Header Help!!

Discussion on fuel delivery & intake/exhaust tech & mods.
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Sokruhlica
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Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:16 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington

Header Help!!

Post 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!
Black6
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Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:36 pm
Location: Indy

Re: Header Help!!

Post 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.
Black 2014 V8

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Silversled
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Location: Tampa, FL

Re: Header Help!!

Post 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.
2014 Chevrolet Caprice PPV
2014 Chevrolet Stingray Z51
2016 AMG C63
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Sokruhlica
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Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:16 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Header Help!!

Post by Sokruhlica »

Thanks guys I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and provide advice!
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kevink
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Re: Header Help!!

Post 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.
2011 9C3: 11.48 @118.
CrashTestDummy
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Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: Header Help!!

Post 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:
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
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And some others
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xcidmigs
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Re: Header Help!!

Post by xcidmigs »

Buy a MAXX JACK life your life will never be the same!!
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No Moa
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Re: Header Help!!

Post by No Moa »

Can we make this a sticky!! good info.
2014 Caprice PPV silver
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1996 Impala ss (soon to be t56)
1995 9c1
1977 Trans am SE 4spd.
1978 trans am 400 4 spd.
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kevink
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Re: Header Help!!

Post 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.
2011 9C3: 11.48 @118.
lastcall190
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Location: North Jersey

Re: Header Help!!

Post 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
2012 Caprice
2008 CVPI

Both gone but not forgotten...
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