Lessons learned...header and exhaust install
Just finished up my Pacesetter Header/ Texas Speed Catted Y/ Magnaflow exhaust set up. Hardest part was taking out the old crap. It was all heavy and rusted and awkward. Passenger side was cake. Didn't even have to take off the coil packs on that side, honestly wasn't hard at all, coil packs never got in the way, might have been because I have air tools to take the header bolts off, didn't have to stick my hands down in there to hold the ratchet or anything.
On the driver side I couldn't get the pacesetter header in, was just barely hitting that stupid tab on the engine block. I don't own a grinder and it looked like a lot of work to grind it off even if I did. I just took out the steering knuckle, came out with two bolts, took like 5 min to take it out and then the headers slipped right in like nothing, then took another 5 min to slap the steering knuckle back on.
After installing the headers I started installing the Y pipe. I gotta tell ya that thing is kind of a PITA. I thought I had it pretty well tucked under but lowered the car back down and the clearence is terrible. I need to go back under there and loosen some clamps. Its the driver's side I think can at least go almost another inch up under the body.
On the driver side I couldn't get the pacesetter header in, was just barely hitting that stupid tab on the engine block. I don't own a grinder and it looked like a lot of work to grind it off even if I did. I just took out the steering knuckle, came out with two bolts, took like 5 min to take it out and then the headers slipped right in like nothing, then took another 5 min to slap the steering knuckle back on.
After installing the headers I started installing the Y pipe. I gotta tell ya that thing is kind of a PITA. I thought I had it pretty well tucked under but lowered the car back down and the clearence is terrible. I need to go back under there and loosen some clamps. Its the driver's side I think can at least go almost another inch up under the body.
Holy Crap. Spent about 3 hours under the car last night, stayed up till midnight. I got so frustrated at one point I just completely took apart the entire y pipe and started over. Turns out the first pipe coming off the driver side header was rotated at the completely wrong angle causing the second pipe coming off it with the cat to angle way down toward the ground. After putting it at the right angle the pipes on the driver's side ran perfectly under up against the body and now the ground clearance is much better.
I hear ya man, it took me a long time as well to figure out that damn y-pipe as well.
Do a search for a thread by twitchtwice and he has some pics that helped my get my y-pipe on the correct way.
I found it fit better if you put the cat'd pipe into the Y and have someone else put their side onto the header as you put the other side on the header. Seemed to work better that way for me.
Do a search for a thread by twitchtwice and he has some pics that helped my get my y-pipe on the correct way.
I found it fit better if you put the cat'd pipe into the Y and have someone else put their side onto the header as you put the other side on the header. Seemed to work better that way for me.
. had a custom Y made so i dont know you pain on the y pipe. 
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 108
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From: Galesburg
