Texas Speed Header Install - Ls1 Fbody Review
06-22-2013, 05:24 AM
#1
Texas Speed Header Install - Ls1 Fbody Review I was ready to give these headers nothing but praise when the passenger side damn near bolted itself in... Then I got to the drivers side...
Let me start off by saying I love Texas Speed, ive ordered and installed many of their parts with no complaints. Until these headers... So don't take it as me picking on TSP, but I do feel the need to tell people the truth.
I started off doing the drivers side with all the basics out of the way, steering linkage, oil filter and fuel lines. I had just replaced the motor mounts so the mounts and tower were back in but just barely tight incase I needed some wiggle room. (Why would anyone want to put the mount back on AFTER the header was in?) With the mount in, header will not fit from the top NOR the bottom. Got online to see what people were doing to get theirs installed, several people said exactly what I had done and somehow got the header in with just basics detached... im calling major BS unless they received a different brand header OR had a tubular k member.. Read a couple where people had to remove the kmember mount, ok no biggy.
So I get the motor mount and the k member mount separated as far as possible to give plenty of room hoping that might work before removing the mount, but header still wont fit. Removed the k member mount and the header fits! For a second I thought it was all going to be down hill from here. Trying to put the kmember mount back in is now a major PITA with the header in the way. Had to put the spark plugs in to hold the header out of the way so I could work on the mount... because with the header installed it was nearly impossible to do the work.
Mount finally got worked in to fit around the motor mount. Then you have to put the bolt through the mount into the motor mount, which is extremely enjoyable with the header in the way. I attempted to bolt the mount to the kmember first, then put the bolt through... Impossible with the header in the way. Detached the mount again so it would be easier to mate the motor mount and mount. Bolt went through just fine.
Then you'll probably want to attach the mount to the k member again, so you get to continue to fight the header getting to the bolts for that. Now that header is in the way you need 4 hands, 1. on the prybar to twist the mount to line up the holes on the kmember, 2. to thread the bolt in, 3. hold the header out of the way, 4. while jiggling the mount to help the bolt get started. I was perfectly capable of doing it when I didnt have to hold and fight the header too. Unfortunately I was shorted by Texas Speed, because I didn't find the 2 additional hands in the box anywhere.
Still have to bolt the mount to the k member, but im calling it a night... my patience is about worn out. Next friend that asks me to install his TSP headers, im going to tell him no!
So, let the lesson be: If you are having your friend (and by friend I mean worst enemy) install them for you, go with TSP Headers. If you want to install them yourself... get something else. I suppose if you had another set of hands or 2, this install would go easier, but doing it on your own makes every bolt a nightmare. Because you have to find a unique, stable resting position for the header to be able to access each different bolt, slightly touching the header leads to it falling and smashing whatever fingers are nearby.
Let me start off by saying I love Texas Speed, ive ordered and installed many of their parts with no complaints. Until these headers... So don't take it as me picking on TSP, but I do feel the need to tell people the truth.
I started off doing the drivers side with all the basics out of the way, steering linkage, oil filter and fuel lines. I had just replaced the motor mounts so the mounts and tower were back in but just barely tight incase I needed some wiggle room. (Why would anyone want to put the mount back on AFTER the header was in?) With the mount in, header will not fit from the top NOR the bottom. Got online to see what people were doing to get theirs installed, several people said exactly what I had done and somehow got the header in with just basics detached... im calling major BS unless they received a different brand header OR had a tubular k member.. Read a couple where people had to remove the kmember mount, ok no biggy.
So I get the motor mount and the k member mount separated as far as possible to give plenty of room hoping that might work before removing the mount, but header still wont fit. Removed the k member mount and the header fits! For a second I thought it was all going to be down hill from here. Trying to put the kmember mount back in is now a major PITA with the header in the way. Had to put the spark plugs in to hold the header out of the way so I could work on the mount... because with the header installed it was nearly impossible to do the work.
Mount finally got worked in to fit around the motor mount. Then you have to put the bolt through the mount into the motor mount, which is extremely enjoyable with the header in the way. I attempted to bolt the mount to the kmember first, then put the bolt through... Impossible with the header in the way. Detached the mount again so it would be easier to mate the motor mount and mount. Bolt went through just fine.
Then you'll probably want to attach the mount to the k member again, so you get to continue to fight the header getting to the bolts for that. Now that header is in the way you need 4 hands, 1. on the prybar to twist the mount to line up the holes on the kmember, 2. to thread the bolt in, 3. hold the header out of the way, 4. while jiggling the mount to help the bolt get started. I was perfectly capable of doing it when I didnt have to hold and fight the header too. Unfortunately I was shorted by Texas Speed, because I didn't find the 2 additional hands in the box anywhere.
Still have to bolt the mount to the k member, but im calling it a night... my patience is about worn out. Next friend that asks me to install his TSP headers, im going to tell him no!
So, let the lesson be: If you are having your friend (and by friend I mean worst enemy) install them for you, go with TSP Headers. If you want to install them yourself... get something else. I suppose if you had another set of hands or 2, this install would go easier, but doing it on your own makes every bolt a nightmare. Because you have to find a unique, stable resting position for the header to be able to access each different bolt, slightly touching the header leads to it falling and smashing whatever fingers are nearby.
06-22-2013, 10:08 AM
#2
Nice... Review?
In all seriousness, it's no BS. I've had mine in and out several times now. The driver side is funny though. The second time I put mine in I fought with the driver side for about 10 minutes. Got frustrated and walked away for 10. Came back to it, and realized it LOOKED like I was in the right spot, at the right angle, but wasn't. Moved it another couple inches forward or back, don't remember, and it slid right in.
