Header Install
Header Install So I started my XS header and ORY install today. Removed the entire AIR system, stock exhaust system and partially installed the passenger side header. Still waiting for my O2 sims, block off plates, stage 8 bolts, and 02 extensions. Some advice on removing the stock system
1.) Remove the AIR system for clearance and keep it off if warranted
2.) Remove the coil packs on the passenger side to give you more clearance for the back bolts and to save your arms some skin.
3.) If you have access to some air tools, an impact wrench made removal of the stock y pipe a cinch. No need for penetrating spray or anything.
4.) Make sure all spark plug wires are off before removing bolts.
I will be updating this install with pics and steps later.
1.) Remove the AIR system for clearance and keep it off if warranted
2.) Remove the coil packs on the passenger side to give you more clearance for the back bolts and to save your arms some skin.
3.) If you have access to some air tools, an impact wrench made removal of the stock y pipe a cinch. No need for penetrating spray or anything.
4.) Make sure all spark plug wires are off before removing bolts.
I will be updating this install with pics and steps later.
12 Second Club
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From: Chesapeake,va and Charlotte,NC
yeah and spray everything down with penetrating oil the night before or even a few days. I know with my stock stuff air tools would of just stripped all the bolts right away.
and taking the valve cover off makes it even easier, but be sure to cover it up so nothing drops down their.
and taking the valve cover off makes it even easier, but be sure to cover it up so nothing drops down their.
Last edited by FireSilverLullaby; Aug 12, 2007 at 09:32 PM.
My main suggestion would be to test fit all components before install. Check if ypipe will slide on haeaders and your y-pipe fits on your i pipe. My header install went in like butter, but for the life of me, I couldnt get the y pipe to fit on the drivers side or the exixiting muffler pipe.
Furthermore, the flanges on the driver side weren'ty exactly correct. I put 5 of the 6 in on t the driver side with little or no efferto. But that back most bolut would not go in. SO I had to stack washers and tightent down the stsetlu. by hand antlest, but I have lolcjing Stage 8 bolfs, they should be good.
Man those headers look secy........Can I run thenm oopen headers?
Furthermore, the flanges on the driver side weren'ty exactly correct. I put 5 of the 6 in on t the driver side with little or no efferto. But that back most bolut would not go in. SO I had to stack washers and tightent down the stsetlu. by hand antlest, but I have lolcjing Stage 8 bolfs, they should be good.
Man those headers look secy........Can I run thenm oopen headers?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 317
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Originally Posted by SS_Hokie
My main suggestion would be to test fit all components before install. Check if ypipe will slide on haeaders and your y-pipe fits on your i pipe. My header install went in like butter, but for the life of me, I couldnt get the y pipe to fit on the drivers side or the exixiting muffler pipe.
Furthermore, the flanges on the driver side weren'ty exactly correct. I put 5 of the 6 in on t the driver side with little or no efferto. But that back most bolut would not go in. SO I had to stack washers and tightent down the stsetlu. by hand antlest, but I have lolcjing Stage 8 bolfs, they should be good.
Man those headers look secy........Can I run thenm oopen headers?
Furthermore, the flanges on the driver side weren'ty exactly correct. I put 5 of the 6 in on t the driver side with little or no efferto. But that back most bolut would not go in. SO I had to stack washers and tightent down the stsetlu. by hand antlest, but I have lolcjing Stage 8 bolfs, they should be good.
Man those headers look secy........Can I run thenm oopen headers?
Geez.....are u speaking in some type of code?? i'm struggling... "no efferto" lol...
I'm installing Kooks 1 7/8's headers right now. Kind of a pain because the larger dia primaries makes them a tight fit. I had to do it all on the drivers side... grind a K member a little to get them in, take the oil filter off, jack the engine up as far as I could get it, loosen the trans mount, and take the steering U joint off but the drivers side is in place. Pass side was a cinch.. remove starter, raise engine up, slide header in.
other tips I have are to get an impact gun and good quality 6 point sockets. My stuff was rusty so all the bolts I had to hammer the socket on.. then put the impact on the socket and take them off. I could not budge them with hand tools and I soaked them with penetrating oil the night before too. the Cat to manifold bolts came off pretty cleanly. the Y pipe to Cat bolts.. well they all snapped.. lol! Another tip.. get the car way up in the air. I have smaller stands and a small jack and I had to move the stands from the K member to the frame at their max height to get the nose up. Also ratcheting wrenches are will make life a whole lot easier! You will probably have to take the alternator off to get the long engine mount bolt out... remember to take off the Exciter wire Little read wire with the big connector on it off the top of the alternator!!
