LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

What if header install Q

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 20, 2009 | 06:50 PM
  #1  
freakazooid52's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Default What if header install Q

Okay my 95 trans am is stock cept for a 1le elbow due to mine being ripped and it needs some performance upgrades.

I want to do headers and y pipe but my car has the stock manifolds still and i'd hate to break all the bolts off...

It has a 119k miles on the engine, anyone put headers on a high mileage car with none of the bolts needed for headers stuck in the head?

advice?
Reply
Old Apr 20, 2009 | 06:56 PM
  #2  
ss.slp.ls1's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (36)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,184
Likes: 28
From: Orange County, CA
Default

Originally Posted by freakazooid52
Okay my 95 trans am is stock cept for a 1le elbow due to mine being ripped and it needs some performance upgrades.

I want to do headers and y pipe but my car has the stock manifolds still and i'd hate to break all the bolts off...

It has a 119k miles on the engine, anyone put headers on a high mileage car with none of the bolts needed for headers stuck in the head?

advice?
I've done LT header installs on LT1's with many more miles than that and never snapped a header bolt. I always soak the header bolts and all of the rest of the exhaust bolts in PB blaster.
Reply
Old Apr 20, 2009 | 07:32 PM
  #3  
freakazooid52's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by ss.slp.ls1
I've done LT header installs on LT1's with many more miles than that and never snapped a header bolt. I always soak the header bolts and all of the rest of the exhaust bolts in PB blaster.
well thats good news!. Im might have to do it this winter, since ill have a car to drive this time lol.
Reply
Old Apr 21, 2009 | 07:37 AM
  #4  
multmigs's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: valley forge PA
Default

Originally Posted by ss.slp.ls1
I've done LT header installs on LT1's with many more miles than that and never snapped a header bolt. I always soak the header bolts and all of the rest of the exhaust bolts in PB blaster.
X2 on the PB blaster, I've used pretty much all of the other "penetrants" at work cause they always get whatever cheap stuff they can and that stuff is way better, you can just smell the difference really, nothing smells as strong as that and if you do it overnight or a few days ahead of time the bolts will almost fall out.....
Reply
Old Apr 21, 2009 | 07:53 AM
  #5  
Formula350's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,564
Likes: 4
From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Default

Yep, blast the hell out of em And if they're not wanting to give, try to tighten them just SLIGHTLY. That sometimes breaks the bolt loose so you can then remove it. Just don't try to tighten it TOO hard, if it doesn't want to, don't force it. It would help if you got the engine a bit warm as well. Not HOT, but as warm as you can stand. I recommend using some of those Mechanics Gloves.
Reply
Old Apr 21, 2009 | 11:50 AM
  #6  
lt1noob's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 1
From: Wisconsin
Default

pb blasters amazing
Reply
Old Apr 21, 2009 | 11:54 AM
  #7  
old93camaro's Avatar
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 778
Likes: 0
From: el paso, tx
Default

Yea that what i was going to say if you let the car run a little while u can loosin up the bolts from the heat but not to hot...if worse come to worse i would take all the ones that would come out and knock the head off the ones that are giving you trouble and wiggle the manifold off to save you some extracting time.. long story short thats why both of my heads are off right now but atleast im upgrading my springs now
Reply
Old Apr 21, 2009 | 04:58 PM
  #8  
highflyin's Avatar
FormerVendor
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: Northern DE
Default

I did headers on 2 lt1s, one with 55K and another with 110k, and no bolts broke in the heads. Alot of pb blaster i definatly the key.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-3

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-7

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

 Brett Foote
story-9

10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 22, 2009 | 09:56 AM
  #9  
LT1 > LS1's Avatar
On The Tree
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Aurora, IL
Default

the bolts I had trouble with were the manifold-to-ypipe bolts.

the factory 3 bolt flanges were stuck together, so I ended up getting a sawzall and choppin the y-pipe out, so when I dropped down my manifolds they looked kinda like shorty headers lol, since part of the ypipe was still on


oh, heres a guide that I used it helped a bunch.

http://zmydust.com/tech.html

tells you how to remove the air pump too.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:07 PM.

story-0
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-3
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-4
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-5
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE
story-8
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

The world was a better place when it was still around.

By Brett Foote | 2026-01-23 09:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

Slideshow: The 7.0-liter LS7 was designed for absolute cutting-edge performance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-07 18:36:00


VIEW MORE