Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 5
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power I've been reading and reading many old posts to see which header would fit the bill of being reletively easy to install, fit like a glove (w/o any banging under acceleration), and make the most power, and i'm still pretty confused.
From what i'm reading, Hookers are a good bang for the buck, but the quality isn't there. FLP's are top notch, but instalation is a pain. No one seems to like SLP's either hehehe. Kooks have come up a lot, but no coating and the stepped design doesn't make me want to sign up. QTP's seem like a good thought, but then I hear installation takes forever.
So I don't know. I am looking for a daily drivable header, so I don't want any rubbing on the steering shaft or any banging from the y-pipe. I don't have a week to install them either, so something that can be done in a weekend with a couple of buddies on jackstands would be ideal (I have axcess to a lift if my friends parents don't have all their tow trucks in the bays).
They'll be on a bolt-on car until next summer when I plan on heads/cam... or would it be better just to wait and do the headers when I do the heads/cam? Too much to think about!!! Give me some help please!!!
From what i'm reading, Hookers are a good bang for the buck, but the quality isn't there. FLP's are top notch, but instalation is a pain. No one seems to like SLP's either hehehe. Kooks have come up a lot, but no coating and the stepped design doesn't make me want to sign up. QTP's seem like a good thought, but then I hear installation takes forever.
So I don't know. I am looking for a daily drivable header, so I don't want any rubbing on the steering shaft or any banging from the y-pipe. I don't have a week to install them either, so something that can be done in a weekend with a couple of buddies on jackstands would be ideal (I have axcess to a lift if my friends parents don't have all their tow trucks in the bays).
They'll be on a bolt-on car until next summer when I plan on heads/cam... or would it be better just to wait and do the headers when I do the heads/cam? Too much to think about!!! Give me some help please!!!
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power Kooks have coated, uncoated, and stainless options on stepped and regular (1 3/4 or 1 7/8") headers. SLPs seem to turn up in the sale ads too often. Hooker and Jet-Hot are inexpensive (comparitively) but have had issues with banging and coating quality (you can get Hookers coated or uncoated). QTP seems to be well-received, but only in stepped or unstepped stainless, also I think they are still on a relatively long back order. I have heard good things about FLPs but you have to get there entire system (correct me if I'm wrong here) with the y-pipe and cats/offroad pipe combo. QTP,Kooks,and FLP (I think) are the Grot syle header which is supposed to be the easier of the bunch to install. On just about all of them you have to take off the oil filter, drain plug, part above oil filter, spark plugs, and unbolt the steering linkage, and sometimes unbolt the d/s motormount (not too difficult). Any of these can be had with there y-pipes or you can go with a true dual setup that seems to becoming popular. Hope this helps.
-Chuck T.
8balls@crackdealer.com
-Chuck T.
8balls@crackdealer.com
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 5
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power I'm well aware that it's not going to be a snap... i've done several installs before, just none on a LS1. I've been seeing a lot about the "Grot" style header. I've also been seeing on the feature cars in GMHTP and the like magazine that they are all using the grotylian or whatever it is hehehe. I do plan on the offroad y-pipe, so a full kit is what i'm looking for. I think that $1000 for a set of headers is a bit extreme (i'm used to around $300 lol), but I would be willing to pay as much as $1500 if it's what I need. I'm assuming 1 3/4 is the way to go on a bolt-on and stage 2 h/c with stock block would be... any other opinions would help!
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power I just installed FLP long tubes and offroad y pipe on my 02 SS. they fit great and if you ask when you order them you can get them without the Cats they will knock off 100 dollars. as far as removing oil filter, steering linkage, ect. I did not have to do any of that. just removed the spark plugs and wires which was no problem. and they make my car sound great under WOT!!! oh yeah i did this all myself over 2 days (about 14 hours) with just jackstands.
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Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power Only headers i have done are the ones on my own car,but the Hooker long tubes went right in and fit very nice(no rubbing anywhere). I removed the plugs,wires,deleted the EGR and A.I.R systems at the same time ,also removed the part right above the oil filter and that is it.
I spent about 5 hours total getting to the point that the left side header was on and about another 30 mins. and the right side was on. Total time on hoist was about 7 hours from start to finish.
But that time also included BMR relocation brackets and driveshaft saefty loop too. Also replacing a leaking diff cover gasket.
Hookers are easy and they get my vote.
Goodluck with whichever set you use.
Dave
I spent about 5 hours total getting to the point that the left side header was on and about another 30 mins. and the right side was on. Total time on hoist was about 7 hours from start to finish.
But that time also included BMR relocation brackets and driveshaft saefty loop too. Also replacing a leaking diff cover gasket.
Hookers are easy and they get my vote.
Goodluck with whichever set you use.
Dave
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 5
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power I see a lot of good stuff about the FLP's, but how come I also read that there is other stuff you need to get to make them fit right like O2 extensions and other stuff I can't remember ( I plan on running 02 sims btw).
Right now i'm favoring the QTP's...
Right now i'm favoring the QTP's...
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power Did the Hooker Long Tubes in my ride in 8 hours with one guy helping me. That includes smoke breaks, wife calls, and 1 beer run.
It wasnt to bad. One bloody knuckle, and a few choice 4 letter words may have been uttered...stupid O2 sensor location!!!
It wasnt to bad. One bloody knuckle, and a few choice 4 letter words may have been uttered...stupid O2 sensor location!!!
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power Did Hooker LT's on my other 98 TA and on my new 98 TA Did Jet-Hot LT's, cam, valve springs, pushrods on jackstands in 11 hours witht the help of two friends. Bolt by oil filter and stearing linkage is the only thing with both of them. Great fit no rubing. The differance between the two is the the hookers have the O2 bungs on the outside and the Jet-Hots have them on the inside.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 5
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Re: Best headers for fitment, ease of install, and power The only thing I dislike about the Hookers is that the welds are a mess. I mean, I have axcess to everything i'd need to clean them up, but if i'm spending $800 for coated headers/y-pipe, I feel it's obsurd to have to do some "touchup" to their work.
