Northwest Members - Header install Question........

Someone told me here at work that I should replace the gasgets on the intake manifold and valve covers because I have to remove them to fit one of the headers in. Do I have to get gasgets for those? I didn't think they had gasgets. :confused:

I was also recommended to use new GM gasgets over the ones that come w/ the headers.......What do you guys think?

Someone told me here at work that I should replace the gasgets on the intake manifold and valve covers because I have to remove them to fit one of the headers in. Do I have to get gasgets for those? I didn't think they had gasgets. :confused:

I was also recommended to use new GM gasgets over the ones that come w/ the headers.......What do you guys think?

Use the one's with the headers. The R&D has been done, so there's nothing wrong w/ those otherwise they wouldn't have put them w/ the kit.

I would replace rather than reuse any gasket that has any kind of torque spec attached to it. i.e. the intake manifold gasket (if you really need to remove it to install headers) but the valve cover gasket is probably ok to reuse. When I have done headers in the past, I used copper gaskets on them due to the extreme heat that they deal with. The gaskets that came with the kit are likely to be ok, but not top of the line. The company isn't going to spec a product that it sees as overkill.

I thought the LSx intakes had o-rings?

I thought the LSx intakes had o-rings?

That would be interesting. I will look into that.........

But the valve covers should be okay to reuse!!!

-Tru-Ice-
I'll use the ones with the kit......

The instructions call for removal of the intake manifold to get to the air pipe in the back to re-route it to the header. And you have to remove the valve cover on the passanger side to get the header in from the top. Apparently its easier than coming from the bottom. :|

You can re-use the rubber o-ring intake & valve cover gaskets as long as they aren't nicked. But the metal GM exh gaskets are FAR superior to the paper ones that many header companies include. Many people re-use them too....

I just took a look at the gaskets I have, and they look like a thin slice of metal sandwiched between some kind of paper/rubber composit..... How much will the metal GM gaskets run me, and where should I go to get them? The dealerships way way overcharge for parts. :)

UMMM you don't have to take off the intake manifold and the valve cover gaskets are fine to use again...I think you could do it with just taking off the passenger side valve cover by the way.

You want GM exaust manifold gaskets I believe from an 00 F-body maybe its an 00 vette too in which case you could reuse the ones you have but I'd go with new ones. You need the one with the round holes where I believe my stock ones were oval.

let me know if you need any help I could PM you my phone number, its not hard but I compare it to F body installs which I've done alot of, compared to the F body and C5 header install is like changing oil :)

UMMM you don't have to take off the intake manifold and the valve cover gaskets are fine to use again...I think you could do it with just taking off the passenger side valve cover by the way.

You want GM exaust manifold gaskets I believe from an 00 F-body maybe its an 00 vette too in which case you could reuse the ones you have but I'd go with new ones. You need the one with the round holes where I believe my stock ones were oval.

let me know if you need any help I could PM you my phone number, its not hard but I compare it to F body installs which I've done alot of, compared to the F body and C5 header install is like changing oil :)

Welcome back Wicked, how's the married life treating you? You gonna make it out to BR this or next friday?

So far so good ;) Had alot of ups and downs already but I'm getting by :jest:

I doubt I'm going to make it up there I'm hoping to make it to PIR (portland international) before the season is over after I get my oil issue addressed. But I do hope to still make it up there for a night at Quizno's or something its just a long drive. We should have a meet at the Mcmenimans in Centrailla :)

Also 00Vett don't be afraid to jack the motor up a little bit and disconnect the steering. If you want to make it real easy you can cut off the tabs that go to the tunnel (I think) they don't support anything. I didn't but they get caught on all kinds of crap. The drivers is from the bottom and the passenger is from the top, I don't think I even took out the spark plugs on the drivers side. I think the only cut I got was from a paper water cup I was drinking out of taking a break...whereas I give a sacrific to the god of blood checking the oil level in an F-body :)

UMMM you don't have to take off the intake manifold and the valve cover gaskets are fine to use again...I think you could do it with just taking off the passenger side valve cover by the way.



