween the header and midpipe. This is not included with the header, mine was in good shape so I was able to reuse it. But it does say in the DT install instructions that you may need to buy a new one.

 

I know that it's probably a good idea to use a new donut but I know that it won't fix the problem. The 2 flanges that meet up aren't equal all the way around. The gap is really tiny on one side and enormous on the other side.

I tried loosening up the midpipe to the first cat and twisting the midpipe but it wouldn't budge. Then I tried using a jack to support the cat and a pair of vise grips to clamp the flanges together and bolt them down. But as soon as I released the vise grips and jack, the gap opened up again.

It is almost like the flange was welded on the header a bit crooked!

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

Oh dear god, I just got my 2nd one that was shipped with out yours and am installing it tomorrow.......you have me worried already. I will fucking lose my shit if it doesnt fit.

 

I have removed and installed my exhaust manifold on my truck a total of 7 times already.

The 3rd header is being sent out to me and I will see if that finally fits. This whole ordeal has taken about 3 months.

 

I know what yyou mean. I originally ordered my header in March

 

3.5 hours of work and this is what Dough Thorley Header looks like. Ended up taking it to a muffler shop. They welded the catalytic converter pipe directly to the header flange. Shot a picture to D.T. they didn't even apologize, just inform me I had voided my warranty due to alternation.

 

Fack, one more reason to not buy those for my truck.

 

What a bunch of dicks form DT for not even apologizing for their shitty craftsmanship. Though

 

Sorry Doug Thorley sucks so bad. That's why I hate aftermarket junk.