Lessons learned...header and exhaust install
10-01-2009, 12:26 PM
#1
Lessons learned...header and exhaust install I just finished installing a set of Pacesetter LTs, TSP Catted Y pipe, and Magnaflow cat-back exhaust on my 2001 WS6. I thought I would make a thread regarding some of the issues I encountered (or didn't encounter) as well as some tips for future installers.
1. I backed my car onto ramps, and jacked the front up by the K member. I used jack stands on the frame rails, and had about 10-12 inches of clearance under the bottoms of the front tires. This was plenty of height, and I had plenty of room to move under the car for all portions of the install.
2. I had a completely stock exhaust system to start with. I started at the cat-back and worked my way forward removing everything. I had to cut my cat-back at the bend over the axle to get it out. Everything else came out fairly easily. I broke the heads off almost every bolt holding the cat to the manifold, so just expect that to happen. The O2 sensors came out of the cats very easily, so I'll just thank my lucky starts on that one. The oil dipstick tube came out with no issues whatsoever...just don't forget about the bolt that holds it to the head.
3. I used a flat-bladed screwdriver to pry the spark plug shields/covers off by inserting the blade between the block and plug shield and then twisting. I did this from under the car on almost every one of them, and it worked like a charm. Plug wires came out with relative ease.
4. For God's sakes, do yourself a favor and move the coil packs out of the way. This was my biggest lesson learned. I completed the entire install without moving them, but I paid the price for it. My hands look like a rabid badger got ahold of them. Take the time to move them out of the way.
5. Once you have everything off, try to take a wire brush and clean out the bolt holes in the heads. My stock manifold bolts had dried up old threadlocker on them, and some of it must have remained in the threads of the bolt holes, because I had a real bastard of a time getting a few of the bolts threaded all the way in. I double checked to be sure I wasn't cross threading, and even tried some different bolts, but no dice. There is not a lot of room in there to work to begin with, and fighting tight bolts really sucked ***. I don't know if I would go so far as to run a tap in the holes, but it's an option. At least try to get them cleaned out as good as possible. Spray some PB blaster in the holes if you can.
6. My headers went in and lined up with very little issue. I did have to cut the casting tab off the driver's side of the block, but that was all. I had the car far enough in the air that I didn't have any issues angling and contorting the headers to get them in. My wife helped guide the header primaries up and in from the top side. And that brings up a good point...I'm sure it's possible to do this install all by yourself, but it sure helps to have a helper, if only for getting the headers up and in, and holding things in place so you can line up the gasket holes with the header flanges and thread the bolts in loosely.
7. If you don't have EGR, for the love of God put the EGR blockoff plate on the header BEFORE you put it in the car. That was an unnecessary hassle that I could have done without. Not a big deal, just time consuming.
8. The AIR pipes and flanges did not line up well at all with the new headers. The passenger side worked out OK by stretching the hose and repositioning a bit, but the drivers side was not even close. I had to cut a length of AIR hose off where the AIR hose formerly went into the stock airlid (my MTI clear lid does not have a outlet for an AIR hose, so I put a breather on the hose that was supposed to attach to the lid). Since I had just put a breather on the end of that hose, I had a bunch of hose to spare, so I cut some off (about 6-8 inches), reattached the breather to the now-shorter hose, and used the longer piece I now had to connect the drivers side AIR pipe to the pump. Using a longer piece of hose cured everything, and I didn't have to bend the metal piping that connects to the headers at all.
9. Get a 10mm ratcheting wrench. It's very handy. I would also recommend either a 10mm deep well socket, or if available, a 1.5" extension. There were a lot of times with a regular 10mm socket was too short, but a 3" extension made it too long.
