A few things that others have mentioned, and I wanted to reiterate the importance of...and a few things that I never came across but encountered during the install of my Kooks headers:

1) If you have a 6 spd car, you will have to lift the engine. I had hoped that this would be similar to the LS headers I have done, where buying a high-dollar header makes for an easy install without touching the motor mounts...not the case here. So plan on raising the motor, one side at a time, and take the few extra minutes to put in new mounts while you are there. I did not think mounts were difficult at all, despite what others have said.

2) The Kooks headers will come in contact with taller oil filters, even if you don't have the oil cooler. So my K&N 2002 had to come out, and was replaced with a Mobil 1 111, which was about an inch shorter. The Delco 454 and Purolator Pure One both would work as well. Outside of this, these headers fit AWESOME. No grinding, cutting, bending...just a solid fit.

3) Remove the starter. This is something I should have done from the beginning, but worked around it because I was able to get the headers and everything else in with it in place...until the very end, while trying to get the bolt that holds the dipstick back in. Just wasn't going to happen with the starter in place. So take the 5 minutes to drop it in the beginning and enjoy the extra space it affords you.

4) Change plugs while doing the header swap! I spent the extra money to get irridium plugs, and don't regret spending an extra $50 knowing that I won't have to touch them before that engine dies and gets pulled from the car.

5) Put the plugs in and the wires on the driver side before installing the header if you have a helper to guide the header in and assure you don't bump a plug. You still have room to slide the header in and it saves time. Also, if you are not doing an over the valve cover set-up, use the stock looms, and zip-tie the wires as close to the block as possible before the headers go in. I found that #7 had the best clearance if the boot was pointed back towards the firewall.

6) Put the plugs in the passenger side after sliding the header up in to place, but before starting to bolt it in. This will allow you to wiggle the header for better clearance for a few of the plugs. I found that it was easier to get a few of these plugs started using a 2 inch or a 4 inch long piece of rubber fuel line slid on to the ceramic part of the plug as an extension. This gives you something easier to grip and can give you clearance when you need it.

7) Buy the ARP 6-point, 5/16ths head 1 inch bolts. Even using these, it is still a bitch getting any tools on them. Forget being able to torque them to spec. I had the most luck using a 12pt box end wrench, with another box end looped on to the open end of my 5/16ths wrench for added torque.

8) Remove the steering shaft for extra room on the driver side, and upgrade to the LS-style shaft (see write-ups on doing this, or feel free to PM me for details). This shaft clears the headers much better, and is an improvement you can feel over the old rag joint.

9) Remove the alternator...can't see being able to avoid that one.

10) Plan on the job taking twice as long as you thought. I based my anticipated time off the LS 4th gens I have done...not apples to apples.

I think that's about it. Good luck, and be patient.

 

why do you feel the need to post a thread that's been posted 1000 times? With incorrect information to boot?

Nobody should need to lift the engine to get LT's in. It's an easy *** job. Everyone knows to run the shorter oil filter, and most don't need to drop the starter either. All you need to do is get the car jacked high enough, disconnect everything, steering linkage if necessary, out and in. It's very straight forward and anyone could manage. Just time consuming.

 

If this thread was such a waste of time, then why did you waste your time posting in it, restating half the stuff I said? These are tips that were fresh in my head that I think would make the job easier for people who care to read it...I'm holding a gun to anyone's head. Go be a dick somewhere else.

 

I agree!!

Wish I had a thread giving me some information on what to expect when I was putting my Kooks headers in mt T/A. I got in on the first batch of headers from Kooks and there wasn't any write-ups at the time... thankfully I had a lift to do the job, made it MUCH easier!

Most of what you posted was accurate, I ran into much of the same problems.

 

just did a kooks lt install on my camaro, and now that I read this I never checked the oil filter situation lol. . .

 

Not sure about the other things, but these three items need some detail. It depends on the transmission and oil pan you are using. A wide sump pan will cause some challenges getting headers into place. Auto trans with stock pan there's no reason to lift the engine if the car can be jacked high enough to angle the headers into place. A manual trans there's no getting around having to jack the motor off of each mount.
Plugs should always stay out of the heads until the headers are bolted into place. While the headers are being moved into position it's a tedious undertaking, sometimes clumsy and porcelain does not hold up well when being banged against. The drivers side is simple to change out anyway therefore plugs should stay far away until headers are secured. Same for the passenger side. Even the slightest bump can crack the plug, cause a miss and then cause frustration with posts of "OMG I just put headers on and has miss!111"

 

I know for my Jethot LT install when I had the stock K-member I had to use every trick in the book to get them in; jacking engine up, grinding on k-member, you name it.

With a tubular K-member my new OBX headers dropped right in. I had the engine jacked up to remove the Jethots so left it up for the OBXs.

From what I've seen of the OBXs theres really no reason to pay a grand for cooks when you can have basically the same damn thing for $350.

 

Good points you add...I can't speak to the auto cars...correction made. And regarding the plugs, I will add if you have a helper to guide them in...obviously it would be a bad idea to try to do it solo with plugs installed.

 

Sorry I wasn't trying to be a dick, but from what I've seen there are tons of threads with install advice, walkthroughs ect and they're all accurate. I read this thread just to see what was being said.

Every header install is different, but in my experience with Dynatechs, Pacesetters, OBX, LPP's, I've never had to jack the engine or go nuts. The worst I've had to do is dent the passenger side on one tube to clear the frame/Kmember where it hunches out.

 

I agree, there are a MILLION threads about header installs, but I had to research a hundred different ones to find some of the idiosyncracies that accompany the install. I just tried to make a thread that actually covered multiple issues that you need to consider, all in one thread. Most people's threads just say "it's easy, you can do it," yet they provide zero info that may make the job easier for others that don't have the experience.

Regarding lifting the engine, my thought was that if a Kooks header wouldn't fit, none of them would....must not be the case given your experience. Obviously I forgot to take in to consideration transmission differences, so I made that correction. That being said, the instructions that accompanied the Kooks headers specifically say that you will have to drop the starter and that you will have to raise the engine. They also address the oil cooler/filter issue.

 

I agree with you, and it's good you posted up the info you did, it does nothing but help. You never know, there may be 10 writeups on kooks headers installs but for one guy they might not go in and your information might be helpful.

That's the fun part about these cars, what works for 99% doesn't always work for the minority, I've found that out the hard way lmfao...

 

So we got a write up for kooks there's one for hooker headers??

 

http://www.theheadfl.com/jethotlt.htm

This was the closest thing I came across for a complete install guide, but it leaves out a lot of little details, which is why I started this thread. Granted, my post is specific to the Kooks headers...but most of it will likely apply to others.

 

damn right hand drive swappers.

 

It's the only way to go!