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Header Help!!

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:45 pm
by Sokruhlica
Hey guys I am debating putting on a set of long tubes but I’m curious how involved the job is. Can anyone with headers, especially Kooks, give me any details on how their install went? Thanks!

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:26 pm
by Black6
This car has a lot of room to work with. Manifold bolts are sometimes broken. But easily removed. Buying something like kooks for the ss will be a super smooth install.

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 11:38 pm
by Silversled
You'll probably spend more time unbolting the stock rusty exhaust from the manifolds than it takes bolting up the new headers. Things that might hang you up are:

1) Passenger side clearance: Take coils, spark plugs and wires off the passenger side to gain hand clearance,
2) Removal of the dipstick tube is required. Removal is easy (remove bolt and pull up). Replacement is another story unless you've done a few. Note the routing before removing,
3) The steering rod MUST be disconnected from the steering rack input shaft. Remove pinch bolt and spray liberally with penetrant oil. They get rusty and seize up.
4) Restrain the steering wheel with a bungee chord or something. If you are fighting the steering rod and it turns the steering wheel excessively you WILL damage your clock spring and will be greeted with all sorts of airbag errors.
5) Feed the headers from below. Don't try from above, just do it from below.
6) Inspect the routing of the main power harness in front of the leading header tubes. I've seen some, including mine routed in a way that it touches the header. I wrapped it in hear shroud and tied it forward so it wouldn't rub on the header.
7) Getting the O2 sensor connected unplugged on the passenger side is a B$%TCH sometimes for some people. The connector is clipped to the back of the head. My personal "Pro Tip" I use now for all Chevys with LS type engines is to take the 10 minutes to remove the windshield wipers and cover panels to gain full access behind the head. It is better than spending 1-2 hours trying to pull the harness retention (X-mas tree) out of the head.
8) Kooks don't come with O2 extensions. I could not get my passenger to reach even after unclipping the harness. Use 12" extensions which is all you need. Use them on both. The car runs better when one O2 sensor doesn't lag the other even by milliseconds. You can see the difference in data logs. My car also idled better without having to fiddle with the proportional idle controls. I used a 24" extension on the passenger side only and had to really modify the idle system for it to idle nicely.

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:37 pm
by Sokruhlica
Thanks guys I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and provide advice!

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 6:48 pm
by kevink
There's not much to add to what Silversled said except that it is totally doable on jack stands. No need for a lift at all. I actually only needed an O2 extension on the driver's side. Oh, and if you ever need to remove the starter with the passenger side header on, it is possible despite what the G8 guys say. It's tricky and requires a lot of flipping and turning of the starter, but it's definitely possible.

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:08 pm
by CrashTestDummy
kevink wrote:There's not much to add to what Silversled said except that it is totally doable on jack stands. No need for a lift at all. I actually only needed an O2 extension on the driver's side. Oh, and if you ever need to remove the starter with the passenger side header on, it is possible despite what the G8 guys say. It's tricky and requires a lot of flipping and turning of the starter, but it's definitely possible.
I’d budget for the lift. It makes ALL the subsequent mods so much easier!! :mrgreen:

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:40 pm
by xcidmigs
Buy a MAXX JACK life your life will never be the same!!

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 9:59 am
by No Moa
Can we make this a sticky!! good info.

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:07 am
by kevink
And perhaps the greatest, most valuable tip of all: Do not purchase your headers (or anything, for that matter!) from Maryland Speed! If you are wondering why, just google "Maryland Speed problem" and you will have a few day's worth of reading.

Re: Header Help!!

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 1:14 pm
by lastcall190
That search yields interesting results everywhere.

OP, not sure if you already bought, but ARH also makes a header for these cars (must call as it wasn't on the website, but owner called me back and told me they take an SS header and reconfigure it).

I can't wait for the day I put headers on this. After countless F-body installs, this car looks like a breeze comparatively.

-J