10. Once the headers themselves are completely installed, it's really downhill. I bought O2 extensions for the new headers, and it was money well spent. I cannot imagine having to splice a bunch of wiring at that point of the install. I used O2 sims for the rears (off-road purposes only, of course). The TSP catted-Y is a nice piece, and is very adjustable, which is both good and bad. The only reason I say its bad at all is because it's so adjustable that you really have to take your time and test fit each piece to get the best clearance and alignment. Lots of trial and error here, just take your time. I had previously read a bunch of posts where people were saying they had to cut 6" or more out of their I pipe to get the cat-back to fit. I did not have to do this at all. Slide each piece as far onto their respective pipes as possible, and it shouldn't be an issue. For reference, my slip-fits for the collectors slid onto the headers and ended up about 2-3 inches from the O2 bungs. My drivers side is tucked up to the body really nice...the passenger side still needs some adjusting. It hangs a little lower than the drivers side, but I think I can get it tucked up tight as well.
11. The Magnaflow cat-back installed easily. The exiting pipes are adjustable at the muffler, and you can fine tune things by loosening the three band clamps on the muffler and angling the muffler forward or back. There is a LOT of trial and error here. I still don't have it perfect yet, but I should have it set up just right within a couple more tries. My exhaust is the single tips ("Cannon") style. This is also a good time to have a helper around to stand back off the car and eyeball things while you are underneath adjusting. I left everything from the Y-pipe back unclamped until I got all the piping for the cat-back in place, and then went back and clamped everything up.
I think that's about it. Anyone else with tips or lessons learned, please feel free to post them up. Portions of this install were very frustrating, but overall, it wasn't too terribly bad. I did it over the span of several days, working on it in the evenings after work, mostly. If you worked non-stop and had minimal issues, I could see the entire install being completed in 8-12 hours. I'd say it took me more like 12, but this was my first one, and I goofed up a few things here and there. Plus a couple of those header bolts took as much as an hour apiece, no lie. Just take your time, and take a lot of breaks. Keeps some cold ones on hand as well.
Hope this helps someone in the future.
1. I backed my car onto ramps, and jacked the front up by the K member. I used jack stands on the frame rails, and had about 10-12 inches of clearance under the bottoms of the front tires. This was plenty of height, and I had plenty of room to move under the car for all portions of the install.
2. I had a completely stock exhaust system to start with. I started at the cat-back and worked my way forward removing everything. I had to cut my cat-back at the bend over the axle to get it out. Everything else came out fairly easily. I broke the heads off almost every bolt holding the cat to the manifold, so just expect that to happen. The O2 sensors came out of the cats very easily, so I'll just thank my lucky starts on that one. The oil dipstick tube came out with no issues whatsoever...just don't forget about the bolt that holds it to the head.
3. I used a flat-bladed screwdriver to pry the spark plug shields/covers off by inserting the blade between the block and plug shield and then twisting. I did this from under the car on almost every one of them, and it worked like a charm. Plug wires came out with relative ease.
4. For God's sakes, do yourself a favor and move the coil packs out of the way. This was my biggest lesson learned. I completed the entire install without moving them, but I paid the price for it. My hands look like a rabid badger got ahold of them. Take the time to move them out of the way.
5. Once you have everything off, try to take a wire brush and clean out the bolt holes in the heads. My stock manifold bolts had dried up old threadlocker on them, and some of it must have remained in the threads of the bolt holes, because I had a real bastard of a time getting a few of the bolts threaded all the way in. I double checked to be sure I wasn't cross threading, and even tried some different bolts, but no dice. There is not a lot of room in there to work to begin with, and fighting tight bolts really sucked ***. I don't know if I would go so far as to run a tap in the holes, but it's an option. At least try to get them cleaned out as good as possible. Spray some PB blaster in the holes if you can.
6. My headers went in and lined up with very little issue. I did have to cut the casting tab off the driver's side of the block, but that was all. I had the car far enough in the air that I didn't have any issues angling and contorting the headers to get them in. My wife helped guide the header primaries up and in from the top side. And that brings up a good point...I'm sure it's possible to do this install all by yourself, but it sure helps to have a helper, if only for getting the headers up and in, and holding things in place so you can line up the gasket holes with the header flanges and thread the bolts in loosely.
