99 f body header installation
05-21-2014, 09:31 PM
#1
99 f body header installation Hey guys, I'm putting lt headers on my sons 99 ws6 tomorrow and was looking for advice or recommendations on getting the headers in place once the exhaust manifolds are removed. I'm specifically looking for how high the car needs to be off the ground. A lift is not an option for me. Thanks for any help guys!
05-22-2014, 04:47 AM
#3
It will be up high. Lift the front as high as you can get it with a jack. Properly support the car with jackstands. Having it lifted from the front via the k member helps as it puts an angle to the car, giving you more wiggle room when inserting the header. The passenger header will go in almost effortlessly. The driver side has what many dub the "Sweet" spot. The header end (facing toward the front) will be point basicly to the sky upward. This is why you need lots of room and the car has to be up high. The sweet spot is between the a arm and the engine mount. It will take a little bit to find it but the header goes right up with no problem once your in the sweet spot. It will go in fully and then you just rotate the header so the end is pointed toward the back of the car and then you can lower the car and install the header bolts.
The Passenger side slips is so easy that it will try to fall out or slip out on you. It does not need the massive upward tilt and goes in with very little rotating upward as it has plenty of clearance from the bottom. (Despite the passenger side being the hardest to reach from the top, ironic eh?) So you'll want to have someone or have something support or hold it until you get at least one header bolt started to hold the pipe as it will try to fall out the bottom while you move around.
Best luck. Most your time will be taking the old exhaust manifolds off. After all that you'll be surprised how fast the new headers go in as long as you lift the car high and hit the sweet spot. Get yourself a good 10mm ratchet wrench. It really helps for the back bolts since a socket gets to be troublesome in the back (especially the passenger side.) Oh, also helps to take the coil packs, it gives you more room on the passenger side.
Best of luck!
The Passenger side slips is so easy that it will try to fall out or slip out on you. It does not need the massive upward tilt and goes in with very little rotating upward as it has plenty of clearance from the bottom. (Despite the passenger side being the hardest to reach from the top, ironic eh?) So you'll want to have someone or have something support or hold it until you get at least one header bolt started to hold the pipe as it will try to fall out the bottom while you move around.
Best luck. Most your time will be taking the old exhaust manifolds off. After all that you'll be surprised how fast the new headers go in as long as you lift the car high and hit the sweet spot. Get yourself a good 10mm ratchet wrench. It really helps for the back bolts since a socket gets to be troublesome in the back (especially the passenger side.) Oh, also helps to take the coil packs, it gives you more room on the passenger side.
Best of luck!
05-22-2014, 12:51 PM
#4
I just got done doing poly motor mounts in my 99 SS. The car had LTs on it when I bought it.
I used 2 sets of the 3 ton Harbor Freight jackstands and I got the headers in/out with almost no problems.
I used 2 sets of the 3 ton Harbor Freight jackstands and I got the headers in/out with almost no problems.
05-22-2014, 01:29 PM
#5
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Putting my headers on and taking the exhaust manifolds off was probably the easiest exhaust work I've done on any car. No stuck bolts/nuts, nothing broken. On every other car I have done exhaust modifications to, you always end up shearing bolts and fighting all the hardware. I'm not sure why mine was different, but I wish you the same luck.
05-22-2014, 06:13 PM
#6
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I'm in the middle of hooker header installation along with a texas speed catted y-pipe. Getting the manifolds and stock y-pipe off was pretty simple. What I don't see many people tell you is be super careful getting the manifold bolts out of the head. I busted one and it took me a full day of fighting it to get it out. I would suggest soaking the manifold bolts and heat them with a small torch or let the car run for a bit to get them warmed up to come out easier.
Getting the headers in was easy. I feel like everyone here makes it out to be tough. I had the car jacked up maybe 18" and they slid right in. Didn't have to remove the steering knuckle or oil filter or anything. The y-pipe installation is the hardest. That is where I am stuck at this point in time. If you have the money, just ditch the entire exhaust setup and buy a new cat back. If you want to reuse what is there, drop the entire exhaust out and start assembling from the headers back. I have made the mistake of trying to get the y-pipe in place with my loud mouth 2 cat back still on the car. I have everything in place, but my exhaust now sticks out too far about an inch so I can't get the back portion back on the hangers.
tl;dr:
headers = easy, y-pipe = pay someone else to do it
Getting the headers in was easy. I feel like everyone here makes it out to be tough. I had the car jacked up maybe 18" and they slid right in. Didn't have to remove the steering knuckle or oil filter or anything. The y-pipe installation is the hardest. That is where I am stuck at this point in time. If you have the money, just ditch the entire exhaust setup and buy a new cat back. If you want to reuse what is there, drop the entire exhaust out and start assembling from the headers back. I have made the mistake of trying to get the y-pipe in place with my loud mouth 2 cat back still on the car. I have everything in place, but my exhaust now sticks out too far about an inch so I can't get the back portion back on the hangers.
tl;dr:
headers = easy, y-pipe = pay someone else to do it