I have a 2000 model which has a different location for the air tube. So I have to take the intake manifold off to put on the adapter, so the air tube will fit with the headers. 2001 and newer are good to go, GM made the exaust manifolds different on the 2001 and newer C5's. Go figure....... :bang:

Also 00Vett don't be afraid to jack the motor up a little bit and disconnect the steering. If you want to make it real easy you can cut off the tabs that go to the tunnel (I think) they don't support anything. I didn't but they get caught on all kinds of crap. The drivers is from the bottom and the passenger is from the top, I don't think I even took out the spark plugs on the drivers side. I think the only cut I got was from a paper water cup I was drinking out of taking a break...whereas I give a sacrific to the god of blood checking the oil level in an F-body :)

I'll be doing the install of these headers the last weekend of September. I'll PM you if I need any help. Thanks for your advice......... The instructions I got to install these headers looked pretty strait forward. It'll be a little time consuming, but I'm in the military at McChord AFB and we have nice garages to work on our toys (for a very small fee). They have bays with full mechanics lifts, air tools, you name it they got it. So that should help a ton.

The only thing I'm worried about (which you might not know since your headers have cats) is once you put the 02 sensors in the X-pipe's 02 sensor holes, and plug the 02 sims into the rear wires going to the computer or wherever they go, what do you do with the dangling wires hanging from the 02 sensors that are screwed into the X-pipe? That don't make a bit of sense to me............ :confused:

You'll figure that out when your under there, you just zip tie them to brake lines or whatever just make sure they aren't near heat. I would try to find someone with edit rather then use those simms or just leave them off you'd be suprised how little the code comes on and when it does you just clear it with the DIC until you can get tuning. That way you can sell the Simms as new.

You'll figure that out when your under there, you just zip tie them to brake lines or whatever just make sure they aren't near heat. I would try to find someone with edit rather then use those simms or just leave them off you'd be suprised how little the code comes on and when it does you just clear it with the DIC until you can get tuning. That way you can sell the Simms as new.

Do you have catalytic converters?

I'm gonna have to have the car tuned for the headers.........Or I won't get the most gains out of them. Who should I have tune my car? I guess I can cross that bridge when I come to it. I have to get my car out of the shop so I can get my headers in first. :bang:

Yes but I added them later, I have the old style x pipe but then I only paid $600 for my headers ;) So I only have the front O2's the back are deleted.

Yes but I added them later, I have the old style x pipe but then I only paid $600 for my headers ;) So I only have the front O2's the back are deleted.

Thats crazy..............Your car sounded awesome when I saw the vid of your run at PIR....I think it was PIR. I hope my car will sound somthing close to yours. What cam do you have in your car? I have a 228/228 with 571 lift and 112 lobe seperation. Its a nice cam, and it sounds decent but I want a bigger cam. We'll see how I feel after the headers!!! :jest:

LOL that was at Woodburn and that was WITH Cats!! Without the cats the car was ridiculously loud, wish there was a switch I could turn it on an off with I liked it, just too much for day to day driving espeicallly since I live in a townhome with the bottom floor garage. My neighbor is hella cool a bit of gear head but even he said it was a little loud...

LOL that was at Woodburn and that was WITH Cats!! Without the cats the car was ridiculously loud, wish there was a switch I could turn it on an off with I liked it, just too much for day to day driving espeicallly since I live in a townhome with the bottom floor garage. My neighbor is hella cool a bit of gear head but even he said it was a little loud...

My car with cat backs and the medium cam I got now puts out a nice rumble. I can't wait to hear it with the headers on. I'll take mpegs before and after to post up for everyone........ That run you made at Woodburn was freadin' bad ass. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me. I have been wanting these headers for months but wasn't too sure about the price, but I have heard nothing but great things about them. Again, thanks for the advice. I hope I don't run into any snags..........I want it to go smoothly! :eyes:

I'll be doing the install of these headers the last weekend of September. I'll PM you if I need any help. Thanks for your advice......... The instructions I got to install these headers looked pretty strait forward. It'll be a little time consuming, but I'm in the military at McChord AFB and we have nice garages to work on our toys (for a very small fee). They have bays with full mechanics lifts, air tools, you name it they got it. So that should help a ton.

The only thing I'm worried about (which you might not know since your headers have cats) is once you put the 02 sensors in the X-pipe's 02 sensor holes, and plug the 02 sims into the rear wires going to the computer or wherever they go, what do you do with the dangling wires hanging from the 02 sensors that are screwed into the X-pipe? That don't make a bit of sense to me............ :confused:
When I installed headers on my 99C5 I found some small holes in the frame on the passenger side near the bellhousing. I used zip-ties, one through the holes and another thru that one too hold the 02 wire. I would put the first zip tie in the frame holes before you put the header in. The drivers side has a brake line which you can zip-tie to. The driver side header was easy on mine after I jacked the motor up 1/2", use a 2x4 with a bottle jack as described in LS1HOWTO.com. On mine the passenger side dropped in after unbolting the starter and prying the air-condtioning line out of the way. Good Luck! My headers are Dynatech Supermax.

