Well said !! Here, here !!

As for the y-pipe, I have a set of JetHots sitting in my garage and these stainless headers look very similar. So I'm thinking a Hooker or JetHot y-pipe will fit them. And as I've already mention before, I've got my bid in for a set of these stainless headers, I have a JetHot y-pipe here in the garage and a muffler shop down the highway.... so I think it'll all work out great !!

 

What are all you guys doing?
I'll say it again, i have installed about 30-40 sets of headers on LS1's and have NEVER had to touch that little tab. You guys must be doing something wrong. and these were all on the floor with a floor jack and regular jack stands.

 

Yes but you more than likely had to disconnect the motor mounts and jack up the motor a bit, or the steering column. I haven't done 30 but I've done a few and you can probably get them in there without grinding the tab. But the tab takes a minute how long does it take to jack the motor up?

To each is own, but the tab is nothing just a block for the assembly line whats the big deal about cutting it off? If you have just been extrordinarily lucky with the cars you've installed all these too then good for you. The Kooks I've done needed nothing but the car jacked up to the sealing and some shoving them in there. The Pacesetters may have went in without cutting the tab, but they are like butter without the tab.

 

Also, to get my Kooks in, I had to undo both motor mounts, jack the motor all the way up and push it forward about 5 inches. Dont tell me the name on the headers means anything.

 

My QTPs when right in, no grinding no nothing. All it took out was the oil filter and drain plug. Grinding down your engine block should not be an option. If you do, then then that means its does not fit right. Someone is not doing there homework when designing headers. In this case cheap knock off and they didnt even get that right.

 

I think i've jacked up the motor on one maybe two cars. and thats just jacking it up a hair. not even unbolting the mounts.
I have unbolted the knuckle on a handfull though.
My kooks slid right in without taking anything off and the jack wasn't even topped out.

 

Well maybe I should have you over with my next header install If you buy the plane ticket I'll buy the beer

 

I put SLP headers in without grinding anyhting. The steering shaft did have to be removed though.

 

Ok I just got both sides installed and they really weren't that bad at all. I do understand that some people just don't want to have to do any mods to their car to mod it but some times it is a nesesary evil that you have to do. Either way this is what I have come up with thous far. Buy new GM gaskets and reuse the stock bolts and get the 24" extensions as it looks like the 12" ones are just alittle to short. Also get a new set of plugs and wires as you will not want to change them once the headers are already on since there isn't alot of room but do as you wish. I also would replace both O2's since they will be hard to remove and may break any ways. After all of that if you have a 00-02 car you must cut off or plug the air and egr tubes on these headers since they are for a 98-99 car and will not line up with the egr air on the 00 and the 01-02 don't have this anyways. From what I can see the only real PITA is not being able to hook up the emissions stuff if you have to pass a sniffer or vissual test but other than that I can honestly say that these are a very nice set of headers for the money spent and would look for the price to go up as they become more popular. I have still no info on a Y pipe that will fit because I will be running TD and have friends that work at an exhaust shop if it comes down to it. I hope I have shead a little light on this for everyone and hope that with this thread that you can make a educated desision on what headers you wish to buy for your car.



In closing I would like to thank everyone that has followed this thread and commented on it good or bad (gotta love free speach). I wish everyone on here the best of luck with all the mods they do and any header they choose fit for their application.

 

I for one am very pleased with you info! It points out some pitfals and fitment issues that I wish were not there. I have a set waiting on the bench and am willing to do a little "work" to make them fit. Par-for-the-course of the MANY other cars and trucks I have installed headers on. Could be 98 - 02 F-bodys are not the same as older vehicles but I expect to mod a few things to get headers to "fit". Many 60s car header installs required a hammed to "dent" a tube or two to clear on "some" cars. I had two big block 66 chevelles, same brand of header and one fit like a glove the other was a royal PITA and required a couple of dimples in the tubes to fit, go figure.

Thanks for the info!
If your passing through Wyoming, stop by and give me a hand! :-)

 

Sorry if I missed something in this thread, but why can't you hook up the emissions stuff? Do they not come with AIR and EGR tubes?

 

I have done 6 header installs my car and 5 buddies and 5 of the 6 needed to have that casting tab bround down. Didnt have to cut the whole thing off but we had to grind it down maybe 1/4 of an inch. The only pair that slide right in were QTP's. I had problems with my mac, my buddies macs of his 01 z28, slps on an o2 ws6, and hookers and pacesetters on two other local fbodies. I think the issue might be as the car flexs and moves over the years it kinda knocks the alignment off a little and thats what causes the problems. I could be 100% wrong (haha and probably am) but on some of the fbodies I worked on there seemed to be a ltitle more clearance to slide the headers in and a little less on others. Maybe the engines shift a bit, maybe its the old motor mounts, i dunno but I dont see why its a huge deal to grind down the little casting block on the engine. I have done it on 5 fbodies (including mine) and have never had an issue after doing it. JMO.

 

you gotta do what you gotta do !! I see no problem with "grinding", "cutting" or "denting" some things to make them fit. Nothing in this world is ever perfect !

 

Hmmm, 98Z28MASS might be onto sumpin' here. Our engine sits a little to the starboard side and made for a 4-hour spark plug change as well. I'm no expert either, but it could be the motor mounts just being old. Guess I'll have to spring for some poly pieces while I do the headers... when I get headers.

 

Thank you sir for the kind words I was begining to think that most people on this board did not like to take chances or steer off the beating path. After your statement I fell very good about my entire write up on these headers and the fitment of them as well as the look they give to the engine compartment. It almost seems like if you are not buying a header from a sponsor or well known name on here you have alot of critizome and I was felling bad for starting the post in the first place as I had a lot of people bashing my headers and the way I did my install,(done to the best of my abillity).

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has taken their time to follow my babiling on these headers and I hope others have better luck with what ever brand of header they choice. At the end of the day all you have to do is look yourself in the mirror and say I dod the best I could do today right or wrong good or bad.

 

Good call, bro.

Yeah, folks tend to prefer sponsors here which doesn't bother me at all... they keep the site up and going, and for that I commend them all. Most people fear change after a certain point(consider a Baptist speaking in tongues), and that's kinda what folks are doing here with your choice of headers. Some may simply believe it costs $700+ for a good stainless header that fits, and if they have the funding to do so, fine by me... they just contribute to somebody up the chain making a HUGE profit. As for those of us who are strapped for cash, we have to find alternate means of the same result, and in this case, I've been following this particular name on eBay for awhile now. I was almost set on Hedmans for the price when these came up... I can squeeze out $80 more and have stainless for the price of painted. And still have money for duals, LS6 intake, and maybe a U/D pulley before reaching the total cost for a set of Kooks, QTPs, Dynatechs, etc.

Put up a sound clip of that thang, boy!

 

I just got the car running again last night at 10:30 and stilll am having major fitment issues with the BNR_powersport TD exhaust so it is just running with headers and a X pipe. Keep in mind I also did a few other mods at the same time that is what took the longest waiting on parts to show up and then installing them like motor mounts and rear end cover and things like that.

 

Y-pipe Anyone?

 

My Kooks went in like hot butter... I bet I could have installed them blind folded with one hand tied behind my back. I did not even have to remove my oil filter that I remember. Of course that Pro Fab tubular K member that I installed just prior to the header install was a PITA.

 

Y-Pipe????