Header Install

**summy** · 03-09-2011, 12:58 PM

Hey just got done installing my pacesetter LT and on the driver side I removed the steering linkage and it went up easy.

**lsmaxxed** · 06-10-2011, 06:06 PM

hint: jack up car as high as possible to get needed angle for header install. also if you are thinking about doing the air mod delete i would do it at this time it will save alot of hassle, i also changed my spark plugs with e3

**1MileCrash** · 04-12-2012, 09:57 AM

Im out in the driveway and facing a problem. The exhaust manifold bolt nearest the firewall on the passenger side. How the hell do you get him out of there? I cant find my pixie dust!

**Cutlass** · 04-12-2012, 06:17 PM

Ignition coils remove, go over the top of the valve cover and down.

**1MileCrash** · 04-12-2012, 07:01 PM

coils are already off...air and egr already off. i'm going to have someone stop by in a couple days who has smaller hands than i do and see if they can get it. there's no room for me to use the tools in the confined space with my big meaty claws.

**Cutlass** · 04-13-2012, 03:43 AM

Maybe a ratcheting wrench would fit in there easier if a normal ratchet and socket doesn't. I can't remember what I used.

**1MileCrash** · 04-13-2012, 06:19 AM

tried that also. hahaha...i think i bought about 3 new wrenches just to see if i could get something to work...nothing did.

**raynor139** · 04-14-2012, 06:50 AM

I used a small racheting wrench to get it off. Took a while but I got it finally.

**1MileCrash** · 04-15-2012, 10:41 AM

got the manifold out today. he got on the bolt with the socket and breaker bar and i got on it from below with a pry bar. popped right out.

now the truly difficult part...figuring out how to get the driver side manifold in place. i've removed most of the bolts from the driver side motor mount, but it looks like the top bolt is too long to come out without removing the alternator. the other concern that i have is once the driver side manifold is up in place if i'm going to be able to get the motor mount back in there and get the bolts back in and tightened down. we tried taking the steering shaft u joint section out so we could slide the headers in from the top...but the shaft wouldn't budget and it started leaking fluid from the rack so we nixed that idea. this is turning into a rather large pain in my ass.

**raynor139** · 04-15-2012, 11:43 AM

I just put in the Texas speed 1 7/8 headers and what I did was take the oil filter off. Took a hammer to the fire wall and flattened it out. Jacked the car up as high as I could. Slid the header up from underneath the car.

**blackcar** · 04-15-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by raynor139

I just put in the Texas speed 1 7/8 headers and what I did was take the oil filter off. Took a hammer to the fire wall and flattened it out. Jacked the car up as high as I could. Slid the header up from underneath the car.

How do you like the Texas Speed header? Anyone else used them?

**1MileCrash** · 04-15-2012, 12:36 PM

Im trying to put texas speed 1 3/4 on the car right now

**raynor139** · 04-15-2012, 12:50 PM

Just got mine on the other day. Still finishing up some stuff so only driven it once since getting them on

**1MileCrash** · 04-15-2012, 01:20 PM

Where did you flatten out the firewall at? I dont want to have to take a hammer to the firewall if i dont have to

**Cutlass** · 04-15-2012, 01:31 PM

If you can get the car high enough in the air (higher then most jack stands can get), seems like most headers with slide up in there. Some need to be tilted almost completely vertical to get them up there.

**1MileCrash** · 04-15-2012, 01:49 PM

Yeah im on jackstands in the driveway...no way for me to get them vertical unfortunately. Ive heard that that is easier though.

**1MileCrash** · 04-16-2012, 09:04 AM

for those who had to remove the driver side motor mount to get their headers up. i'm assuming that you had to remove the bolts from the part of the mount where it attaches to the block not just the main thru bolt and the 4 on the frame. did you have any problems getting the mount back into place once the headers were in there? i removed the alternator, frame mount bolts, motor mount thru bolt, jacked up the engine slightly, and pounded on the k-member....they're going up further than before but not getting fully into the engine bay. i'm really wanting to find the easiest way to do this but i'm having a sinking feeling that there isn't going to be one. they keep hitting on the k-member and the oil filter port...but i don't have a grinder to bevel the k-member back at all. haha...hell...i damn near had it in from the top...but that didn't pan out in the last 2 inches or so.

**Cutlass** · 04-16-2012, 05:05 PM

Yes, once you get the header in there, you can hold it up in there with a bungee cord from the top. That way it'll stay put but you can still move it around to get the motor mount back together.

**blackcar** · 04-21-2012, 08:31 PM

To the guys that have done headers before I've read on here 18-20 inches. Is that from the tire or K-member? Right now my K-member is about 21 inches. I was trying to go higher and almost dropped the car. Well it did drop some but I had a back up. Only damage is the paint on the ground effect.

**1MileCrash** · 04-22-2012, 10:17 AM

god damn. you guys would probably figure i'd be done by now...but i still can't get the headers in the engine bay. went out to get the motor mounts off today and every bolt is fighting me...plus the "genius" places that the engineers put bolts and whatnot...i'm not making any progress whatsoever. i'm getting really really frustrated.