When I installed headers on my 99C5 I found some small holes in the frame on the passenger side near the bellhousing. I used zip-ties, one through the holes and another thru that one too hold the 02 wire. I would put the first zip tie in the frame holes before you put the header in. The drivers side has a brake line which you can zip-tie to. The driver side header was easy on mine after I jacked the motor up 1/2", use a 2x4 with a bottle jack as described in LS1HOWTO.com. On mine the passenger side dropped in after unbolting the starter and prying the air-condtioning line out of the way. Good Luck! My headers are Dynatech Supermax.

Thanks for the advice. I'll write that down and check my car out when I have it on the lift.

But what do you suggest about the wires hanging off the X-pipe? The 02 sensor will be plugged into the X-pipe, but the wire will be dangling because the 02 sims will be in the outlet for the 02 sensor wire.........That is the only part that still confuses me with this installation :confused:

When I installed headers on my 99C5 I found some small holes in the frame on the passenger side near the bellhousing. I used zip-ties, one through the holes and another thru that one too hold the 02 wire. I would put the first zip tie in the frame holes before you put the header in. The drivers side has a brake line which you can zip-tie to. The driver side header was easy on mine after I jacked the motor up 1/2", use a 2x4 with a bottle jack as described in LS1HOWTO.com. On mine the passenger side dropped in after unbolting the starter and prying the air-condtioning line out of the way. Good Luck! My headers are Dynatech Supermax.

Thanks for the advice. I'll write that down and check my car out when I have it on the lift.

But what do you suggest about the wires hanging off the X-pipe? The 02 sensor will be plugged into the X-pipe, but the wire will be dangling because the 02 sims will be in the outlet for the 02 sensor wire.........That is the only part that still confuses me with this installation :confused:

YOU DO NOT NEED THE SIMS :) Sell them!

YOU DO NOT NEED THE SIMS :) Sell them!

If I don't use the sims, do I plug the wire part of the 02 sensors into the plug that goes to the computer (or wherever it goes)? That would aleviate the dangling wire issue I'm stumped on...........

I don't follow you really... you have 4 O2's a pair of front ones and pair of rear ones. You are going to use the adapter and use the stock rear 02's and plug them into the front 02 wires that go to the computer, those go into the headers. The rear 02 wires that come from the computer you just leave unhooked. (just make sure they are out of the way so they don't burn on anything.

Without programing I would drive around for a day and maybe get an 02 code once takes 10 seconds to clear it, I could do it while driving. Or just leave it as it won't hurt anything. When you get it programmed they will delete that code it takes like 3 seconds. So you really don't need those SIM's I'd sell them to somebody who doesn't plan on getting there car programed.

Thanks for the advice. I'll write that down and check my car out when I have it on the lift.

But what do you suggest about the wires hanging off the X-pipe? The 02 sensor will be plugged into the X-pipe, but the wire will be dangling because the 02 sims will be in the outlet for the 02 sensor wire.........That is the only part that still confuses me with this installation :confused:
My rear 02 sensors aren't in the x-pipe, they are in the interim tube (between the cat and the x-pipe) so the wire wasn't all that long. What brand of header do you have?
93TAWICKED1 is correct about editing the rear 02 sensors out. Only problem I could see with that is when you do the emission test, if you are required to. That may not even be a problem if they just check for codes .

The rear 02 wires that come from the computer you just leave unhooked. (just make sure they are out of the way so they don't burn on anything.




That was exactly what I was looking for. It didn't make sense to me to just leave them unhooked. Now that I've heard it verbatim from someones mouth, I feel at ease.

I just ordered the sims today. I'll call back tommorrow and cancel the order. Hopefully they haven't already sent them out.

How do you clear the codes with out a programmer?

My rear 02 sensors aren't in the x-pipe, they are in the interim tube (between the cat and the x-pipe) so the wire wasn't all that long. What brand of header do you have?


