How hard is it to install headers on an ls1?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: pittsburg kansas
How hard is it to install headers on an ls1? I just got a set of pacesetter lt's and their ORY for my 02 ss along w/ a flowtech cutout. I want to save some money and do the install myself but ive heard its a real pain in the *** and i nead to get it done over the weekend as this car is my daily driver right now until i get a new grocery getter. how long does the install usually take and has anyone had problems with the install? Thanks.
complications are always jsut around the corner realize that. if you break a bolt yur in a world of ****. typical nistalls range from 3-10 hours depending on if you know what yur doing and how well you know your way around. im doing mine myself but ive also read plenty of things to help me get an idea of what needs to be done
Define pain in the *** to YOU? What have you done before in terms of cars? Mine was extended due to the dipstick being a ******* ********. IMO the money you save by doing it yourself along with the satisfaction is well worth it...
-J
-J
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: pittsburg kansas
i had a 2000 dodge dakota r/t and did a header install on that and have helped my friend put shortty's on his lt1 but thats about it as far as headers go. I also heard that there is a casting on the block that you have to screw with is that true?
read up on it so you have everything, and take your time so you dont screw anything up. O and take brakes when ever you start to get pissed or you might beat your car with a hammer like what Tainted did (see his car) 
You helped do something on an LT1? You can do headers on an LS1... joking aside, it's really not that bad, just time consuming. Nothing internal to do, so it's just a matter of bolts and lots of them. As for the casting piece, it's hit or miss... some have to mess with it, some dont... I did, I just sawzalled it off with help of my friend, took all of 10 seconds and the header slid right in. Patience is a virtue... that I don't possess.
-J
-J
Trending Topics
Yeah, long tubes are one of the best ways to really learn the car. Each car has a character all it's own, and each install has its own problems. Just take your time, and be patient; because by the time you get the LT's hung you will be ready to rush to get the job done and you don't want to forget anything.
BTW, I did some long tubes with a member on here last night and he mentioned something I had not noticed: A lot of the how-to write ups are great starting places but do not include everything about an install and the character of your car.
Headers are easy, just be patient while doing them.
BTW, I did some long tubes with a member on here last night and he mentioned something I had not noticed: A lot of the how-to write ups are great starting places but do not include everything about an install and the character of your car.
Headers are easy, just be patient while doing them.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
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
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
I have done shorties in 3 hours, and then I did my buddies BBK long tubes and x pipe on his 5.0 and it took us probably around 40 hours of work to get them in the car and get the car back to normal. They were hard to get in.. had to unbolt and lift the engine, once they were in they rubbed the steering shaft, we had to grind down the steering shaft to even drive the car. Steering shaft still wasnt right so we had to buy a new steering shaft with a smaller joint, new steering shaft was too long so we had to cut through the steering shaft with a dremel, dremel died so we had to rig up a cordless drill powered die grinder, new steering shaft installed, get into car and find the steering wheel isnt straight when the wheels are straight (DOH!!), adjust steering shaft, go to reconnect rest of exhaust to xpipe, old exhaust flow tubes are too short to reach the new x pipe, flow tubes are extended and mufflers are finally attached to X pipe.
I thought fox bodies were supposed to be "easy" to work on, its alright though because when I replace every suspension bushing in my car to polyurethane guess who I'm callin
I thought fox bodies were supposed to be "easy" to work on, its alright though because when I replace every suspension bushing in my car to polyurethane guess who I'm callin
Originally Posted by novass72
god damnit! i'm sick of al these stupid newb questions on here jesus what a dumbass. they are easy you retard....****!!!
You dont like them then dont read them! Kind of like the people who say "USE THE SEARCH", that does not help either. If its a question that has been asked 1000000 times and it bothers you then dont answer If there is no replys then person will then be forced to use the search. If you are the type of person who needs to have a lot of post under their name, no matter how useless the reply must be, then post unhelpful info like that. Everyone was not born a top notch master mechanic like you, and they need to ask questions.
Originally Posted by SSTYCOON
yea i bet those bbk headers help that 5 liter get into the low 15s
thats kind of a shot below the belt, and I am obviously a chevy guy. His fox body isnt fast but its a solid 13sec car.
I did LT's on an LT1 car first which was a real pain in the d_ck! I had to jack it skyhigh then unbolt the motor mounts and jack the motor up another couple inches to get those bitches to slide in. On my LS1 I had access to a lift and it was MUCH easier. Took me about 4 hours by myself with no obstacles whatsoever. I did forget about the EGR tube going into the intake which I needed to block off as my new headers have no EGR or AIR. I just bent the crap out of the EGR tube to flatten it then roll it up for a temporary seal before I got my LS6 w/o the EGR provision.
TECH Addict
iTrader: (75)
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 1
From: South Jersey (15 miles from Atlantic City)
Me and wilwhite2kss did my pacesetter headers this weekend. It isn't hard. Its just the little complications that come along that make it difficult. Our biggest problem was getting the dipstick out and after that it was pretty much straight sailing. Just make sure to get your car up high and have several extensions for your socket and a couple open ended wrenches.Again the higher the car the easier. Here is a pic from my install
Get some PB Blast and spray down the header bolts very good a couple times and let it soak in for a half hour. That will help. Start early and be patient. LT's are not that hard, however any thing is going to be more difficult the first time that you do it.
The first time install for me took most of the weekend, and that was just me working on it in my garage
Wasn't especially hard, I took my time and did everything in a systematic way, friday night was disassembly, saturday was put the lts in, and hook up the exhaust, and sunday was for the details
I did it that way so I wouldn't end up pissed off or frustrated
BTW about the tab, it depends alot on the car, mine I had to cut it, on another it wasn't necessary
Wasn't especially hard, I took my time and did everything in a systematic way, friday night was disassembly, saturday was put the lts in, and hook up the exhaust, and sunday was for the details
I did it that way so I wouldn't end up pissed off or frustrated
BTW about the tab, it depends alot on the car, mine I had to cut it, on another it wasn't necessary
4 and a half hour install here. Of course i was cheap and didnt buy the extensions. I had a problem with the driver side. I ended up beating the floor board in and then it went in easy. You may have to get a bump stop with the pacesetter y pipe. Also this is a good time to change the plugs and wires. If you try and leave the plugs in when you reinstall, be VERY careful around the plugs and do not crack them or you will be looking straight at a misfire. Good luck
TECH Addict
iTrader: (75)
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 1
From: South Jersey (15 miles from Atlantic City)
Originally Posted by 98Camarod
4 and a half hour install here. Of course i was cheap and didnt buy the extensions. I had a problem with the driver side. I ended up beating the floor board in and then it went in easy. You may have to get a bump stop with the pacesetter y pipe. Also this is a good time to change the plugs and wires. If you try and leave the plugs in when you reinstall, be VERY careful around the plugs and do not crack them or you will be looking straight at a misfire. Good luck
Yes absolute truth. I left my plugs in and ended up getting code 300. Random misfire. I changed the plugs and all is good!
