Going to install pacesetters on a friends car.
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Damn..I looked for you but couldn't find a damn thing except an old thread on planning....http://www.ls1.com/forums/archive/in.../t-395748.html
Seems a lot of peeps have issues with the k member, anyway, good luck with it. Tell us how everything works out.
Seems a lot of peeps have issues with the k member, anyway, good luck with it. Tell us how everything works out.
they are supposed to be torqued to 18 ft/lbs. I never torqued mine down. i used my arm as a torque wrench. good luck trying to fit a torque wrench in for some of those. the directions say 18, but fit tighten them good and tight with a wrench. drive around for a wehile and retighted them, my bolts didn't need to be tightened much but my buddy's SBC had to be retightened over 360*
Seems a lot of peeps have issues with the k member, anyway, good luck with it. Tell us how everything works out.
1, have two people do the install
2, get the front of the car up high. I could slide a 5 gallon pail under my front wheels.
3, remove the heat sheild on the pass side that is underneath the floor, it was about a 2x1 foot peice of metal. we couldn't slide the pass side header in with that on.
4, drivers side. people will say that you may need to tilt the engine of grind part of the block off to fit it in. I just jacked the engine up about 1/2 inch and it slide right in. as long as you have the rubber motor mounts you are good for that.
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 803
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, North Carolina
I have never done a header installation. I would like to attempt to put my own pacesetters in. Right now after looking over some of the posts and websites on installation it looks a little intimidating.
Pacesetters are cake to install on an LS1. You don't need to jack the car up as high as alot of people say. I used a regular $80 2.5 ton jack from Sears that goes to around 17 or 18". You also don't need to jack the motor up either side to slide the headers in. I had to hold mine in place while a friend threaded the bolts through. There's nothing tricky about the install. It's just time consuming so set aside a Saturday and take your time.
Jason
Jason
Here is the lowdown. The car doesnt need to be high at all. I have done several sets of Pace headers with the wheels no more than 8" off the ground. When you are doing it with the car kinda low to the ground like that just simply lay the headers on its side and put the flange up in the car and straighten the header out as you push it up in there. The Pacesetters are the easiest headers I have put on so far and they will not come close to the k member or any other major part of the car as long as they are the new design which yours probably are.
Dont need a torque wrench. Just tighten them up good but not untill they wont tighten anymore. After a few heat cycles recheck them, simple.
Reuse the stock metal gaskest or buy new stock gaskets.
Dont need a torque wrench. Just tighten them up good but not untill they wont tighten anymore. After a few heat cycles recheck them, simple.
Reuse the stock metal gaskest or buy new stock gaskets.
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Both of my LT's slid right in with no problems whatsoever. The passenger side took just a few seconds of wiggling to work its way up to the head but the drivers side literally just popped right in. Guess I lucked out? 
Not sure why some people have issues while others like myself have none. Wouldn't think quality control of Pacesetters would be THAT far off? The revised version has been out for some time now and I still see posts about some people having issues with grinding/cutting things to get them to fit.
Not sure why some people have issues while others like myself have none. Wouldn't think quality control of Pacesetters would be THAT far off? The revised version has been out for some time now and I still see posts about some people having issues with grinding/cutting things to get them to fit. LS1 Tech Stories
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Like what was said above....Stepped TQ. First phase is around 11 ft/lbs and the second is at 18 ft/lbs. Once you get them tightened, go over it again BEFORE you re-install the AIR/EGR connections. Trust me it's easier. The very rear Pass side bolt is hard to get to. Prolly only be able to get a couple degrees of TQ at a time. Have fun!
EDIT: This was on my SLP LT, but I figure the TQ specs should be about the same.
EDIT: This was on my SLP LT, but I figure the TQ specs should be about the same.
Interesting that one person said you dont need to lift the car that much, its the general consensus that the higher the better but what ever works is what you go with.
I have a 6 spd. The driver side went in no sweat at all. 10 minutes to finished torque. The passeneger side was different. I had to remove the starter, simple 2 bolts, and I cut the block tab as recommended. BUT I think just removing the starter would have surficed (didnt actualy totaly remove just let it hang for as minute). For me the higher the better and if you look at some of the guids they will say the same thing. Also each header is different. I installed Stainless Works. Its not as hard as the directions seem to make it, just a little time consuming, I did a cam swap at the same time so I cant tell you how long it took. Its not an overly difficult task, just a matter of patience and moving slow when pushing the header up into place.
As far as tq settings 2 rounds, 11 ft lbs then 18 Ft lbs is the book spec. Start from the center and work out. I used locks with mine so they wont back out, thread lock should be used if not using locks. The hardest part I found was mating up the y- pipe with the rest of the exaust for best clearance.
I have a 6 spd. The driver side went in no sweat at all. 10 minutes to finished torque. The passeneger side was different. I had to remove the starter, simple 2 bolts, and I cut the block tab as recommended. BUT I think just removing the starter would have surficed (didnt actualy totaly remove just let it hang for as minute). For me the higher the better and if you look at some of the guids they will say the same thing. Also each header is different. I installed Stainless Works. Its not as hard as the directions seem to make it, just a little time consuming, I did a cam swap at the same time so I cant tell you how long it took. Its not an overly difficult task, just a matter of patience and moving slow when pushing the header up into place.
As far as tq settings 2 rounds, 11 ft lbs then 18 Ft lbs is the book spec. Start from the center and work out. I used locks with mine so they wont back out, thread lock should be used if not using locks. The hardest part I found was mating up the y- pipe with the rest of the exaust for best clearance.
Here's my experience with Pacesetters.... I just installed them by myself yesterday. I only had my wife around to help, and she was too busy not helping.
The drivers side slid up there easy with the tires about 12" off the ground. I say slid up there easy, then the motor got in the way. I used a 2x4 board to pry the engine over just enough so I could pull the header up into position.
The passenger side I had to jack the car way up to get it to slide up there. Then it was a piece of cake to mate up no clearance issues at all.
I used the gaskets Pacesetter gave with the headers (I hope they work well!?!?). I torqued them from inside out, but not with a torque wrench
I also used the locking fasteners to keep them in place. Getting the clips on a couple was a PITA.
The biggest PITA was getting the dipstick tube in and out. I ended up using channel lock vice grips where the tube enters the pan to twist and pry it out... ugh
Brian
The drivers side slid up there easy with the tires about 12" off the ground. I say slid up there easy, then the motor got in the way. I used a 2x4 board to pry the engine over just enough so I could pull the header up into position.
The passenger side I had to jack the car way up to get it to slide up there. Then it was a piece of cake to mate up no clearance issues at all.
I used the gaskets Pacesetter gave with the headers (I hope they work well!?!?). I torqued them from inside out, but not with a torque wrench
I also used the locking fasteners to keep them in place. Getting the clips on a couple was a PITA.The biggest PITA was getting the dipstick tube in and out. I ended up using channel lock vice grips where the tube enters the pan to twist and pry it out... ugh
Brian
Installing headers is CAKE, you just have to have someone around with small wrists/hands to get to some of the bolts. 
BTW, It's always easier to do the DS. The PS has SOOO much **** in the way. It looked daunting the first time I did it, but now it's not ****.
BTW, It's always easier to do the DS. The PS has SOOO much **** in the way. It looked daunting the first time I did it, but now it's not ****. Installed them saturday. Took about 6 hours which included the 1 hour break. Easy fit and easy job. I wish I would have installed my own and not paid $300 for my kooks install.