LS1Z28-00

iTrader: (8)

im looking for headers and have a few questions. i live in tennessee so there is no emmisions testing, that being said im going to go long tubes and true dual exhaust. i was planing on going with pacesetter ceramic coated long tubes from summit. is that a good header? now my main question is, will the headers have places for the o2 sensors to go? if not are you supposed to make some somewhere in the exhaust? im bypassing the cats so i know i will get a CEL.So basically other than throwing a CEL are there going to be any drivabilty issues cuased by going with a offroad setup such as this? im going with a h-pipe, im having a exhaust shop just custom make me a setup, then im having dynomax bullets put on there. does that sound like a good setup? also how loud is this gunna be? im eliminating the cat but using mufflers, do you think it will be raspy? also was planning on 1 5/8" headers and 2 1/4" true dual exhaust all the way out the back. Im going to be installing the headers my self then driving the car up to the exhaust shop to have the duals welded on, so is there any special install kits yall would reccomend? i was going to get the locking header bolts so they dont back out, so anyhting else besides those that might make the install easier? i know its alot of questions but didnt want to make multiple posts, thanks alot guys.

jimmypop13

iTrader: (17)

Don't get locking header bolts, they will be a pain if you ever need to get the header or the head off the car.

If your gonna go with pacesetters, get them from one of the board sponsors, not summit. The board sponsors will have better pricing, plus it supports this board. All f-body ls1 headers have 1 3/4" primaries unless you go with one of the few companies that sells 1 7/8", there are no 1 5/8" that sounds like mustang territory. Also, almost all the f-body ls1 headers have a 3" collector. You need to do a 3" dual exhaust, 2 1/4" would be pointless, those pipes are WAY TOO small. You could neck the pipes down from 3" to 2 1/2" if your trying to squeeze both pipes over the axle but I don't see the point other than that. Go under the axle and flange it right before the axle on each side so if you need to unload the rearend, you can just unbold the very back of the exhaust system.

There is A LOT of info on true dual setups for our cars in the Gen III external engine section, right up at the top.

For headers & a y-pipe I would suggest this brand: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...5&page=1&pp=20

they are a sponsor on this site & can be trusted. I have these headers and they are great quality, plus they are STAINLESS STEEL, not coated like pacesetters, so these will never rust or flake. Get the y-pipe from them too as it is also stainless & right now there is a sale, it's only $550 SHIPPED for the headers and y-pipe. That's an amazing deal if you ask me. The same setup non stainless was $1300 five years ago & it's still higher than $550 shipped from any other brand and you don't get the stainless.

One problem with the above brand headers is they don't have provisions for your AIR or EGR system. You will have to have a shop remove them & you will throw codes for those too until they are tuned out. There are some writeups on this site for removing the AIR system if you want to try. If you want to remove the EGR system, I would suggest getting an LS6 intake manifold at the same time since there is no EGR provision on it. You could jsut leave them all unplugged but you have to make sure they were tied up so they didn't flap around under the hood

All headers have provisions for O2 sensors in the header collector. You need longer wires though so might as well upgrade to the Bosch 13111's. They are the rear o2 sensors off a 97-04 vette. Or you can go with Denso O2 sensors, just look up the part number for C5 rear vette o2 sensors. You will unplug your rear o2 sensors and store them somewhere, unless you get the above brand headers/y-pipe because they have a place to plug in your rear o2s in the y-pipe, but you will still set off an SES light because you don't have cats.

For the headers, I only suggest using GM manifold gaskets. I used Mr. Gasket gaskets and over the course of 5 years, they both blew out and had to be replaced. Go to your local GM dealer & ask for manifold gaskets for your car, here is the part #12600530

A true dual setup is the loudest you can get other than dumping off the headers. The setup won't be raspy but it will be pretty loud. Throw in a big cam & heads and it will get even louder.

As for installing the headers, spray some sort of penetrator on all the bolts for the stock manifolds/cats/y-pipe the day before so they are easy to break loose the next day. To make it easier up top, I would disconnect the air tubes & pull them out of their rubber hoses, then remove the spark plugs wires, then the oil dipstick tube, then the sparkplugs, then remove both coilpacks, then remove the header bolts. I would suggest reusing the stock bolts or getting ARP bolts or ARP header studs. You will need the car as high as you can get it because some headers have to go in goofy, like the the collector facing straight down. You may have to cut part of your k-member or remove the steering linkage to find room to maneuver the headers in place. Putting a jack under the header helped me to hold the header in place while I lined the gaskets & headers up with the bolt holes. Make sure you don't have any wires resting on the headers & if you have a manual transmission, make sure your hydraulic line isn't close to a primary or you might want to insulate it to keep the hydraulic fluid from overheating. Also, now is the perfect time once the headers are back on to add new spark plugs & wires.

There are plenty of write ups all over this site for doing headers, just search. Also, www.installuniversity.com will tell you the exact tools you need to remove the coilpacks, AIR system & spark plugs, just go to the install section & click on spark plug & wire change.

-Chris

carado1984

If youre looking at the coilpacks and thinking what the F--- am i getting myself into because it does look like an intimidating mess around there, you dont have to take them off.. However if you choose not to then i hope you have a lift or pit or and a couple of friends.. which you should have helping anyway.. and probably a lot of beer. If youre like me, you might even be a little bloody.

