Berks HFC Installation Video on G37 370z & 350z
10-30-2009, 04:50 PM
#16
We just did the installation and while the bolts were a bit of a pain, this wasn't that bad. The key to the install is moving the intakes clear out the way to get good leverage on the bolts up at the top.
08-17-2010, 01:15 PM
#17
Thanks!
08-20-2010, 02:53 AM
#18
Installed mine today and it was not hard at all. A little time consuming when you are 215lbs and trying to work under a car on jack stands...tight space just makes everything slower. TOOLS are the main thing here, if you have the right ones then installation is not bad at all. I was very shocked...was getting a little worried after reading some of the other posts about how hard it is to remove some of the bolts and sensors. Must haves:
1/2" drive ratchet (1/2" is thicker and easier to break loose stubborn nuts/bolts)
1/2" drive extensions that = at least 24"
Swivel extension or swival sockets (a must!!!)
Slit socket as on the video for the sensors
Only "hard" part was the sensor removal. The slit socket is a life saver!
1/2" drive ratchet (1/2" is thicker and easier to break loose stubborn nuts/bolts)
1/2" drive extensions that = at least 24"
Swivel extension or swival sockets (a must!!!)
Slit socket as on the video for the sensors
Only "hard" part was the sensor removal. The slit socket is a life saver!
08-12-2011, 12:34 AM
#24
Just did this, actually swapped my stocks for someone's Berks, wasn't hard at all with right tools and heat 
And you can do it without removing intake too, especially for Berks 
Thank you for the video!
And you can do it without removing intake too, especially for Berks Thank you for the video!
01-31-2012, 10:47 PM
#25
Registered User
I installed Invidia test pipes this weekend, here are my take-aways if it will help anyone.
-My car is a 2007 and has been a New England car since new (see: salt, corrosion, fused together parts, etc.)
-Penetrating lube; just like **** lube for your girl's first time, you can't use enough. Be sure to let it sit for about a half hour though is the only difference.
-After the penetrating lube sits for a bit, scrub the holy hell out of all the nuts and bolts you can get to with a good wire brush. Getting any dirt off the hardware should make it easier for your tools to work since there won't be much, if any, dirt left to interfere with their gripping.
-Don't try this without 1/2" ratchet/sockets/extensions. 3/8" tools will NOT be able to handle the torque, especially for the aforementioned top bolts.
-Use SIX-SIDED SOCKETS, NOT 12 sided. 12 sided will just round off all your OEM hardware and then you're screwed - no pun intended. That being said, be sure to read my next point.
-If you have a New England or Northeast, Northwest, North whatever car like me that sees winter and any amount of salt, you will want to have a set of Craftsman nut and bolt extractors on hand or you will most likely fail. These beauties get hammered onto stuck or rounded nuts, have spiral cut blades inside that then screw onto the nut even more and bite it so you can break it free and spin it off.
-If your O2 sensors start to spin out of the hole, then give ANY resistance, STOP. Spin it back half the amount you got it to move, then hit it with more penetrating lube. Wait about 2-3 minutes, then try again. It may resist again after more of a rotation, REPEAT this process until it spins free. They are delicate, they are the last threads you want to strip during this project, and the cheapest O2 sensors I found for our cars are $110 each. *Removing the O2 sensors as the first thing you do under the car will probably give you more room for the other top nuts that are situated closer to the tranny and face the rear of the car.
-You will need a dedicated breaker bar for, at the very least, the top bolts. You may need it elsewhere.
-Take the 2 minutes to remove your entire intake system from the rubber tube that goes to the throttle body, down to and including the airboxes. You need the room and it's easy to do.
-I was able to take off the bottom nut of the header to cat flange from the wheel well easier than from under the car. I had my wheels off since I was swapping to my winter setup and it was a lot easier to get in from the side and have better leverage than from on my back. Plus, on the driver side, the clutch hose and bracket was in the way and I was nervous about bending/creasing/puncturing the hard line.
-Apply anti-sieze compound to the threads of all your new hardware. You don't want a fight like this if you have to do the job a second time do you?
-The top stud that faces rearward stayed in my header flanges and was actually in good shape once I cleaned it up with a wire brush and brake cleaner. DON'T GET ANY TYPE OF CLEANER LIKE THIS ON RUBBER OR PLASTIC BITS NEAR BY. I re-used the nuts for these along with some anti-sieze and all was well.
