michi

Hey guys, i got a questions for you and hope you can help me.
My car is a 1999 Camaro LS1 M6 and i just ordered BBK headers with the Y-pipe for my car.
When i am going to install them i have to remove AIR/EGR since i got "race style headers" so no AIR/EGR pipes there.
My question is, when i run the headers/ Y-pipe without cats AND no AIR/EGR, i know it will throw me a code but do i HAVE to get a tune?
Can i drive the car with the headers or do i have to get a tune? Also, can i drive it without the AIR/EGR system and without deleting the codes?

I live in Austria, so i have to order each part from the US directly and i dont have a tuner around here. I have to drive some hundred miles to get to a Tuner i know so he can delete my codes and tune it for the headers.
I have read that i dont have to tune my camaro with the headers and y-pipe but im not sure about the AIR/EGR system and if i have to run cats or not.

So again - STOCK 99 Camaro LS1 with headers, no cats and deleted AIR/EGR system - do i HAVE to get it tuned to have it running right?


Thanks alot!

666ws6

iTrader: (3)

I don't think you will need a tune for performance or driveability... But your SES light is likely to come on with the air system removed... So if you want that light off and cleared permanently, you will need it tuned out.

Always good to get a dyno tune anyways if you haven't yet and that will help you maximize the header gains... But you could wait for the right time to do it and drive with the SES light on.

michi

Okay that sounds good. Thanks!
I am planing to do a cam swap anyways so i will have to get it tuned but this will happend this coming winter earliest.
So i wouldnt like to drive hundred of miles on a trailer to get it dyno tuned just because of the headers. I know it will gain more with a tune but id just deal with it without a tune and ses light WHEN the car is running good.

When i am going to delete AIR/EGR i have to get the EGR block off plate and have to get the vaccum line shut on the rear of the intake manifold right?

hotrodT/A

No my car ran just fine without it. Idk how inspection is in Australia but it will have codes that will fail it unless you take it and have them removed. But I would wait to do a tune until you do something bigger like a cam

michi

Austria (europe) - not Australia
But yeah inspection is such a thing here... i hope i can pass it with a new cam then. I just went to inspection some days ago so i have to go there next year, so no one will care about the SES light. I am pretty sure i will put cats back in alteast when i go to inspection but lets see how i will like how it sounds with headers - no cats and stock cat-back(for now) but i guess i will put cats in sooner or later cause if the loudness and sound.

michi

Oh and someone can tell me what O2 extionsions i will need? 12,24 or 36" ?
So i can already order this stuff along with a EGR block off plate.

666ws6

iTrader: (3)

I think what O2 extensions you need (if any) would depend on your headers. I have SLP long tubes and did not need any extensions.

michi

Hmm okay so i will have to check this when they are installed. I ordered BBK longtube headers.

Microtech82

Ok, I actually JUST did this setup a couple weekends ago, so I can give you some first-hand experience

BBK lt+ory combo, very nice. Headers and y pipe are very good quality and very good fitment...I actually have better clearance ith the BBK tubers and ory than I did with stock exhaust.
Be ready for trumpeting rasp, big time, around 2,000 rpms. I have a cutout on the stock intermediate pipe and the car is loud and mean sounding but sounds like a damn jackhammer is under the car if the car does a mild pull low in a gear.
Tune? Well....you can definitely go without it. It won't hurt the car to run without the rear o2s or egr/air (my '01 just had air, no egr) and no tune. I will say this, though. Despite EVERYONE here telling me it was ok to run without a basic tune, I was still uncomfortable the moment that SES light came on. And it didn't come on right away, either. It waited until the next day on my way home from work. I'll tell ya it scared the poop out of me flooring it on the freeway and having that light suddenly come on. For a brief moment I thought something bad happened. It turned out to be fine. Ran the codes at autozone and they came back as "normal" o2 and air warnings. But it still played with my head having that SES light on all the time. I was always uneasy because if something more important happened I wouldn't know because the light was already on. So I broke down and got a basic tune. It's the same thing as a mail order tune except there is a LSx performance shop here in town so I didn't have to mail out my PCM for the tune.
I would suggest a similar flash tune if you have the resources. They address the mods you have and get the car running stronger without having to spend $500 for a full dyno tune.
But the car won't have any issues running without a tune...as long as you put her back together correctly You might want to take off the heat shield from under the car while you swap the exhaust. With my BBK lt/ory it is so loud that I get an embarrassing rattle from the shield during hard acceleration.

Cstone812

iTrader: (5)

Don't get a tune until you put a cam in.