Headers fhooy

I would like to express my hatred to GM for not installing a header from the factory as I started a complete exhaust system upgrade this weekend. The removal of the catback and the drivers side was not bad at all, although I found a bolt head broke off the back bolt in the head, so after it was off welded a nut to the end I got it free only a few burns to the neck and hand was all.. Now today I started on the passenger side what were thay thinking building that thing like that, my hands are shredded along with my forearms and my back feels like it was hit with a bat, I have the last bolt in the back half way out and it's off but after dropping the ratchet down through to the floor one to many times I had to walk away until tomorrow!!! Iam hoping the install goes better this was to be a good time working on my baby until these headers are on Iam wondering what did I get myself into, I have done a lot of different jobs to a lot of different cars over the years the by far is the worst.......:rotfl::Pics:

sounds like you need a lift...i notice your 2 1/2ish hours from me btw

ls1 manifolds actually don't flow that bad to start with. That's why shorty headers are a waste of time because the stock ones flow pretty decent. The problem you're having mostly is just room and that's just the way it goes with these cars. Fight through it, get the headers on, and all the bitching/crying will be forgotten. :D


Try getting to the tranny dipstick tube bolt on the auto cars......probably a front runner for the worst bolt on the whole car and I've done it several times.

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Originally Posted by 0rion

ls1 manifolds actually don't flow that bad to start with. That's why shorty headers are a waste of time because the stock ones flow pretty decent. The problem you're having mostly is just room and that's just the way it goes with these cars. Fight through it, get the headers on, and all the bitching/crying will be forgotten. :D


Try getting to the tranny dipstick tube bolt on the auto cars......probably a front runner for the worst bolt on the whole car and I've done it several times.

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I will get it just needed to vent to people who know what it takes to do this job, my wife just says you wanted this stuff we could have spent the money elsewhere!! Lol

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Originally Posted by robs98mysticZ

sounds like you need a lift...i notice your 2 1/2ish hours from me btw

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lift is not the issue I need smaller, longer, arms with tear proof skin! Lol...hope to meet you at Carlisle if you plan on going, I will be there saturday

just gotta stay after it and when your wife says you could've used that money elsewhere agree with her......tell her you wished you would've used some of it for wife training lessons. :lol: Funny seeing you from Johnstown......really good friend of mine is originally from there. 2 of them actually. They live out here now but I used to go drink beer at his house in Davidsville all the time which is right up the road from there. They grew up in Johnstown though.

Small world I married a girl from ohio 18yrs ago to bad had to send her back to you guys(sorry):ar: got a great wife now she was even helping last night with the extra hands needed for this job, Davidsville 15min.

I go out to Bedford (Everett actually) a couple times a year to drink beer and party. My buddy's dad has some property right on the Juniata river.

I know it well have been there drinking a few back myself many times!!!!!

if you have the cats out of the way i found it faster and easyer to get to the last bolt and plug from the bottom there should be room to get your arm up there with no issues. i had to put the new bolts and plug in with the headeds that way too. but i got stuck for a bit but it was still better then doing it from the top

I got everthing off needed a break then it all went smooth, passenger side header went right in driver side almost there with alot more steps(oil filter,motormount, little work on firewall) had other things going on today get back at it tomorrow..How did you ever get up through on the passenger side from bottom? I could not even see the back bolt from down there with out the cats on!!!

what brand headers are you using? That drivers side header is tight but you shouldn't have to mess with the motor mount. It's all in the angle of that header. It has to almost go in vertically from the bottom and you have to play with the angle as it goes up through there. There's a casting tab on the side of the block you might have to grind down a bit but that's about it and most headers you don't even have to do that.

You may get lucky like I did, and the driver's side slides in without any effort. Then, when you go to the top to grab onto it, it hits the floor. Then back under. Then it hits the floor, again. Repeat. Do yourself a favor, and fire that thing up once you have the headers on and the hood closed. It sounds soo sick. 4500 rpm snaps with open headers will get your heart boiling.

Good News, thay are both on & bolted up, had to change the rear seal on the trans got that done and a few other things Iam working on it was a good day, start tomorrow on the ory and the magnaflow cat back, I have some time off work right now so taking my time and trying to enjoy this job and not make it a job like it started out tearing the old stuff off and tearing the skin from my hands and arms!!:chuckles: I even got the wife under on the creeper to hold up so I could get the new Gaskets in.. Only had little bitching about it hurting her wrists!! LOL:lmao:

Thanks for the Help I will let you know how everything turns out

Oh man! When I did my headers, I purchased 1 7/8" diameter headers from Texas Speed. I had to raise the engine as high as it could go to get the drivers side in. I didn't have a car lift, but I did have heavy duty jack stands. I had the jack stands sitting on top of 4" thick concrete blocks. And I had the jack stands extended as high as the could go!!

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Originally Posted by kingls1

Good News, thay are both on & bolted up, had to change the rear seal on the trans got that done and a few other things Iam working on it was a good day, start tomorrow on the ory and the magnaflow cat back, I have some time off work right now so taking my time and trying to enjoy this job and not make it a job like it started out tearing the old stuff off and tearing the skin from my hands and arms!!:chuckles: I even got the wife under on the creeper to hold up so I could get the new Gaskets in.. Only had little bitching about it hurting her wrists!! LOL:lmao:

Thanks for the Help I will let you know how everything turns out

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Everything all done man it sounds awsome nice deep tone from the magnaflow...

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Originally Posted by cowstandmoto

Oh man! When I did my headers, I purchased 1 7/8" diameter headers from Texas Speed. I had to raise the engine as high as it could go to get the drivers side in. I didn't have a car lift, but I did have heavy duty jack stands. I had the jack stands sitting on top of 4" thick concrete blocks. And I had the jack stands extended as high as the could go!!

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I massaged the firewall a little bit with my big F'ing hammer and took the oil filter off. Popped right in after that.

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Originally Posted by cowstandmoto

Oh man! When I did my headers, I purchased 1 7/8" diameter headers from Texas Speed. I had to raise the engine as high as it could go to get the drivers side in. I didn't have a car lift, but I did have heavy duty jack stands. I had the jack stands sitting on top of 4" thick concrete blocks. And I had the jack stands extended as high as the could go!!

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I have the same headers and had to do the same thing to get them in

Well, nothing is easy with these cars! :)

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Originally Posted by raynor139

I massaged the firewall a little bit with my big F'ing hammer and took the oil filter off. Popped right in after that.

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Same here there is a heat shield there and covered up what I bent in so now you can't tell, only difference I used a little hammer and bent in only what was needed..