-Be sure all your flanges are clean so your gaskets will seal well. Use some carb or brake cleaner and a wire brush and scrub them real quick, then wipe them off with a shop towel.
-My car is a 2007 and has been a New England car since new (see: salt, corrosion, fused together parts, etc.)
-Penetrating lube; just like **** lube for your girl's first time, you can't use enough. Be sure to let it sit for about a half hour though is the only difference.
-After the penetrating lube sits for a bit, scrub the holy hell out of all the nuts and bolts you can get to with a good wire brush. Getting any dirt off the hardware should make it easier for your tools to work since there won't be much, if any, dirt left to interfere with their gripping.
-Don't try this without 1/2" ratchet/sockets/extensions. 3/8" tools will NOT be able to handle the torque, especially for the aforementioned top bolts.
-Use SIX-SIDED SOCKETS, NOT 12 sided. 12 sided will just round off all your OEM hardware and then you're screwed - no pun intended. That being said, be sure to read my next point.
-If you have a New England or Northeast, Northwest, North whatever car like me that sees winter and any amount of salt, you will want to have a set of Craftsman nut and bolt extractors on hand or you will most likely fail. These beauties get hammered onto stuck or rounded nuts, have spiral cut blades inside that then screw onto the nut even more and bite it so you can break it free and spin it off.
-If your O2 sensors start to spin out of the hole, then give ANY resistance, STOP. Spin it back half the amount you got it to move, then hit it with more penetrating lube. Wait about 2-3 minutes, then try again. It may resist again after more of a rotation, REPEAT this process until it spins free. They are delicate, they are the last threads you want to strip during this project, and the cheapest O2 sensors I found for our cars are $110 each. *Removing the O2 sensors as the first thing you do under the car will probably give you more room for the other top nuts that are situated closer to the tranny and face the rear of the car.
-You will need a dedicated breaker bar for, at the very least, the top bolts. You may need it elsewhere.
-Take the 2 minutes to remove your entire intake system from the rubber tube that goes to the throttle body, down to and including the airboxes. You need the room and it's easy to do.
-I was able to take off the bottom nut of the header to cat flange from the wheel well easier than from under the car. I had my wheels off since I was swapping to my winter setup and it was a lot easier to get in from the side and have better leverage than from on my back. Plus, on the driver side, the clutch hose and bracket was in the way and I was nervous about bending/creasing/puncturing the hard line.
-Apply anti-sieze compound to the threads of all your new hardware. You don't want a fight like this if you have to do the job a second time do you?
-The top stud that faces rearward stayed in my header flanges and was actually in good shape once I cleaned it up with a wire brush and brake cleaner. DON'T GET ANY TYPE OF CLEANER LIKE THIS ON RUBBER OR PLASTIC BITS NEAR BY. I re-used the nuts for these along with some anti-sieze and all was well.
-Be sure all your flanges are clean so your gaskets will seal well. Use some carb or brake cleaner and a wire brush and scrub them real quick, then wipe them off with a shop towel.
Last edited by GSoccer24; 01-31-2012 at 10:55 PM.
02-03-2012, 07:50 PM
#26
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I have a G37 S now but on my previous car G35 coupe I tried this with a buddy of mines and it was f*@king impossible to get the driver side top bolt out! I ended up having to go to a local mechanic shop and paid $160 for the install and even they said it was a bi*@h! I salute the folks who have done this at home or on jack stands.
Last edited by G+36+1=; 02-03-2012 at 07:56 PM.
05-24-2014, 08:48 AM
#28
So I thought I’d post a few pics and tips on this install as this video makes it seem really simple where it could definitely use a little more explanation. Here is a link to warped ideas review, he has a really good write up on his install. https://www.myg37.com/forums/g37-sed...nd-review.html
This was a pain in the ***. No other way to put it, but it can be done if you have the right tools. I would definitely do this again, knowing what I know now. I think most of our time was spent trying to get to the bottom bolt on the driver’s side. Put on your e-brake, chock the back wheels, jack up the front and use jack stands. This is all at your own risk. Be careful when working at home.