7. If you don't have EGR, for the love of God put the EGR blockoff plate on the header BEFORE you put it in the car. That was an unnecessary hassle that I could have done without. Not a big deal, just time consuming.
8. The AIR pipes and flanges did not line up well at all with the new headers. The passenger side worked out OK by stretching the hose and repositioning a bit, but the drivers side was not even close. I had to cut a length of AIR hose off where the AIR hose formerly went into the stock airlid (my MTI clear lid does not have a outlet for an AIR hose, so I put a breather on the hose that was supposed to attach to the lid). Since I had just put a breather on the end of that hose, I had a bunch of hose to spare, so I cut some off (about 6-8 inches), reattached the breather to the now-shorter hose, and used the longer piece I now had to connect the drivers side AIR pipe to the pump. Using a longer piece of hose cured everything, and I didn't have to bend the metal piping that connects to the headers at all.
9. Get a 10mm ratcheting wrench. It's very handy. I would also recommend either a 10mm deep well socket, or if available, a 1.5" extension. There were a lot of times with a regular 10mm socket was too short, but a 3" extension made it too long.
10. Once the headers themselves are completely installed, it's really downhill. I bought O2 extensions for the new headers, and it was money well spent. I cannot imagine having to splice a bunch of wiring at that point of the install. I used O2 sims for the rears (off-road purposes only, of course). The TSP catted-Y is a nice piece, and is very adjustable, which is both good and bad. The only reason I say its bad at all is because it's so adjustable that you really have to take your time and test fit each piece to get the best clearance and alignment. Lots of trial and error here, just take your time. I had previously read a bunch of posts where people were saying they had to cut 6" or more out of their I pipe to get the cat-back to fit. I did not have to do this at all. Slide each piece as far onto their respective pipes as possible, and it shouldn't be an issue. For reference, my slip-fits for the collectors slid onto the headers and ended up about 2-3 inches from the O2 bungs. My drivers side is tucked up to the body really nice...the passenger side still needs some adjusting. It hangs a little lower than the drivers side, but I think I can get it tucked up tight as well.
11. The Magnaflow cat-back installed easily. The exiting pipes are adjustable at the muffler, and you can fine tune things by loosening the three band clamps on the muffler and angling the muffler forward or back. There is a LOT of trial and error here. I still don't have it perfect yet, but I should have it set up just right within a couple more tries. My exhaust is the single tips ("Cannon") style. This is also a good time to have a helper around to stand back off the car and eyeball things while you are underneath adjusting. I left everything from the Y-pipe back unclamped until I got all the piping for the cat-back in place, and then went back and clamped everything up.
I think that's about it. Anyone else with tips or lessons learned, please feel free to post them up. Portions of this install were very frustrating, but overall, it wasn't too terribly bad. I did it over the span of several days, working on it in the evenings after work, mostly. If you worked non-stop and had minimal issues, I could see the entire install being completed in 8-12 hours. I'd say it took me more like 12, but this was my first one, and I goofed up a few things here and there. Plus a couple of those header bolts took as much as an hour apiece, no lie. Just take your time, and take a lot of breaks. Keeps some cold ones on hand as well.
Hope this helps someone in the future.
10-01-2009, 01:53 PM
#2
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I just installed ARH 1 7/8" headers and catted Y onto my existing magnaflow catback.
Only thing I'd add is to go to NAPA and get some torca accuseal band clamps. If you spend all this money on the parts and spend all this time getting everything lined up perfectly you should spend the dough for these clamps. If you use U-bolt clamps you WILL have a B!TCH of time taking it apart if you ever need to. These clamps seal like a **** and are 100X better than the thin POS wraparound band clamps. To use correctly the female pipe should have several slots cut in it to allow for good compression. The ARH headers came with slots and these clamps, I just picked up a few more for my Y-to-I-pipe and over the axle connection.
