Kook's LTs install problem

**bigcraig987** · 09-03-2006, 02:33 PM

I got the passenger side in alright but am having problems with the drivers side binding up when trying to weave it through from the bottom. Any ideas from whoever has done this install would be helpfull. It is on a 99 TA with an A4

**NHRAMAN** · 09-03-2006, 03:13 PM

SORRY----THAT IS TH4E REASON I WENT EDELBROCK ..G'luck *********all i have heard from these boards are problems with qtp and kooks....thats why i went with the company that has been in BUSINESS for over 5O YEARS..........check out their history.....well made in the GOOD OL' USA.

**bigcraig987** · 09-03-2006, 04:10 PM

just fyi Kooks has been around since 1962 and is in Bayshore NY, think and research before you speak next time

**BlackLT1Z28** · 09-03-2006, 04:54 PM

Damn, the driver's side was cake on my car. The passenger side was the one that gave me problems. I had to lift the motor off the mount to get that header in.
Granted, mine is the LT1 and not the LS1, but I'm pretty sure its pretty much the same procedure.

So, what exactly are you hitting? Is the car up high enough? Did you remove the steering knuckle? Did you try to drop it in from the top?

**sunsetorangess** · 09-03-2006, 04:59 PM

Lets stay focused on the issue at hand guys.
Like black said have you tried sliding it in from above?
J

**bigcraig987** · 09-03-2006, 05:39 PM

from the bottom i hit a combination of the bellhousing the motor mount and the outer wall depending on the approach angle, and from the top i hit a primary on the valve cover/head and the collector on the bell housing and its difficult to get by the cowl, if i had a lift i think i could have gotten it in easy, i think i am going to try loosening the motor mount and jacking up the engine tomorrow

**0rion** · 09-03-2006, 07:07 PM

The last set I helped someone install were FLP's I think and they had to come in through the bottom almost vertically. In other words. The car has to be higher so you can come in from directly underneath instead of at an angle.

**Sunset T/A** · 09-04-2006, 06:07 PM

Had mine installed. Passenger side went in from the bottom. Drivers side went in from the top.

**Nicbmann** · 09-04-2006, 06:11 PM

We put both of mine in from the bottom. The car just has to be really high.

**BlackLT1Z28** · 09-04-2006, 07:02 PM

That's the problem, getting the car high enough safely. My floor jack wouldn't go any higher, so I tried some dumb stuff and almost tipped the car over in the driveway twice it was so high. Kinda scary too.
But that cherry picker came in handy, pivoted the motor about 6-8" and the passenger side header slipped in from the top like butter.

Sometimes, you just have to find the right angle for these things to fit in right. Its like a puzzle. A very expensive and frustrating puzzle.

**bigcraig987** · 09-05-2006, 11:06 AM

i ended up unbolting the engine mount sliding it forward a bit and the header slid right in from the bottom, bolted the mount back up and called it a night yesterday, will get the various other things i took off from other attemps back on today and fire it up

**BlackLT1Z28** · 09-05-2006, 05:17 PM

Congrats, you got the hard part out of the way. Now all you have to do is undo the stuff you did in the beginning. Finish is a breeze. Great feeling huh?
Are you gonna fire it up before putting the Y-pipe on? Open headers are freakin LOUD and SWEET!

**bene** · 09-05-2006, 08:03 PM

have you tried lowering the K member? That's what I did on mine, alot easier than unbolting the motor mounts.

**MikeSomething** · 09-10-2006, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by BlackLT1Z28

Its like a puzzle. A very expensive and frustrating puzzle.

Ain't that the freakin truth! To this day I'm still wondering if I'm ever gonna get ballsy enough to do a cam on my car...

**Red Chevy** · 01-04-2007, 11:25 PM

Well I don't have Kooks LT's but I did by the ebay Stainless Steel headers. My drivers side went in with a little coaxing from the bottom with my car on ramps. I did have to jack the passenger side up a little more to side that side in but both of my headers did go in from the bottom. One thing I did notice after installation was that my drivers side header was leaning on the lower control arm and this is probably because my passenger side motor mount is bad. I will say this, even if you have an '02 with low miles, CHANGE your motor mounts while it is easy to do with all the exhaust out of the way. Once the LT headers are in, it will be a pain in da ass job. Plus, with the little bit more hp and torque you'll be making, you'll probably rip the stock rubber mounts anyway. Cause lets face it, we all know nobody goes through the trouble of mounting headers JUST for the looks or sound.

**7camaro7** · 01-05-2007, 03:43 PM

just did mine a couple days ago and this is what I used. take special note to #17 you'll need a hacksaw (maybe a flathead screwdriver and a hammer)

I had the same problem and it worked for me.

http://projectcamaro.com/headerinstall.htm

**The Scientist** · 01-05-2007, 03:56 PM

I have kooks on an A4 and ended up with this problem. One of the primary tubes makes contact with the steering wheel shaft when in reverse. I can feel it grind as I turn the steering wheel especially under torque. Since we are on the topic of the driver's side header I thought I would ask if anyone had this problem too or would know how to fix it?