They are LG headers. Take a close look at the attached photos on the thread called "feels like christmas...." . When I peiced the parts together for the photo, I put the X-pipe upside down, but you can still see the two 02 sensor holes on it........

That was exactly what I was looking for. It didn't make sense to me to just leave them unhooked. Now that I've heard it verbatim from someones mouth, I feel at ease.

I just ordered the sims today. I'll call back tommorrow and cancel the order. Hopefully they haven't already sent them out.

How do you clear the codes with out a programmer?

There is a sequence to get the DIC to show the codes you have to hold one button down and another 4 times. Then you hit another button and it will go into manual mode and you can look at the codes one at a time. Hit the reset button when it shows the code (I think its a 0161 and 0162) and it goes away for awhile. I have to be sitting in the car to know the exact buttons kinda like dialing a well known phone number. If you do a search in the corvette forum or z06 forum it has it documented. If you have a problem I'll go down into the garage and do it and write the steps down.

There is a sequence to get the DIC to show the codes you have to hold one button down and another 4 times. Then you hit another button and it will go into manual mode and you can look at the codes one at a time. Hit the reset button when it shows the code (I think its a 0161 and 0162) and it goes away for awhile. I have to be sitting in the car to know the exact buttons kinda like dialing a well known phone number. If you do a search in the corvette forum or z06 forum it has it documented. If you have a problem I'll go down into the garage and do it and write the steps down.


I'll go search for it after the first time it happens. Thanks again for all your help......

Jon

Ok I looked at the pic., I don't think you will have a problem with the wires, they don''t look to be that far back. When you install them I believe you won't have the problem you are thinking.
To check the codes, put the key in the on position, hold the options button and press the fuel button four times, the codes will scroll and then will stop and be in manual mode. to scroll in manual mode press the options button to scroll forward. You can erase the codes for each section by pressing reset, while in manual mode.

Ok I looked at the pic., I don't think you will have a problem with the wires, they don''t look to be that far back. When you install them I believe you won't have the problem you are thinking.
To check the codes, put the key in the on position, hold the options button and press the fuel button four times, the codes will scroll and then will stop and be in manual mode. to scroll in manual mode press the options button to scroll forward. You can erase the codes for each section by pressing reset, while in manual mode.

Thanks, I'm printing this out and putting it in my Vette file.................... :thumb:

Thought of several other things that may be of help. After you remove your existing exhaust manifolds, clean out the bolt holes in the block with a 8mm x 1.25 tap and use anti-seize on the bolts. Don't over tighten them, they should be similar to a spark plug . I wasn't able to get my torque wrench on all of them. If you have a swivel gear wrench, this is when it's gold.
On the passenger side, after you get the header in position, tighten the starter motor bolts before bolting the header up.
Don't forget to put the zip-ties in the frame BEFORE the headers.

I don't know if I'd use anti seize on header bolts but thats just my opinion. clean them out and be VERY VERY careful not to cross thread them if you can't hold the header up perfect and the bolt doesn't start going in REAL easy get a friend to hold them up.

Also cut the bottom part of the outside bolt holes on the gasket. That way you can put the outside bolts in about 1/2 then put slide the gasket in. Holding the gasket\header up and trying to get the bolts in sucks.

DO use anti seize on the sparkplugs but that goes without saying.

You want the header bolts snug but remember your going into aluminum you don't want to torque down on it.

Yes the 10mm gear wrend and different length 1/4 drive 10mm sockets and extentions are your friends.

Its actually a really easy job, if you unhook the steering rack I don't think I had to jack up the motor....

Sorry to keep spouting off things are just coming back to me...

I don't know if I'd use anti seize on header bolts but thats just my opinion. clean them out and be VERY VERY careful not to cross thread them if you can't hold the header up perfect and the bolt doesn't start going in REAL easy get a friend to hold them up.

Also cut the bottom part of the outside bolt holes on the gasket. That way you can put the outside bolts in about 1/2 then put slide the gasket in. Holding the gasket\header up and trying to get the bolts in sucks.

DO use anti seize on the sparkplugs but that goes without saying.

You want the header bolts snug but remember your going into aluminum you don't want to torque down on it.

Yes the 10mm gear wrend and different length 1/4 drive 10mm sockets and extentions are your friends.

Its actually a really easy job, if you unhook the steering rack I don't think I had to jack up the motor....

Sorry to keep spouting off things are just coming back to me...


Keep it coming..........I'm soaking it up.