Hello

I hope some of you header experts are checking the boards today!! I have just started my installation of my kooks headers and have a question. (stay tuned there may be many more to follow )
First up, do you have to remove the cats to get the stockers off? Or can you pull them out from the bottom? I checked the write ups up top but the closest one to what I am doing is the QTP install on the 2000 SS. I didn't know if maybe my 2001 would be the same or a little different? Just looking at it, it seems it can be done but want to check first.

Thanks for any and all help

Jman

 

I did mine a couple of weeks ago on a 98 T/A all I unbolted was the y pipe left cats bolted in and the headers dropped right out. Of course my passenger cat is welded to the y pipe, I think its different for yours. Hope this helps

 

4 big tricks that helped me out a ton

1 remove coil packs
2 remove steering linkage on drivers side
3 remove drivers side motor mount 18mm bolt and nut
4 beer cause it gets frustrating doing headers when they dont wanna slide in just rite.

if you get frustraded walk awaygive it an hour or so and start fresh again later its just a car/ part dont get to upset and everything will go smoothly.

 

Was that on stock manifolds or did you already have headers?

 

All good points!

I no longer drink, but may start back up during this process

 

98 cars had the pass side cat welded directly to the factory manifold.

Just try to slide it out as one. When I did mine I just unbolted the cats first.
It it wont slide out just unbolt it then.

Trial and error! Most header installs are not that bad, until you get impatient.
Just back your speed down a few clicks and enjoy the process. It will go as smooth as you let it.

 

May not have needed to but it sure made that last bolt on the manifold easy to get to!!!

one side done!! Going to go grab a bite to eat and tackle the other side

 

i have a 2000 ss also and it is a pain in the *** and i hated every minute of doing it but on the driver side i dented to firewall with a big hammer about an inch to get them to slide in place then went in side the car and knocked it back out then the lower egr tube on the pass side took two people and it was much easier one on top one on bottom

 

Well I finished the headers part of the install a couple of hours ago

I was getting pretty frustrated on the drivers side after the ease of the passenger side! I had the car up way up in the air, the jack stands on solid 4" blocks with a 2x6 on top of them and 3 of the blocks under the wheels. after trying for about 30 minutes or more, I stopped and re-read the write up on the QTP headers and when I got to the part about having the header as far forward as can be I got back under, moved the jack stand and presto!! the biatch when right on in!! HA HA So that is all done, headers bolted up, new plugs and wires installed, O2 extentions and sensors installed, dip stick back in, and oil breather back on! I will worry about the STB and FRC later! In the morning after breakfast and some flirting with my favorite Cracker Barrel waitress I will start on the Y-pipe

Overall it has been a great experience! Usually when I do a project, like those documented on my cardomain and fquick pages, Pop does alot of the work and I help. (mans been working on cars since the 40's!) But this time around he was just around for support and suggestions and a hand now and then. He's not feeling up to snuff this week and even though he wanted to work on it (used to be a drag racer and dirt track racer back in the day) I told him to sit this one out and just make sure I didn't kill myself! I gotta say it was fun, frustrating now and then, but still fun. Thanks for the suggestions and support! I love this site! Stay tuned tomorrow, I may come running in for more help!!

Jman

 

Mine was stock manifolds, 98...

 

Good stuff man. Are you on Horsepowerjunkies too? Just bought my car from a guy right outside of Greensboro.

How much did the Kooks run you?

 

Thanks

I haven't made it over to HPJ yet, but I need too. Did you buy Bubbas white 98 Z out of Reidsville? I know he just sold one.


The Kooks I bought used here on the board for $850 +shipping That included the 01-02 edition headers, catted Y-pipe, O2 extentions, drivers side hanger, and all the clamps

Jman

 

Ignore that part I realized later you're the gentleman that just joined and picked up a great looking pewter TA!


Well, the Y-pipe went very smoothly! It was used and had been cut and the ends were pretty beat up and out of round, but only took a little ingenuity and a hammer to fix The hanger for the drivers side of the Y did not line up with the tunnel brace so for that I found a 4" long and 2" wide piece of iron that already had one hole in it and used a titanium drill bit and put a second one in it for the hanger and all was good then. After fixing all of that it went together really smoothly! I only had one little hiccup today, when I went for my test drive I heard something dangling on the pavement and quickly went back home to discover that I am an idiot! When I tightened the bolts on the passenger side Y I tucked the O2 sensor up on the tranny mount and proceeded to forget to bolt it in!! It got kinda scrapped up but the threads were still good so I just put it in. I guess no harm no foul cause I put about 30 miles on it over at Pops and then drove the 130 miles back over here to GSO and the SES light has not come on. Again, overall it was a great experience and I am glad I did it myself(with a hand now and then from Pop) instead of paying someone to do it. The hardest thing with the whole deal was on the drivers side manifold I put a socket and a shorty ratchet on the back bolt and no sooner put a little pressure on it and the head twisted right off! You could tell by looking at it that whoever put it on last had torqued the sh*t out of it and I just finished what they had started. It took me about an hour to get that sucker out of there using vice grip pliers! But like I said it is all good now! Today after picking up all the tools I was sweeping Pops garage and he looked at me and said "Halfway thru yeterday I thought there was no way you would get it done! Nice job" I just laughed and told him at the same time I was thinking I hope you let me use one of your cars to get home!!
I tell ya what, this baby sounds mean as hell!! I absolutely love it! The combo of Kooks and the GMMG catback is awesome! Now I gotta save up some more money and get my Trick Flow heads and get my car down to Tick performance for their Polluter cam!!

Well thanks for listening to my longwinded story and for the advice and support Time to go change my Sig!! HA HA

Jman