It's a patience thing. It literally WILL go right in. It just takes a bit of time to figure out.
In all seriousness, it's no BS. I've had mine in and out several times now. The driver side is funny though. The second time I put mine in I fought with the driver side for about 10 minutes. Got frustrated and walked away for 10. Came back to it, and realized it LOOKED like I was in the right spot, at the right angle, but wasn't. Moved it another couple inches forward or back, don't remember, and it slid right in.
It's a patience thing. It literally WILL go right in. It just takes a bit of time to figure out.
06-22-2013, 01:03 PM
#3
I have TSP 1 7/8 headers... The drivers side was a pain for sure.
Make sure u get your car up high enough. My buddy that helped install them said he got the driver side in easily by getting the header verticle with the collecter pointing straight down. If u come at an angle it rubs everything and wont fit.
Hope this helps...
Make sure u get your car up high enough. My buddy that helped install them said he got the driver side in easily by getting the header verticle with the collecter pointing straight down. If u come at an angle it rubs everything and wont fit.
Hope this helps...
06-22-2013, 02:31 PM
#5
TECH Apprentice
It's all about how high you get you car off the ground. IMO you basically need to get the header vertical and it will maneuver in. I think I had a set of ramps on (4) 2 x 12 on each side to get it high enough.
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06-23-2013, 01:27 AM
#9
Re-installed mine after swapping in a 4L85E tranny. Had car on jackstands up about 20" off the ground on all four corners. Like several have said, you have to go in completely verticle with the header with the collector facing the ground. There is a sweet spot where it will slide up in place. And yeah, you might have to try it a couple of times but it will go in. Can be very frustrating to say the least. In my opinion it would be much easier on a lift since you wouldn't be laying on your back.
Good luck!
Good luck!
06-23-2013, 01:52 AM
#10
FINALLY Got it!
The the car is probably 20-24" off the ground (12 ton jacks). There was no way for it to go in with the mount still there.
Getting the Header in was not the issue. The issue was getting the mount re-attached once the header was in. I had to leave the header loose to have the ability to get to the bolts, but having it loose meant it was able to fall and required a loss of one of my hands having to hold it out of the way.
Id say total time, 9am - 3:30pm last night, 9pm-10:30pm tonight. So 8 hrs. That's having the old headers out, and the new motor mounts already in.
15 min to bolt up pass side.
15 min to bolt up drivers side.
7.5hrs screwing with the motor mount and kmember mount... doing it on your own, getting up and down to adjust the cherry picker probably cost the most time... that and not simply removing everything to get the header in. Had i just removed everything, put the header in and re-assembled everything with the head in, it would have been faster. I simply read too many reviews saying it would just slip right in, and blindly followed their direction. Im not sure how anyone got this in with the mount there, unless you dropped the k member.
Could I do it faster next time? Oh, im sure... but being a flat rate tech for my day job, i would recommend the parts that make my job easier and bid accordingly if you choose something else.
On a side note, now that they are in... They are absolutely beautiful.
The the car is probably 20-24" off the ground (12 ton jacks). There was no way for it to go in with the mount still there.
Getting the Header in was not the issue. The issue was getting the mount re-attached once the header was in. I had to leave the header loose to have the ability to get to the bolts, but having it loose meant it was able to fall and required a loss of one of my hands having to hold it out of the way.
Id say total time, 9am - 3:30pm last night, 9pm-10:30pm tonight. So 8 hrs. That's having the old headers out, and the new motor mounts already in.
15 min to bolt up pass side.
15 min to bolt up drivers side.
7.5hrs screwing with the motor mount and kmember mount... doing it on your own, getting up and down to adjust the cherry picker probably cost the most time... that and not simply removing everything to get the header in. Had i just removed everything, put the header in and re-assembled everything with the head in, it would have been faster. I simply read too many reviews saying it would just slip right in, and blindly followed their direction. Im not sure how anyone got this in with the mount there, unless you dropped the k member.
Could I do it faster next time? Oh, im sure... but being a flat rate tech for my day job, i would recommend the parts that make my job easier and bid accordingly if you choose something else.
On a side note, now that they are in... They are absolutely beautiful.
06-23-2013, 02:23 AM
#13
Flowman, I cant fathom these going in with the mount there. The tolerance on the build specs has to be way under a 1/4 in, but seeing the bends a small turn could make quite a difference on its fitment. Id be interested in doing measurements of a batch of say 50-100 and see how different they came out. See how many fit without removal and how many don't. I wonder if its a lack of quality control? If these headers passed the mount without removal, my review would have been night and day.
If someone could figure out this small variance to make them ALL go in easier, I don't see why they wouldn't dominate the market; cost, easy install, great clearance and a great product.
If someone could figure out this small variance to make them ALL go in easier, I don't see why they wouldn't dominate the market; cost, easy install, great clearance and a great product.
06-23-2013, 06:23 AM
#14
Tsp makes a good quality header. But after seeing them installed ill stick with my arh's. I realize they're more expensive and may not be for everybody but if you call around you can get them cheaper. I paid about 200 more than the tsp's but you get an American made header and I removed NOTHING to get either side in they both solid right in with a slight push. Good to see you got it done op
06-23-2013, 08:19 AM
#16
I installed mine with friend, used jack stands. Pass side went right in, drivers in took little work but didn't have to remove anything. Just found right angle and went in.
06-23-2013, 09:49 AM
#17
On The Tree
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Sounds like there wasnt enough beer on hand to accomplish the mission !!! Jk, I've had my own nightmarish experiences w headers. Good to hear you were able to resolve yours