If youre going to get really serious with modding, save for stainless headers of some sort, say Kooks... I really regret not saving now that i can afford them.. But the best alternative to stainless are Pacesetters.. I recommend Texas Speed (sponsor), you can usually by a coated set (dont get black) with an adjustable y-pipe for 500$ off their site. They have great customer service.

LS1Z28-00

iTrader: (8)

wow guys thanks alot that helps very much, great info, ill buy from the sponsers then, i just didnt know of them, sounds like they have great deals, so i will have to buy a y-pipe even if i go true duals? the pacesetters i was looking at were 430$. so if i can get the headers a y-pipe with it all for 500$ then thats a much better deal, not to mention stainless steel, ok so ill need c5 corvette o2 sensors,(what was the brand that didnt need this mod?) longer spark plug wires,(would yall reccomend a diff. type of spark plug with these mods?) stock GM exhaust manifold gaskets(they will work fine with aftermarket headers?) oh and sorry about confusing the header " sizes i couldnt remember exactly. my dad was the one that told me that 2 1/4" exhaust would be good for true duals because there are 2 pipes instead of one 3" pipe, so yall say 2 3" pipes all the way out the back? and i really dont mind if its loud as long as it sounds good and not like hammered ***. thanks for the help guys and anymore advice is welcome, im open to anything i just thought the duals would be the best flowing exhaust and make the most power.

LS1Z28-00

iTrader: (8)

another question guys: will i have to get the car tuned after this? can i get a mail order tune or is a dynotune reccomended?(there are no dyno's in the area)

jimmypop13

iTrader: (17)

Sorry for some reason I forgot at first you were doing true duals. No you don't need the y-pipe, just the headers. The header brand is up to you. You don't have to get new o2s if you don't mind splicing and extending the wires on your o2 sensors but you will have to do somthing as your stock o2 sensors probably won't reach the o2 bungs on the header collectors. You will most likely have to do that on any header brand. Since the collectors on the headers are 3", I would keep that size all the way back unless you want to go over the axle and then you will need to reduce the size to 2 1/2". I would suggest the middle length bullet mufflers instead of the short 12" bullets unless you really wanna be loud. sorry for the confusion. Also a mailorder tune should be just fine. I think there's a special going on with trifecta, you may wanna check it out if you do your headers anytime soon

aaron653

iTrader: (1)

the vette o2 sensors that you need are Bosch 13111, no you don't need longer plug wires(i didn't anyway),...might look into xs stainless headers(i'm very satisfied with mine)...and they can be had for cheap(people that don't have them will tell you not to get them though )

blownta00

pacesetter is the way to go

LS1Z28-00

iTrader: (8)

when i had my lt1 there was a guy who specifically tuned LT1 i think but he said he can do ls1 too, his name was PCMforLess, have yall head of him/used him? if not what brand do yall reccomend?

blownta00

speed inc did mine

LS1Z28-00

iTrader: (8)

ok ill check them out, another Q guys, i was going to just have the local exhaust shop put the duals on, but i noticed that texas speed and performance has a true dual X pipe with mufflers for 460$ is that a good deal or is there better? the only reason i wanted the exhaust shop to do it because i dont have a welder. But i see the duals come with clamps. so do you reccomend having x pipe welded in or clamped? i could just get the pipe and have the exhaust shop weld it in. is there going to be an horsepower difference in having an exhaust shop weld regular pipes in and a custom mandrel bent setup? so would this true dual fit arounf the driveshaft and go under the rear end like all te other setups, or will someone have to fab it some? sorry for all the questions guys but i want to make sure i have all the information before i jump into this, thanks for all the help.

blownta00

did it yourself clamp everything and then just have them weld it.

tylerdj

iTrader: (31)

I would highly recommend getting the duals from TSP and installing them yourself...you can take it and have it welded up later on.

MarylandSpeed

iTrader: (11)

We sell a bunch of F-body headers. Here is my opinion-

Cheap Header- Flowtech or Pacesetter
Mid Range Header- Jet Hot (similar to Hooker, coated inside and out)
Top of the Range Header- Kooks hands down

We sell them all here, and will price match-
http://marylandspeed.com/index.php?cPath=49_152

I would be glad to answer anyone questions via phone or email.

chae

iTrader: (8)

My Jet-Hot ceramic coated ones were a little bit more expensive than Pacesetters. No install problems at all. Went right on. Either way you go you will LOVE the headers and duals.

You also way want to consider stainless steel headers such as Kooks or QTP. I kind of wish that I had gone with them because the ceramic coating loses its luster after a while. No problems with rust though. Car is only driven in the summer. Stainless steel is a wise investment, especially if you are planning to keep the car for a long time.

When you install them make sure you set aside an entire weekend. My install took two days. I think it was 8 hours the first day and 4 hours the next. Getting the old exhaust off is the hard part, especially the header bolt closest to the firewall on the passenger side if I remember correctly. Also be sure to jack the car up as high as possible. Don't forget 02 sensor extensions.

Good luck on your decision and install and happy driving.

kistlerjm9

iTrader: (24)

go with kooks money very well spent

dudeman

iTrader: (43)

flowtech i think is the cheapest