installing headers with the heads off?
installing headers with the heads off? Hey yall. I picked up a 06 gto ls2 m6. My original plan was to put a tsp 228r cam and springs and Longtubes with no heads.. im thinking justifying myself on getting heads. For 3 reasons. I don't have to go threw headaches swaping springs. My guess is pulling heads are easier then doing a spring swap? I can drop the headers straight from the top. Without moving my steering rack?? And more pwr. Also i don't have to ask for help with headers or pay somone for lift use for the header install. As i dont want to work off my back with jackstands for extended periods.
I'll be doing everything my self as i had done a few h/c swaps on 4gen fbodies but i have never ever done a spring swap or worked on a gto. The headers i was gona pay somone to do it on his lift as i dont want to work on my back.
So will pulling the heads allow me to do the headers from the top eaiser? My concern is being cautious of not banging the headers on raw block surcace with heads off creating dent/gouge on sealing/mating surface of the block.
Will head swap, be eaiser in difficulty, and faster then a springs?
Any input or advice would be appreciated.
I'll be doing everything my self as i had done a few h/c swaps on 4gen fbodies but i have never ever done a spring swap or worked on a gto. The headers i was gona pay somone to do it on his lift as i dont want to work on my back.
So will pulling the heads allow me to do the headers from the top eaiser? My concern is being cautious of not banging the headers on raw block surcace with heads off creating dent/gouge on sealing/mating surface of the block.
Will head swap, be eaiser in difficulty, and faster then a springs?
Any input or advice would be appreciated.
It is not actually that hard on the GTO if you take the rack out (mostly)and get rid of the metal bolt on brace and its studs on the driver side. I have done 2 sets on jack stands before. Swapping springs is pretty easy with the proper spring tool like this one.
Works very well. Just make sure you are on TDC or have an air hold tool in the cylinder to keep the valves up and you are good to go! Heads require alot more to be taken off the engine and is quite a bit more costly obviously. Head swap is alot more time consuming while maybe not too much more difficult. There are many things to do while you are in there though. Such as upgrade the lifters. If you accidentally break off any exhaust manifold bolts, the easiest way to fix will be taking the heads off.
Little food for thought for you. Heads off or on you can use that valve spring tool to disassemble the heads anyway. You can also check on the condition of the pistons as well at tha time.
We have alot better cams than the 228r that are alot easier on springs, let us know if we can help you in that area. We can also put together a package deal for any/all gaskets you will need, bolts, headers, etc. We would like to be your one stop shop!
Works very well. Just make sure you are on TDC or have an air hold tool in the cylinder to keep the valves up and you are good to go! Heads require alot more to be taken off the engine and is quite a bit more costly obviously. Head swap is alot more time consuming while maybe not too much more difficult. There are many things to do while you are in there though. Such as upgrade the lifters. If you accidentally break off any exhaust manifold bolts, the easiest way to fix will be taking the heads off.
Little food for thought for you. Heads off or on you can use that valve spring tool to disassemble the heads anyway. You can also check on the condition of the pistons as well at tha time.
We have alot better cams than the 228r that are alot easier on springs, let us know if we can help you in that area. We can also put together a package deal for any/all gaskets you will need, bolts, headers, etc. We would like to be your one stop shop!
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 78
Likes: 6
Pulling heads is NOT easier than doing a spring swap. And it won't make installing headers any easier, it would make a lot more work for you.
Installing springs only requires a spring compressor and some way to keep the valves falling down. The easiest way I have found is using the TDC method. You bring the piston up to TDC on the cylinder you are changing springs on. Verify the piston is up by sticking a short piece of wooden dowl in the spark plug hole. Then change the two springs on that cylinder and on the other cylinder which will also be at TDC. Here is a link on exactly how to do it: http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23. Look under Part 3.
For the headers, you will need to drop the rack regardless as GTO headers are made for the steering shaft to go through the headers. There is no way around this. But is a lot easier than it sounds. But you need the heads installed on the car because when you will need to bolt up the headers to the neads to know their final position in case you need to make any adjustments.
I very recently installed Kooks headers in my 2006 GTO. I discovered that my steering rack actually does not have any adjustment possible. But I did not need any since the shaft was perfectly centered in the headers. But I did need to cut the ends off of the angle brace bolts to the headers would not rub. I was only able to tell this was necessary once the headers were bolted in.
Installing springs only requires a spring compressor and some way to keep the valves falling down. The easiest way I have found is using the TDC method. You bring the piston up to TDC on the cylinder you are changing springs on. Verify the piston is up by sticking a short piece of wooden dowl in the spark plug hole. Then change the two springs on that cylinder and on the other cylinder which will also be at TDC. Here is a link on exactly how to do it: http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23. Look under Part 3.
For the headers, you will need to drop the rack regardless as GTO headers are made for the steering shaft to go through the headers. There is no way around this. But is a lot easier than it sounds. But you need the heads installed on the car because when you will need to bolt up the headers to the neads to know their final position in case you need to make any adjustments.
I very recently installed Kooks headers in my 2006 GTO. I discovered that my steering rack actually does not have any adjustment possible. But I did not need any since the shaft was perfectly centered in the headers. But I did need to cut the ends off of the angle brace bolts to the headers would not rub. I was only able to tell this was necessary once the headers were bolted in.