First thing to do is remove your intake. You need to do this to access the top bolts that connect the header to the cats, these bolts face the front of the car. 14mm socket with at least 2 10” ½ inch extensions. These are a bitch. Spray with PB, hit it with an impact wrench, repeat. Eventually they came off.
Next was the driver side bottom bolt. Used this guy:
You are going to have to remove this shield:
I ran the extension and swivel along the pink arrows and the ratchet out in the direction of the blue, I ended up bracing it on the engine mount there to really put some *** into it. WARNING! There are some plastic parts in this area so be careful what you wrench around on, whatever you break is up to you to replace. Fair warning
You’ll have to contend with this guy on the drivers side:
You will just have to work that swivel around the steering (rod)? I don’t know what its called.
Before you remove the last bolt from the stock cats you will remove the 02 sensor, 7/8” wrench should do this nicely. This will give you good access to it. Here is a picture after I replaced the stack cats, just imagine the o2 sensor in your way and that’s what it will look like.
I used the same set up as before: the 14mm, swivel, extension and ratchet, in that order. That one was the easiest.
On the passenger side, you can work it from here:
This is what I used to break it here:
If you are on a lift you can probably remove the plastic undershield below and possibly have more room to work it, but I was working on jack stands.
The bolts to the header are the worst: Two of them are studs, one should stay in the oem cat and one should stay on the header. If one does come out of the header you can use a hex cap M10-1.50x40 to fill the spot.
The bolts going to the Y-pipe aren’t too bad, you just need a 14mm socket and ratchet and a little bit of PB. A long screwdriver as a pry bar to separate them as the OEM cat has studs. Clean off the flanges, and install your new HFC.
Hope this helps!
This was a pain in the ***. No other way to put it, but it can be done if you have the right tools. I would definitely do this again, knowing what I know now. I think most of our time was spent trying to get to the bottom bolt on the driver’s side. Put on your e-brake, chock the back wheels, jack up the front and use jack stands. This is all at your own risk. Be careful when working at home.
First thing to do is remove your intake. You need to do this to access the top bolts that connect the header to the cats, these bolts face the front of the car. 14mm socket with at least 2 10” ½ inch extensions. These are a bitch. Spray with PB, hit it with an impact wrench, repeat. Eventually they came off.
Next was the driver side bottom bolt. Used this guy:
You are going to have to remove this shield:
I ran the extension and swivel along the pink arrows and the ratchet out in the direction of the blue, I ended up bracing it on the engine mount there to really put some *** into it. WARNING! There are some plastic parts in this area so be careful what you wrench around on, whatever you break is up to you to replace. Fair warning
You’ll have to contend with this guy on the drivers side:
You will just have to work that swivel around the steering (rod)? I don’t know what its called.
Before you remove the last bolt from the stock cats you will remove the 02 sensor, 7/8” wrench should do this nicely. This will give you good access to it. Here is a picture after I replaced the stack cats, just imagine the o2 sensor in your way and that’s what it will look like.
I used the same set up as before: the 14mm, swivel, extension and ratchet, in that order. That one was the easiest.
On the passenger side, you can work it from here:
This is what I used to break it here:
If you are on a lift you can probably remove the plastic undershield below and possibly have more room to work it, but I was working on jack stands.
The bolts to the header are the worst: Two of them are studs, one should stay in the oem cat and one should stay on the header. If one does come out of the header you can use a hex cap M10-1.50x40 to fill the spot.
The bolts going to the Y-pipe aren’t too bad, you just need a 14mm socket and ratchet and a little bit of PB. A long screwdriver as a pry bar to separate them as the OEM cat has studs. Clean off the flanges, and install your new HFC.
Hope this helps!
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RavensMinded00 (10-31-2014)
05-31-2014, 03:15 PM
#29
How did you all get to the drivers side top bolt through the engine bay? The steering column is clocking the bolt and while I can get to it with a universal I cant seem to break it lose without it slipping. I am thinking a straight shot is the only way has anyone taken the column off and moved it? Is this a good idea or trouble?
05-31-2014, 05:33 PM
#30
How did you all get to the drivers side top bolt through the engine bay? The steering column is clocking the bolt and while I can get to it with a universal I cant seem to break it lose without it slipping. I am thinking a straight shot is the only way has anyone taken the column off and moved it? Is this a good idea or trouble?