Insalling Headers ?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Canyon Texas
Insalling Headers ? I Just bought a set of Pacesetter Ceramic coated headers for my 02 T/A and i was wondering what is the best way to install them? Ive heard you have to drop the engine cradle, Is this true? If so how?
You dont have to. Itd be easier though. But pretty much your going to want soak the old bolts in pb blaster if you havent already. Let that soak so break off any of the bolts in the head 
Then unbolt your air, egr, ive found that on the passenger side that taking off the valve cover makes it a hell of alot easier.
Get the car up as high as possible. It needs to be up there. But BE SAFE! thats also key obviously. But its gonna take some patience, and some tiny hands. Other than that its pretty straightforward.
Hope this helps and enjoy!
Then unbolt your air, egr, ive found that on the passenger side that taking off the valve cover makes it a hell of alot easier.
Get the car up as high as possible. It needs to be up there. But BE SAFE! thats also key obviously. But its gonna take some patience, and some tiny hands. Other than that its pretty straightforward.
Hope this helps and enjoy!
hardest part is getting the coil pack bracket on pass. side off ( you shouldn't need to remove the driver side) As for the height, I put mine up 8" on pass. side and 12" on driver side. I used a sawzall and just cut the stock exhaust off after unbolting the manifolds. Installing the headers is alot easier than the removal of the stock junk.
I'm sure there is a few write ups on here if you need a walk thru just search for one.
-Dan
I'm sure there is a few write ups on here if you need a walk thru just search for one.
-Dan
you are gonna need a hamme, to dent the fire wall in just a lil bit. you will see were u need to. and on the passenger side, when u take off the coil packs, have fun getting that bolt underneith the cowl, its a bitch.... and does not need to be put back in.
GOOD LUCK
GOOD LUCK
whoa, a hammer? takin off valve covers and coil packs!?
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
I gave him what he needed to do. He might have to beat the floorpan/firewall a bit. Pacesetteres QC sucks. Some headers fit. Some have to fight and fight to get them in there. Its pretty striaghtforward tho.
^^^ Id love to know how you got your headers in only lifting it a foot in the air?
^^^ Id love to know how you got your headers in only lifting it a foot in the air?
whoa, a hammer? takin off valve covers and coil packs!?
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
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I didn't use a hammer or unbolt the steering knuckle. I had access to a lift so that made it MUCH easier to just slide them up from the bottom. Just jack it up as high as you safely can and you should be good from there.
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whoa, a hammer? takin off valve covers and coil packs!?
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
ive installed every brand of header on a ls1 fbody and NEVER had to do that lol
pacesetters slide in like butter.. hardest part is just gettin the manifolds off, and its not hard, just time consumin.. let me tell u.. a 10mm ratchet wrech is ur friend when doin long tubes!
like they stated.. try to soak em before breakin em loose, nothing like breakin a bolt off in the head
^^^ Id love to know how you got your headers in only lifting it a foot in the air?
Maybe I got lucky, don't know?
-Dan
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
i have only removed my driver one and i pulled the steering shaft as well. the header had to be pointed straight up to get it up to the motor so the car was high off the ground. and it was hitting the firewall so i shoulda known about the ******* hammer trick back then
I actually had to use a hammer just a little. However i didnt have to undo the steering knuckle or take off any coil packs. It helps to be skinny lol. The only problem I had was getting the car high enough off the ground to get the right angle for the drivers side header to slide in. Its all pretty much common sense stuff and really doesnt take any skill at all. It does help to have another person there with you though.
The only issuse I had is that I had to shave about 1/8in off of the casting tab on the drivers side back of the block, some have to others dont. I did. Other than that they slid right in from the bottom.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Canyon Texas
thanks for the help, i have a lift so getting it in the air is no problem. Also does anyone know where to get good O2 simulatiors, or can you fix the check engine light with a tune?
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,117
Likes: 3
From: Philly
Best advice: try and find a lift. If you can get access to a lift, you'll cut the install time in half. Literally. What is an 8 our driveway job can get done in 3-4 hours. With a lift, nearly all the time will be spent taking the old stuff off and realigning the catback.