Doing headers soon, any tips/advice?
Doing headers soon, any tips/advice? I'm going to be installing my pacesetter longtube headers, TSP ORY, NGK TR55's, MSD wires, and poly motor mounts in the next couple days. I plan on using the header guide for dummies thats somewhere on the forums. Anyone who's done this before have any advice or tips for me?
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
When doing the motor mounts, pull the entire pedestals out. 4 bolts on the block and 4 on the k member for each side. Much easier this way instead of having to pull the alternator and compressor. Assemble the unit on a bench and you don't have to fight with the long motor mount bolt that everyone struggles with.
When doing the motor mounts, pull the entire pedestals out. 4 bolts on the block and 4 on the k member for each side. Much easier this way instead of having to pull the alternator and compressor. Assemble the unit on a bench and you don't have to fight with the long motor mount bolt that everyone struggles with.
This.
The motor mount bolts are long and are a pain in the *** to get out if the pedestal is still in.
Unhook the negative battery cable.
Support the engine (I did it with a jack underneath), take off the nut from the long MM bolt, remove the bolts holding the MM to the block, remove the bolts holding the pedestal and then you can separate them and maneuver them out. I tried to not mix the parts up and kept them to their respective side.
When you put the passenger side header in, you're gonna want to have the rear end of the car raised up for extra clearance (if you're not on a lift).
The drivers side went in ok without having to lift the back (for me) but I had to grind down the edge on the pedestal and I had to grind down some aluminum from the block. There is this rectangular piece protruding from the block on the drivers side that got in my way when I put the header in. You'll see it.
Make sure you use proper jack stands with a decent wide base. Triple check everything that you do concerning safety. I know someone that didn't and had a car fall on his chest and kill him.
Good luck.
I used Cyberkills Dummy install and everything went super smooth, it's a great write up, one of my favorites on Tech. Just follow that install and you should be able to get it. The only thing I didn't do that he did was the scissor jack for the poly motor mounts, I was lucky enough to where I didn't have to use gorilla force to align the bolts, lol
i just did motor mounts and long tubes tonight. not my first episide with long tubes, but it was my first tussle with mounts on a 4th gen car fbody, and that sucked. i didn't read **** about it, i figured what the hell.
whoever said remove the mount completely is right. if i had it to do over, i would have. i pulled the compressor and alt....AND STILL ended up damn near removing the pedestal to get the bolt(s) to line up.
i installed hooker super comp 1 7/8 headers. they both slid in no prob. the driver's side needed a touch taken off the kmember with a grinder to not hit. other than that it was ok.
i had planned on simply bolting my new muffler to the end of the y as a temporary setup until i could get to the exhaust shop saturday. well that wouldn't work because the exit on the tsp y was so small there is no way i could've clamped my 3" muffler to it.
so...i attached the first 2 piece of the tsp y to the car (the pieces on the headers) and said **** it. i get up very early for work, but it's only a couple days. most of my neighbors annoy me 1,000,000 other ways anyhow.
whoever said remove the mount completely is right. if i had it to do over, i would have. i pulled the compressor and alt....AND STILL ended up damn near removing the pedestal to get the bolt(s) to line up.
i installed hooker super comp 1 7/8 headers. they both slid in no prob. the driver's side needed a touch taken off the kmember with a grinder to not hit. other than that it was ok.
i had planned on simply bolting my new muffler to the end of the y as a temporary setup until i could get to the exhaust shop saturday. well that wouldn't work because the exit on the tsp y was so small there is no way i could've clamped my 3" muffler to it.
so...i attached the first 2 piece of the tsp y to the car (the pieces on the headers) and said **** it. i get up very early for work, but it's only a couple days. most of my neighbors annoy me 1,000,000 other ways anyhow.
Trending Topics
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Columbus
Are you going to be accessible to a lift and alot of tools? Start with removing the Y pipe and then work your way up. The nuts holding the cats will strip so its easier to just start removing the exhaust manifold bolts. They will come out smoothly we had no problems. We also cleaned them off with a brush wheel on a grinder and make sure to use anti seize. Then remove the manifolds and take out your plugs. Gap your new plugs to .043" (thats what a reputable speed shop told me that mainly deals with ls motors.) You will have to remove the oil dipstick. The driver side should go on without having to remove the steering shaft. But its key to have at least 2-3 people with you and alot of tools. I was able to install mine in 6 hours
You will need a swivel head 3/8" ratchet with alot of different extensions. I remember using a 10mm socket on almost everything. Make sure to install your header gaskets correctly in two sequences working from the middle outwards. final torque is 18 ft lbs, i used my calibrated elbow haha
Blood, Sweat, and Beers!
You will need a swivel head 3/8" ratchet with alot of different extensions. I remember using a 10mm socket on almost everything. Make sure to install your header gaskets correctly in two sequences working from the middle outwards. final torque is 18 ft lbs, i used my calibrated elbow haha
Blood, Sweat, and Beers!
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
If your doing it on your own cut 2 slits on the bottom of the bolt holes in the exhaust gaskets so you can start the front and back bolts with the header in place and then slide the gasket inbetween instead of fighiting to get all three lined up. then just put the rest of the middle bolts in and tighten like normal.
Thanks for all the advice guys! I got them in with not too much trouble. I did the motor mount on the drivers side by jacking up the motor and just taking the clamshell out. PITA, not to mention I ended up stripping one of the holes into the block because I thought it was lined up but it actually wasn't 
. On the passenger side I took out the entire pedestal, and that made life so much easier, especially lining up the 18mm bolt that goes through everything. I only had to remove the starter to get the bolt through, A/C compressor stayed right where it belongs!
I used Corvette O2's instead of re-pinning my PCM like I had originally planned, I had 120k on my stock ones anyways (previous owner didn't do much maintenance besides oil changes....). Car runs a bit better now with the new plugs and wires, and the O2's probably have something to do with it too.
Overall though, it was definitely one of the most challenging projects I have attempted, but definitely worth it in the end, and i couldn't have done it without all you guys here on Tech
. On the passenger side I took out the entire pedestal, and that made life so much easier, especially lining up the 18mm bolt that goes through everything. I only had to remove the starter to get the bolt through, A/C compressor stayed right where it belongs! I used Corvette O2's instead of re-pinning my PCM like I had originally planned, I had 120k on my stock ones anyways (previous owner didn't do much maintenance besides oil changes....). Car runs a bit better now with the new plugs and wires, and the O2's probably have something to do with it too.
Overall though, it was definitely one of the most challenging projects I have attempted, but definitely worth it in the end, and i couldn't have done it without all you guys here on Tech
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Columbus
Right on did you get a tune yet? I have gone for three weeks now without one and its running perfectly fine so don't worry much, maybe just check a plug and see how its running occasionally and avoid too much WOT Don't want to do this to your pistons 
