MrAkalin

I'm about to pull the trigger on some ceramic coated pacesetters for my V1..

Just curious, you guys out there with higher mileage V's and have done the install yourself (my V has 130K on it), has anyone had any trouble with breaking the bolts off that go into the head? A couple of my other LS buddies are warning me that the higher mileage motors tend to break those frequently..

Just curuious if you guys have experienced that or will lots of PB blaster do the trick?

jclayc

iTrader: (8)

Yes, they break off very easily. Soak the bolts in pblaster for like 2 days (not exaggerating)

JDB

iTrader: (2)

Not just high miles... my pass rear bolt was already broken off and didn't know it until I installed headers at 49k a few months ago. Probably due to broken motor mount replaced under CPO. Thankfully it left enough of the bolt to get it out cleanly.

MrAkalin

Thank you guys for the input. I'm mechanically inclined and have always turned wrenches on my own car. A header swap seems pretty straight forward but when talking to my friends they kinda scared me out of it. Last think I want to do is break one of those on my daily..

philistine

iTrader: (2)

I soaked mine with PB blaster, let it set for a couple days soaking it. The driver side rear snapped with almost no effort - never recovered. No leaks but I used Aluminum RTV silicone gasket maker/sealant on that side.

NIKDSC5

iTrader: (10)

Yeah, I had two break. One I got out, the other broke flush with the head and will need the head to come off. I have been driving around for 8k or better like that and it does not leak. It is the one on the center though with the other bolt very close to it.

05CTSV

iTrader: (16)

I used a combination of CRC freeze off and pb blaster and didn't break one. Mine had about 80k miles on them too. The freeze off helped the most in my opinion. Also don't try to take the bolt out all at once. I broke the bolt loose, sprayed pb blaster, move to the next bolt, freeze off, break loose, pb blaster. Then I just kept working that way until all the bolts were out. I'd turn each bolt maybe 2 turns after each shot of pb blaster and move to the next bolt. Just don't get in a hurry and you'll be fine.

bigti99a

iTrader: (16)

i had one already broken on pass rear. all the other ones cam off ok with some PB blaster. 120k.

s/c'd cav

iTrader: (10)

if your plug wires havent been off in a long time , might be a good time for new ones , the area is tight on the V's so they tend to get cooked onto the plugs , also when reinstalling use die-electric grease on them

a good pair of gloves will help with the bloody knuckles

MichaelSuch

Had 100k miles on my V. Passenger side rear bolt was already broke, never had a hint of a leak there with stock manifolds though. Other side broke off effortlessly. I'm guessing cuz my motor mount were completely junk. I threw the headers on with the pacesetter gaskets, RTV, and the pacesetter bolts. No leaks there. Only leaks I have are at the donuts. It didn't align very well with the magnaflow catback. The header extension pipes really need cut down about an inch.

Don't do this install unless you have new motor mounts going in as well. You will never have the proper steering shaft clearance if your motor mounts are as bad as mine. It doesn't take much to rip the stock mounts apart. I bought new UMI mounts. Very good investment IMO.

MrAkalin

I bought the car probably 3 weeks ago from a dealer. They claimed when they got the car the motor mounts were so bad the car didn't get driven. They changed the engine and transmission mount (so they said). I went to put some pb blaster on the header bolts and kind of evaluated how the install would go. I found out that on the passenger side rear there is a missing bolt. Pretty much made me say screw this and I don't really wanna mess with it.

For now I'm gonna throw my magnaflow cat back on (in the mail) and around time I file for tax returns I'll buy pace setters and when I get my tax return I'll have a shop install them and tune it at the same time.

Also this is kind of off topic from the thread, but I can't justify spending $300 for a CAI. What do you guys do with those? I figure gutting the stock air box and doing a k&n drop in will be sufficient enough. I have no plans for further modding besides these bolt ons. Any thoughts or suggestions on that?

philistine

iTrader: (2)

Cold air intake (CAI) is snake-oil IMHO for naturally aspirated engines - purely aesthetics and zero performance.

odthetruth

iTrader: (4)

Just replace the restrictive tubing while leaving the stock airbox in there. Cheaper.

bigti99a

iTrader: (16)

that missing bolt is more likely a broken bolt. and when your having a shop do it make sure you have revshift or some other aftermarket motor mount put in like stated above.

karlmisery

iTrader: (1)

Mine came out clean and easy when I installed my Kooks headers, but then again, my '04 only has 30,000 miles on it currently. Coated the new studs with anti-seize before I reinstalled.

MrAkalin

It just had the motor mounts done 500 miles ago

Aaron Thomas

iTrader: (1)

I had my motor mounts replaced under warranty and in less than 30K after that I put in aftermarket because the stockers were leaking again. Moral of the story : GM had a bad design and you will have to replace them again. Do you want to do them when you are putting in the headers and have easy access to them? Or do you want to wait until the headers have been on there for a few months, and then start from scratch.

MrAkalin

I understand what you're saying. But I see it unnecessary right now, and don't have the extra funds to replace something that isn't broke.

90G60

iTrader: (1)

This..

I was going to take the easy way out and pay a shop to do my headers as well. I bought the Revshift mounts, the shop quoted me 4 hours flat rate on the headers and another 4 hours for the mounts. I tried to explain that it is basically the same job, and couldn't get around it. Ended up doing the mounts myself (piece of cake).

54inches

iTrader: (4)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...-thread-2.html