I actually took my entire Y pipe with cats and entire cat back off in once piece because I have a minimalist cat back .. lol! Now to head back out and continue to finish up the drivers side header so I can start the car dumped out of the headers and **** the neighborhood off although with an ORY and my minimalist cat back I have a feeling it will be almost open headers loud anyhow.
other tips I have are to get an impact gun and good quality 6 point sockets. My stuff was rusty so all the bolts I had to hammer the socket on.. then put the impact on the socket and take them off. I could not budge them with hand tools and I soaked them with penetrating oil the night before too. the Cat to manifold bolts came off pretty cleanly. the Y pipe to Cat bolts.. well they all snapped.. lol! Another tip.. get the car way up in the air. I have smaller stands and a small jack and I had to move the stands from the K member to the frame at their max height to get the nose up. Also ratcheting wrenches are will make life a whole lot easier! You will probably have to take the alternator off to get the long engine mount bolt out... remember to take off the Exciter wire Little read wire with the big connector on it off the top of the alternator!!
I actually took my entire Y pipe with cats and entire cat back off in once piece because I have a minimalist cat back .. lol! Now to head back out and continue to finish up the drivers side header so I can start the car dumped out of the headers and **** the neighborhood off although with an ORY and my minimalist cat back I have a feeling it will be almost open headers loud anyhow.
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just installed my xs headers and ory today, not really a need to take off the passenger side coils, just extra work if you ask me. i took off the plug wires and that gave me more than enough room to get the first 5 bolts off, then got the 6th bolt off by reaching up from the bottom while the car was on the lift. accessing the header bolts was ALOT easier than i expected. i had to take off the oil filter and the steering arm, but they were both easy to. the stainless looks much better than those rusty flowtechs i had before.
well I'm not much farther than when I last posted. I got lazy and tired. Also my rear drivers side bolt is really.. really hard to get in. It came out super hard too and the drivers side gasket was some FelPro one and not a GM one so I'm thinking the that manifold was taken off at some point by the previous owners probably to do something to the head if anything. good news is all the alternator, connectors, motor mounts ect.. all all in. tomorow I have to finish the rest of the drivers side header bolts, zip tie up the O2 wires, put in the new plugs and toss the wires back on and I'll start the car open headers juts to make noise for a few seconds.
Originally Posted by sixvi6-camaro
I'm installing Kooks 1 7/8's headers right now. Pass side was a cinch.. remove starter, raise engine up, slide header in.
I had to do that because I could not get the car high enough to slide it in. I was close but just not quite there but I probably didn't have to take the starter off though but I was planing on replacing it anyhow because the plastic where the terminals was mounted was cracked and coming apart. I was working with the standard jack stands and a small jack.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: hanover park il, sometimes worth, il
haha, screw all that noise. passenger side went in like butter, drivers side, just used a little mc hammer, put my foot on the header and a buddy on top pulling and bammo, header install complete.
YOUR THE MAN
I was about to go take of the steering knuckle and everything was in the way.. block tab, etc, put my foot on the header with my gf pulling up top and POP, slid right in. Probably saved me HOURS.
I'm at about the same spot. I just finished removing all the old exhaust and will proabably start putting the headers in tomorrow. Fantasy football draft tonight. I didn't take off the coil packs and had no problem getting to any of the bolts beleive it or not. On the passenger side, I just removed the ac lines right there and I was able to get the first five bolts with a 3/8 air rachet just fine. The back bolt I got from the bottem with ease. The driver side was very straight forward. My biggest problem was getting out the dip stick, which was stuck and getting out the passenger manifold. I never removed the air pump and I just tried to yank out the manifold with it attached. Still wasn't even that bad, I just had to pull from the bottem then get back up top and move the pump a little and then pull from the bottem again. I also had a problem with the bolt that hold the y to the cat back, it was very rusted so I just hit it with the dremil. I'm a little nervous about getting those new Hooker Long tubes up there but I'm sure it's manageable. It's been done a million times over already.