Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

I read the instructions from Pacesetters and they say to loosten the motor mounts, do not remove bolts, and jack up motor for clearance. I need about 1/8in to get the header by the motor-driver side. I'm trying not to cut anything, will this method above work? I've read alot as well that it is recommended to remove the oil dipstick tube. How do you do this, will any oil leak out? I'm 1/2 way thru the passenger side and am done for the night.
Coil packs are off w/ plugs and wires, new ones going in.
Should I reuse stock bolts and gaskets, or get some ARP bolts?

PICNIC_GEORGE

iTrader: (3)

Pacesetter headers come with copper gaskets. You should use those. Probably doesn't matter what bolts you use. Just make sure you retorque them after a few heat cycles. As for the motor mount, you may want to do that or possibly bang the firewall a bit to get the header to fit if it doesn't fit otherwise.

sl99ls1

wen i installed my pace setters i didnt have to cut anything and i didnt have to jack the motor up at all. They just fell in place but it just take time it took me about five hours wit one person helping me but good luck

cruiSSin LS1

iTrader: (2)

wish i could help

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

Thanks guys, yeah George, I thought about banging the firewall in, its an awkward angle with the hammer. I'll try raisin the motor a little too. I wished they slipped right in, but hey, what can you do. A
Any clue on the oil stick, passenger side. Its right in front of a bolt and I need to move it. Hmmm. Yeah, takin my time, I've read thats the best way not to get fustrated and mess something up. Lookin forward to the weekend.

g-ryde1

iTrader: (3)

when i installed mine i didnt have to loosen any motor mount all i did really was take out the steering knuckle and had the front of the car damn near five feet in the air with a engine hoist and the slipped right in no problems at all

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

Steering knuckle, yeah, I see the bolt, just take that out and the bolt at the other end near the motor? 5ft what!

g-ryde1

iTrader: (3)

yep take those two out jiggle a lil and the knuckle comes right out only hard part is getting that sucker back in. with every car i work on it seems to give me a lil trouble havent found the trick yet. Also its easier to get to the bottom bolt from the bottom of the car i think. slap on a 12 in extension and turn the wheel slightly to the left and you should have a perfect shot at it.

yep i lifted that sucker pretty high (maybe not exactly 5 ft but im 5' 9" and i was almost eye level with the grille). In order to get the driver side header in the collector's gotta be pointing straight down to the floor.

Ive done two other installs on jack stands was hatin life find it much easier to slide em in with the car high enough.

sethhatfield

For some reason my pacesetters went right in without mauling anything on my 99 SS. Guess I was exceptionally lucky. Try wriggling them around first with patience before moving anything or gettin' the bfh out.

RedRocketZ28

iTrader: (19)

Do not use the gaskets that come with the Pacesetters. They are paper and are junk. Use your stock gaskets if they are in decent shape and if not buy new stock metal gaskets.

I too had no problems sliding mine in. A buddy did unbolt the steering linkage however and that helped a ton. Good luck with everything. Just go slow and take your time.

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

Guess its just a hit or miss with them sliding in without having to cut anything up on these cars, oh well. Some of you guys got it made.
No gaskets in the header box, probably better off, the stock ones look fine. I'll just reuse them with the stock bolts, a guy at a speed shop mentioned the heat cycle process as above, sounds easy enough and will save me some $$$. He did say NOT to use threadlocker on the bolts w/ our aluminum blocks, so I'll make sure just to torque down just enough.

After I got the driver side off, I noticed the weld between the cat and stock manifold had broke and the cat was just hangin on there, possible reason why my track times dropped?

Does anyone have any suggestions or info on the oil dipstick? I'm gonna look closer at it tonight, just lookin for some pointers to help with it. Took out the starter, so that helped.

RacerScott

iTrader: (6)

the dipstick pulls right out, then when you put it back in, have somone feed it to you under the car and you can guide it back it. I didnt have to take out my starter, I just had to cut the casting tab in they went in like butter, no messing with motor mounts.

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

Thank you!
I just unbolted the starter to give me better access to the rear header bolt and plugs.
What is the casting tab, how did you cut it?

Spiewalk

iTrader: (1)

This is weird... I just finished doing my pacesetter install, headers only at this point, and had no problems with anything. Everything slid in like butter, might I repeat make sure the car is jacked up high and only the front this way you have an angle. I've seen people get it up on all 4 stands but it kind of raises a problem when you do that. I didn't have to bend anything, removing the steering knuckle, nothing and I did it all by myself. Went below the car set the header on a bucket came back up top and used a bunge cord to hold the header up while I fed in the bolts and slid the gasket in. Takes longer when you're alone but I got it done! The only bad thing that happend to me so far was that I broke my dipstick tube...

PICNIC_GEORGE

iTrader: (3)

They actually come with copper gaskets. The problem is when they are making the headers and they run out of copper they then use paper. So sometimes you get copper sometimes you get paper.

RedRocketZ28

iTrader: (19)

News to me. Every person I know that has them got paper gaskets. Who knows.

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

It slides in pretty good and is almost there, all I need is about an 1/8 inch on the rear driver side to get it in. I stopped last night and will tackle it tomorrow w/ better lighting and a clear mind. I don't want to cut anything, I think my best bet may be hammering in the firewall a little, like someone mentioned above, plus I don't have the tools to cut anyhting

Thanks for all who chimed in, I'll drop by tomorrow night and give an update.

Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

Thanks for all the help, Saturday went much better. Removed the steering knuckle and that helped alot. The driver side slid right in just like everyone elses, that got the motivation going and went smooth from there.

It was a fun day to be able to work on the car all day, cuts, grease, and all. Neighbors driving by curious to what was going on. Ah yes, they will know very, very soon.
She's still in the air waiting for the new thermostat. Then down she comes, open headers and all. Then a short drive to muffler man to weld in the Y pipe.

Here's a little breakdown of what went/going in,

SLP Lid, Bellow, P & P Throttle Body
MSD Wires, NGK Plugs
Pacesetter LT, ORY
Powerbond Pulley
160 Thermo
AIR Removed
EGR Removed
TRIFECTA TUNE!

BES Stroked Nova

iTrader: (24)

sounds good, but i never had to take anything other other than the exhuast off to do a header install. just jack the thing to the moon and they will fall in, and better yet get a BMR k member and header installs are a joke... but the K member install wont be! lol

g-ryde1

iTrader: (3)

glad to hear everything went good for ya. And yeah your neighbors will love you once you start it