Header and exhaust install Saturday
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Header and exhaust install Saturday I will get pics. I got the NGK plugs today so I do believe I have all the pieces. The exhaust is 3" to a 3"x 4" Flowmaster merge, 4" back to the rear, then attach to the stock muffler and tails.
Any tips on the header install? I know in reading most take out the steering shaft and plugs, etc... Does the valve cover need to come off? I am also removing the air pump as well.
I will get a short clip of it running when it is all done on Sunday. Doing lowering springs on that day.
Any tips on the header install? I know in reading most take out the steering shaft and plugs, etc... Does the valve cover need to come off? I am also removing the air pump as well.
I will get a short clip of it running when it is all done on Sunday. Doing lowering springs on that day.
you wont need to remove the steering shaft. jack the car up as far as you safely can with some 24in jackstands etc and work slow and carefully and here is a basic walkthru
1. remove coil packs
2. remove wires/spark plugs
3. remove any air/egr fittings
4. unbolt y pipe etc from stock manifolds
5. undo 02 sensors
6. unbolt the stock manifolds and drop out thru the bottom
7. push up the LTs up from the bottom each side of the engine (helps if you have someone helping you to pull them up) it will take some convincing, some swearing and possible a mallet to get them up there depending on their design. if theyre really being a pain in the ***, i suggest loosing the motor mount towers slightly and carefully jacking up the motor/trans to get those extra centimeters.
8. bolt on headers...i would suggest using stage 8 locking bolts
9. bolt on your y pipe, replace plugs, wires and coil packs and egr or block off plates and your FRONT 02 extension and REAR 02 sims if you have them.
10. make sure everything is connected etc and turn on and rip up and down block with open y pipe
1. remove coil packs
2. remove wires/spark plugs
3. remove any air/egr fittings
4. unbolt y pipe etc from stock manifolds
5. undo 02 sensors
6. unbolt the stock manifolds and drop out thru the bottom
7. push up the LTs up from the bottom each side of the engine (helps if you have someone helping you to pull them up) it will take some convincing, some swearing and possible a mallet to get them up there depending on their design. if theyre really being a pain in the ***, i suggest loosing the motor mount towers slightly and carefully jacking up the motor/trans to get those extra centimeters.
8. bolt on headers...i would suggest using stage 8 locking bolts
9. bolt on your y pipe, replace plugs, wires and coil packs and egr or block off plates and your FRONT 02 extension and REAR 02 sims if you have them.
10. make sure everything is connected etc and turn on and rip up and down block with open y pipe
Are you using the stock headers bolts? You should upgrade to some stage8 ones, otherwise I don't believe ARP makes a set for the LS1 otherthan their header studs, but who really wants to deal with header studs lol.
have a cut off wheel handy to remove the old exhaust and cut that 1x1 inch tab off the block on the drivers side and i didnt have to remove my coil packs either. and dont forget to take the old cats to the scrap yard for about 150 bucks
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I got lucky and we are doing it on a friends lift. I plan on using the stock bolts since most say you can. I was going to hold onto the cats just in case since I live in MD (I see someone else does too). But then again if I have to make up another Y I think I would go with hi-flow Dynatechs just for emissions.
Using the stock muffler because it is there and doesn't drone or anything else. It gets back that far and you don't need a whole lot of exhaust. Going to dyno-tune it after all this and go back to the track. Then later add a cutout in the 4" section and run it open to see if I gain anything. I like the quite sound of the stock muffler!
Using the stock muffler because it is there and doesn't drone or anything else. It gets back that far and you don't need a whole lot of exhaust. Going to dyno-tune it after all this and go back to the track. Then later add a cutout in the 4" section and run it open to see if I gain anything. I like the quite sound of the stock muffler!
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From: North East, MD
The E-Bay headers are extremely nice. Other than notching the K member it looks like they slide in like all the others without removing a bunch of stuff and the cost difference doesn't add up to me but to each their own.
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Good luck with the install man.
you wont need to remove the steering shaft. jack the car up as far as you safely can with some 24in jackstands etc and work slow and carefully and here is a basic walkthru
1. remove coil packs
2. remove wires/spark plugs
3. remove any air/egr fittings
4. unbolt y pipe etc from stock manifolds
5. undo 02 sensors
6. unbolt the stock manifolds and drop out thru the bottom
7. push up the LTs up from the bottom each side of the engine (helps if you have someone helping you to pull them up) it will take some convincing, some swearing and possible a mallet to get them up there depending on their design. if theyre really being a pain in the ***, i suggest loosing the motor mount towers slightly and carefully jacking up the motor/trans to get those extra centimeters.
8. bolt on headers...i would suggest using stage 8 locking bolts
9. bolt on your y pipe, replace plugs, wires and coil packs and egr or block off plates and your FRONT 02 extension and REAR 02 sims if you have them.
10. make sure everything is connected etc and turn on and rip up and down block with open y pipe
1. remove coil packs
2. remove wires/spark plugs
3. remove any air/egr fittings
4. unbolt y pipe etc from stock manifolds
5. undo 02 sensors
6. unbolt the stock manifolds and drop out thru the bottom
7. push up the LTs up from the bottom each side of the engine (helps if you have someone helping you to pull them up) it will take some convincing, some swearing and possible a mallet to get them up there depending on their design. if theyre really being a pain in the ***, i suggest loosing the motor mount towers slightly and carefully jacking up the motor/trans to get those extra centimeters.
8. bolt on headers...i would suggest using stage 8 locking bolts
9. bolt on your y pipe, replace plugs, wires and coil packs and egr or block off plates and your FRONT 02 extension and REAR 02 sims if you have them.
10. make sure everything is connected etc and turn on and rip up and down block with open y pipe
Step 10 was fun. I only had time to get the old stuff off and the new headers/plugs/wires installed before the place I was at closed. I didn't rip up and down the block but I revved it up a little for everyone to hear (especially the guys that were working on the STi). It sounded awesome.
9 out of 10 steps sound good to me. I didn't remove the coil packs, didn't do any hammering, didn't need to cut anything up front, and didn't need to loosen motor mounts. I did remove the oil drain plug to get my Pacesetters on though. Good luck and enjoy.
Last edited by TRBOTYZ; Aug 21, 2008 at 09:24 PM.
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It's not hard at all depending on the headers you got. If you got some ebay cheapies then you will run into more problems vs. going w/ a header like hooker/pacesetter etc. Just take your time and everything will be fine.
I know 3" into 3" doesn't make much sense but 4" to a stock muffler, or even anything else is retarded. 4" pipe is expensive (ok you're going to tell me you/your buddy whoever can get it for free/cheap), it's heavier than hell, and it obviously takes up more room which is already a problem with the stock 2 3/4"
Guess this is part of the learning process.
Guess this is part of the learning process.
Thread Starter
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I know 3" into 3" doesn't make much sense but 4" to a stock muffler, or even anything else is retarded. 4" pipe is expensive (ok you're going to tell me you/your buddy whoever can get it for free/cheap), it's heavier than hell, and it obviously takes up more room which is already a problem with the stock 2 3/4"
Guess this is part of the learning process.
Guess this is part of the learning process.
4" is good to 600 HP. Put a cutout on it and open it up so what does it matter if you have straw size piping after that? It weighs a little but can't be more than two dual 2 1/2" pipes when going that route. The section of 4" piping will be about 4'. You will see! I drive mine and want it to be quite without drone or any of the other crap until it is needed. More than one way to skin a Cat I will dyno it just the way it is and open dump to see if it picks up any.