Well I finally got around to installing my TTS headers. Much gratitude to FinalTA for help with the install, I think it would be near impossible to do alone.

First off everything came off ok, the manifold bolts came out real easy and went back in without a problem. I had hit them with PB Blaster the night before just to loosen things up. Took maybe an hour for that (I had already disconnected the AIR tubes, coil packs and removed pass. coil). Had the car up on jackstands about 20". Manifolds dropped right out through the bottom. The passenger side header went in so easy I thought it was too good to be true. Literally took maybe 20 minutes to get that side in. Then came the drivers side. Needless to say it was not as painless. Took off the oil filter, and had to remove that heat shield and bang in the firewall a bit with a hammer where it was getting caught. Then got stuck on that casting tab. Didn't have a sawzall like I had thought, so tried cutting a bit with a jigsaw. Sliced some of it til the blade broke then tried squeezing the header in again. Back primary kept getting stuck on the tab and firewall so finally by sheer will I forced the header throught, used a flathead and hammer to kind of wedge it up. Worked great, but left a small gouge in the flange. So had to sand it down with some paper a little to ensure a flush fit with the head. Once on the motor though, these headers do tuck up very nicely. I should have some pics of them soon.

So now I have 2 problems/questions. First is, I bought 98-99 AIR tubes assuming I'd need them. Well, the AIR flanges on the TTS's are already oriented to fit the 01's. That was all well and good, but I bent the **** out of my pass. side AIR tube trying to get the check valve off to fit on the 98 tube (as I had done this prior to installing the headers). So needless to say I now need to buy a '01 pass. side tube before I can start it (anyone want to sell me one?). Drivers side made it out unscathed so I reused that one.

Other problem was the y-pipe on driver's side would not fit into the cat (pass. side fit fine). So I'm hoping an exhaust shop can expand or shrink one of the pipes to fit it. Other question is the pipes seem to go deep into the cat housing when connected. I wonder if having the pipe jut so far into the cat would somewhat impede flow, and maybe I should have the pipes cut down a hair. If this is common, I wonder if this is part of why TTS cats get a bad rep for poor flow.

All in all, so far I give TTS a thumbs up, but I'll know more when I finally get to start the car!

 

Your story really cracks me up. It is so identical to my own install. Me and my friend banged the driver side fire wall in about three inches before it would go in. I ended up triming off a little of the tubes at the cats, and a little more at the collector. I would recommend getting your own y pipe made with a flowmaster collector. The TTS one sucks. Otherwise they are awsome headers. They do look great once there in. I picked up about 23 hp 23 lbft at the wheels with their cats and y-pipe.

 

Your story really cracks me up. It is so identical to my own install. Me and my friend banged the driver side fire wall in about three inches before it would go in. I ended up triming off a little of the tubes at the cats, and a little more at the collector. I would recommend getting your own y pipe made with a flowmaster collector. The TTS one sucks. Otherwise they are awsome headers. They do look great once there in. I picked up about 23 hp 23 lbft at the wheels with their cats and y-pipe.

 

Yeah, all things considered it wasn't as bad as I expected. Just really got my hopes up after the pass. side slid in so easily. Buddy who had done headers on an LT1 before said the LS1 experience was way better.

I think I'll take your advice then and trim some off the pipes to the cats (y-pipe fit into the cat back without issue). Is that easily done with a pipe cutter? Eventually I'd like to have a y-pipe fab'd up with some flanges, so I can drop it right in place of the cat y.

Again the thing that caught me off guard was the AIR tubes. Everyone told me I'd need 98-99 tubes, but looks like the stockers would've worked fine. I dunno if thats unique to the TTS's.