Getting headers soon! Just a few questions

[DPerry]

Hey guys, I'm ordering stainless power headers with high flow cats this or next weekend. I currently have a magnaflow exhaust system and K&N cold air intake. First question is should I do the install myself? I've done all kinds of cosmetic mods myself but never anything with the engine. Second is $650 for a dyno tune a good price? Seemed high to me but then again I don't know much about dynos. Third is if I decide to do a muffler delete also will I loose (or gain) any power if its done before the tune? And lastly. What kind of numbers can I expect out of the engine and to the wheels? Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by DPerry

Hey guys, I'm ordering stainless power headers with high flow cats this or next weekend. I currently have a magnaflow exhaust system and K&N cold air intake. First question is should I do the install myself? I've done all kinds of cosmetic mods myself but never anything with the engine. Second is $650 for a dyno tune a good price? Seemed high to me but then again I don't know much about dynos. Third is if I decide to do a muffler delete also will I loose (or gain) any power if its done before the tune? And lastly. What kind of numbers can I expect out of the engine and to the wheels? Thanks in advance for your replies!

Installing headers is not particularly difficult. It is much easier with an extra set of hands. What is a fair price can depend on what all they are doing and labor rates in your area but on the surface it does sound a little high. You will not see any performance change with a muffler delete. Your profile says you have an LT. What exactly do you have?

[dentnshell]

Having done his Friday (my wife and myself).. I can say that I did it in the garage with jacks and jack stands. If you have anyone that can help you I would do it myself. An extra set of hands is good when removing and installing the oil dipstick ( it does help to SEE how the dipstick comes out while someone pulls from above. Extra hands are good when installing the new headers.. I lifted them up while my wife started a couple of bolts.


What tools do you have access to? Below are some things that made the job easier
Various length extensions for your ratchet are handy, I would not think they were needed, same thing goes for a ratchet with a pivoting head.
Some anti-seize for the O2 sensors and header bolts.
O2 sensor socket was handy.
Air ratchet - simply for speed

A torque wrench MAYBE for installing the new header bolts. A lot of people don't use one, but many do. ( I did )

Are you going to re-use the stock gaskets? I did, have not started it yet to know if the gamble payed off. Depending on your resources, saving $28 may not be worth the gamble of not putting them in the first time.

Make sure you apply some penetrating oil on the front O2 sensors.. I messed up both of my fronts... one twisted off in the old manifold.. the other has messed up threads... I used PB blaster and heat... but probably did not let it soak long enough.

There were none available at the parts store... ordered them on Amazon they should be here today. Get a plan together just in case. Mine is a 2014 with about 15k miles.

[FunkedOut]

Do the install yourself! Nothing like working on your car. Set aside a full day, just in case.
As long as you can jack up the front only up 18" you can do it.
PB blaster on the O2's for a few hours and no heat worked fine for me.

took me two days, but I spent about a day running the cables (inside and out), installing dash gauge, and mounting the controller for the wideband.
I installed the wideband because I decided to tune it myself.
If tuning was easy, everyone would do it.

I struggled with the price of a dyno tune vs the price of a mail tune vs learn to do it myself for a while.
bottom line for me was, unless I know how to tune, I can't decide if I got my money's worth.
also add to that, the fact that nobody can afford to spend as much time with your car as you do for $650.

After lots of research and spending time on both HPTuners and EFI Live, I decided EFI was a better product, but more expensive and both would do accomplish the mission.
I ended up with HPTuners, because of the resources (people) available around me.
I bought the set up from Matt at FSP and he included a free mail tune. Great to deal with and that last bit gave me the security of a mail tune, the cost of a dyno tune ($650) and the ability to learn how to do it myself.
After you get going on the tuning, the learning gets a little more linear.

Not sure about your car, I have not paid attention, but read many things indicating that some/all of the V6 engines are difficult to tune; not sure if that is limited to boost or not. Maybe due to VVT?

[Homeless Man]

That's way too much for a dyno tune especially these simple mods. Do it ur self. I had never changed my oil or anything before and I installed headers myself. I used rhino ramps. Check out my header thread: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=402218

[DPerry]

Originally Posted by Apex Motorsports

Installing headers is not particularly difficult. It is much easier with an extra set of hands. What is a fair price can depend on what all they are doing and labor rates in your area but on the surface it does sound a little high. You will not see any performance change with a muffler delete. Your profile says you have an LT. What exactly do you have?

My bad I did have an lt but now I have a 2ssrs ls3. I should've mentioned that earlier lol and thank you

[DPerry]

Thank you everyone for the advise!

[jergarr]

Ya $650 seems a bit high for a tune, most are in the $400-$500 range.

[Ryanbabz71]

Did mine myself with the help from some friends. Started the tear down On a Friday night and finished Saturday after (4-4.5 hrs total)



These clips are a PITA first one to get loose was the longest part of the install




Ryan

[mbowen89]

I think what took me the longest was the 8 spark plugs and 12 header bolts on and off. Seemed like I could only wench a few inches at a time and took forever by myself.

[Homeless Man]

Yea the bolts were the biggest pain especially the passenger side with just a simple handtool. You could fly through it if u had air tools.

[mbowen89]

How can you even fit an air tool in there? Hardly any room especially on passenger side!

[Lndryguru]

i did mine with a friend but another friend has a shop was still kind of a pita even with a lift.

[dentnshell]

Originally Posted by mbowen89

How can you even fit an air tool in there? Hardly any room especially on passenger side!

My air ratchet takes up barely more space than my regular... a universal joint an air ratchet and some various size short extensions make quick work of both sides.

I think on one of the rears I used my regular ratchet with a pivoting head. I made a point of telling my wife how much nicer it made that job.