Only thing I'd add is to go to NAPA and get some torca accuseal band clamps. If you spend all this money on the parts and spend all this time getting everything lined up perfectly you should spend the dough for these clamps. If you use U-bolt clamps you WILL have a B!TCH of time taking it apart if you ever need to. These clamps seal like a **** and are 100X better than the thin POS wraparound band clamps. To use correctly the female pipe should have several slots cut in it to allow for good compression. The ARH headers came with slots and these clamps, I just picked up a few more for my Y-to-I-pipe and over the axle connection.
Last edited by Rickenbackerman; 10-01-2009 at 02:00 PM.
10-01-2009, 02:36 PM
#4
One thing I did the really help (b/c I did it by myself) was if your using the non-GM gaskets (as in, NOT the metal ones) than take a pair of side cutters and cut a V section on the bottom of the FIRST and LAST bolt holes. That way, you can start the front and rear header bolts to hold the header in place, and then drop the gasket into place.
A helluva lot easier to do than holding the header with one hand and messing with a gasket and trying to start the bolt at the same time.
A helluva lot easier to do than holding the header with one hand and messing with a gasket and trying to start the bolt at the same time.
10-01-2009, 03:12 PM
#5
Rickenbackerman, those clamps come with the Magnaflow cat-back now. There are very nice indeed. However, on the Catted Y, the female ends are just slip fit, and don't have any slots cut in them for compression. Not sure how well they would work, but probably still better than the U-clamps.
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10-01-2009, 04:26 PM
#9
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[QUOTE= Rickenbackerman;12303542]I just installed ARH 1 7/8" headers and catted Y onto my existing magnaflow catback.
QUOTE]
you have the same set up im getting and i currently have the magnaflow, and i've been dying to find some one who had magnaflow before their headers because it seems like everyone else just did the whole thing at one time, so i can ask you a few before and after questions if ya dont mind. how much louder would you say it got after the header and y install? how is the start up and idle sound level same/louder? and how is it at cruising and light throttle ? dont need to ask how wot is i bet its to die for haha
QUOTE]
you have the same set up im getting and i currently have the magnaflow, and i've been dying to find some one who had magnaflow before their headers because it seems like everyone else just did the whole thing at one time, so i can ask you a few before and after questions if ya dont mind. how much louder would you say it got after the header and y install? how is the start up and idle sound level same/louder? and how is it at cruising and light throttle ? dont need to ask how wot is i bet its to die for haha
10-01-2009, 04:38 PM
#10
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you have the same set up im getting and i currently have the magnaflow, and i've been dying to find some one who had magnaflow before their headers because it seems like everyone else just did the whole thing at one time, so i can ask you a few before and after questions if ya dont mind. how much louder would you say it got after the header and y install? how is the start up and idle sound level same/louder? and how is it at cruising and light throttle ? dont need to ask how wot is i bet its to die for haha
10-01-2009, 06:26 PM
#12
You don't have to remove them for the install. I did mine without removing them. I just really cut up my hands trying to maneuver around them to get to the header bolts, dipstick, etc....so it's just a suggestion. Your mileage may vary.
I really didnt wanan cut up the stock exhaust 
10-06-2009, 07:53 PM
#18
Thanks for the write up. Good stuff. What a nice wife, helping with the headers!
After I dropped my rear axle assembly I read in my manual that I should have unbolted the front of the TA at the trannie. I guess I must have wrecked the front of it. Good thing I have that new BMR TA waiting in the wings!
After I dropped my rear axle assembly I read in my manual that I should have unbolted the front of the TA at the trannie. I guess I must have wrecked the front of it. Good thing I have that new BMR TA waiting in the wings!
10-06-2009, 10:38 PM
#19
There isn't hardly enough room to get the plug wire onto the #8 Plug with the Pass Coils outta the way, how the Hell did you guys manage to get it done without removing them at all? I guess it doesn't really matter. You got the job done and thats what counts. You're ******' troopers, thats for sure. LOL. Good job!
