OK so here's the deal. I've got my pacesetter LT's, TSP true-duals, fuddle 3600 TC, and trans-cooler sitting on my floor. The car is my daily driver so I have to get the install done over one 3-day weekend (no lift, no air-tools).

So basicly I need to know any tip/tricks/advice that anyone out there can give me to make this go easyer. Any write-ups that people used would also be nice.

The other thing is I need to know if there's any little things that I've forgotten, I know I need some header gaskets and a 3/4" freeze-plug (for the AIR/EGR delete).

ANY other advice that people want to give me would be most apreciated.

-John

 

Well if it's that tight a schedule, grab some friends (offer pizza and beer) an air wrench would be invaluable for doing it quickly, see if you can borrow or rent one.
Have a grinder ready in case you have to grind the block tab (it depends on the car on mine no grinding, on my friends had to grind)
You also might want to get a set of plugs (easy to break one or more installing or removing)
Make sure you hit the bolts with some PB blaster prior to the start (usually the night before), FWIW you may not get the whole install done, so I'd concentrate on doing one or the other, that way you're not rushed (rushing leads to avoidable mistakes), and do the other install the next weekend

 

Just do one project at a time. I would do the headers and exhaust first. It's going to be a fight to get those TSP duals riding high. I would also HIGHLY recommend installing poly motor mounts (read: do it or you'll hate yourself).

I like to remove the coil packs, valve covers, dipstick tube, and all but like 2 header bolts on each side before I jack the car up. Then get the car as HIGH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

You will need a breaker bar (or impact if you find one) on the manifold to cat connections, most of those studs will probably break off rather than unscrew, don't worry about it though and keep on trucking. Remove the y-pipe from the i-pipe, and take the assembly out.

Take out the O2 sensors and unplug them. Then remove the last few bolts holding on the manifolds and slide those babies out. This is when you install the motor mounts if you get them.

Slide the headers in place and get all the bolts started using the factory gaskets, or a new set of OEM ones. DO NOT USE THE ONES THAT COME WITH THE PACESETTERS!! Dab a little never-cease on the bolts before you start them off.

Remove the cat-back (I had to use a cutoff wheel on mine where it goes over the axle), y-pipe support, heat sheilds and hangers. (!weight )

Tape up the old rear O2 sensor plugs and zip tie them up out of the way.

For the true duals: Flip the fuel line brackets in the tunnel before you get started, then put the fuel lines back in them. Get the system on the car but leave everything loose. Try to get the pipes as loose inside each other as possible. Don't slip the ends onto the pacesetters too far or the band clamps will hit the O2 bungs. Place a board under the dumps after you get everythign pieced together and a jack under that, get them as high as possible tweaking **** you run into (literally) along the way. You may have to bash in one of the mufflers if it hits the floorboard, or bash in something I can't think of right now, but get them as high as possible or you'll be doing it over again.

If you look at the link in my sig, there's some pics of my system when it was still dumped. Mine was PLENTY high. The bullets actualy rode inside the tranny tunnel after a little "convincing" thanks to mr. ball-pien hammer. Where the pipe goes under the driverside flloorboard after leaving the collector, you might want to bash it in on the spot it runs under this big *** support thing, or bash in the support thing.

After you're satisfied, band clamp it together and tighten the **** out of the clamps.

Install the O2 extensions and O2 sensors, and call that job fineto.






BTW - You'll need a 1-3/8" adjustable freeze plug. It looks like 2 washers with a piece of rubber between them and a nut/bolt connecting them. You turn the nut, it squeezes the washers together, and expands the rubber, which seals the hole.

 

Thanks guys, keep the info coming.

And I would do the motor mounts but I am litteraly out of cash (as in I don't know if I'll have enough money to get to NJ to have the car tuned.)

 

Now that my friend is a very good instruction list for that job.

 

Here's a great write-up.

 

I would do the converter while the exhaust is out. Only a few more hours with buddy's.

 

Me too. The y has to be off anyway. 2 people their first time doing a converter took me about 11 hrs. The 2nd time it took 7 hrs. I would take the exaust off and do the converter the first day.

 

Yeah that was my thinking.

Thanks for all the advice guys, this is exactly the reason I love this site