I ordered a complete exhaust replacement for my 95 LT1 and I got the headers first on Wednesday. I ordered it all on the same time so I figured I would get the parts in the next two days, which I didint have to work anyway. Open headers for a day, cheap thrill, **** off the neighbors I was thinking. Well they didint come in on time. I have Hooker Longtubes, open, with 02 Sensors installed into them, and am getting sputtering across the whole powerband and the occassional backfire. Not the little cute ones when you deccelerate, the ones that make you think a glitch in the matrix set off a nuke and scares you half to death until you get used to it. I have new wires and I just did the plugs, I've been eyeballing the opti as a culprit for several ignition related issues I have had recently, that being all I have not yet replaced. Of concern also was running open headers to long having other detrimental engine effects, seals and whatnot. And today I see, I'm losing power. In 4th gear today it totally refused to go past 5000 RPMs even though I had it floored. As I have heard in 10,000 movies and currently cannot remember a single example "Things Are Not Well". I'm already getting that voodoo-ish "stop driving the damn thing before something explodes" vibe but transportation to work is otherwise non-existant so i'm kinda at ends on that. If anyone has a gem of wisdom to share, feel free.

PS: One more thing, the tubes that used to connect off the top of my exhause (EGR?) don't have places to connect on the new headers. I cannot get an engine temp reading, and the place where the tube used to go into the engine is sucking in normal air. I got the inkling that this might also be a less-than-optimal situation but, this is my bed and I gotta lay in it until it's comfortable.

PSS: Also stationed in Germany, which has some really cold mornings, if temp might be a factor in some type of startup damage in early 0530 mornings.

 

You cannot really run open headers without problems...unless you have like over 12 inches of pipe behind the O2 sensor. What's happening is your O2s are picking up freah air cause your problems. You should have seen me try to run TTS header open. I could not get over 2K and it even died on me once.

 

I am running my pacesetters open right now. I doesn't run like it should but i still don't have it tuned form when i installed the cam. It does run though.

 

So far I have..
-Replaced the clutch with a Centerforce Dual Friction.
-Replaced the flywheel with a centerforce weighted/balanced flywheel (I am starting to wonder if it's to heavy for a stock starter since sometimes it makes noises when starting, or refuses to turn until a few tries.)
-Installed Hooker Longtubes, O2 sensors have 4 inches of pipe, then open air.
-Installed MSG plug wires and NGK plugs.
-EGR Removed.
-CAGS Removed.
-MAF Screen Removed.

That's about it. The whole bottom of the car is slicked in oil I noticed today when it was on the lift. Dunno if it's a seal or the fact that my oil tube does not wanna sit all the way down in the hole after the header install, I'm gonna try and bend it into shape tomorrow. It seems mostly on the passenger side, and from what I've read there is a common seal issue there.

 

I would also say you definitely need more pipes after the O2s. 4" is not enough.

I may be misinterpreting this, but are you saying that the hole on the top of your intake manifold (where the EGR tube normally goes into) is open right now? BAD IDEA. Don't even think about starting the car before you fix this. Do what it takes, fabricate a cover, something. You're letting in unfiltered, unmetered air. Besides the risk of dirt getting in there, you're gonna be running super lean which can easily destroy your entire motor.

If your headers didn't have EGR provisions, you're going to have to remove the EGR equipment and cover up that hole in the intake anyway. Why didn't you buy the emissions equipped headers if you wanted to keep EGR?

Dope

 

I didn't even bother reading this thread but that title had me laughing my *** off

 

You need one more mod...!air, the two hoses are for your air system. Many people buy "race" headers which lack the provisions for air and pull the air pump and the hoses with minimal problems. More than likely thats not your problem, I agree with what Xerxes said. Also the oil all over the bottom of your engine is more than likely coming from the low quality intake gasket, or should I say lack of, that GM used on LT1's.

 

Ok so I take off the AIR pump and d-tube the EGR and block the hole in it, then I add some inches to the exhaust. Sounds simple enough until I get in the real deal.

 

Apparently, for the short term, unused spark plug wire tips are the perfect size to plug the holes on the intake, they fit over like a custom-fit condom...

 

for the exhaust, what I did for a friend, was buy some 3" - 2 1/2" header flange couplers at autozone, and some 2.5" dia 12" long turndowns, combined, it worked fine, sounded like a tractor, but it worked.... his website is www.theheadfl.com , go there to ask him for details

 

I'd kill for an autozone. But I am stationed in Germany, and 3 inch pipe is like 7.5CM pipe, and they just dont make it here. If I were in the US, I would not have had a problem in the first place

 

Same here! Great title!