Installed my Kooks headers (before/after vid) - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Jeff_SS · 07-01-2013, 04:26 PM

Made this thread in V8 Exhaust and bolt-on section, thought I'd share it here too.

So I ordered my Kooks 1 7/8" long tube headers and high flow cats from Apex Chase last week. Finally got a chance to install them this weekend.

All in all it was fairly straight forward. I love the sound, and I can't wait to get it tuned by Ryne @ CMS next week and see some dyno numbers.

I used my GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition to do a little comparison.
Just to make a disclaimer, the audio (mic on the GoPro) in the video doesn't do it justice to just how great my Camaro really sounds now.

First, here's the video comparison from before and after:

Watch it in 1080p

Here's a video of how it sounds at idle (recorded with my iPhone 5) :

Watch in 1080p

Here's where during the install I decided I wanted to hear what open headers sounded like. Video was recorded with my iPhone 5 and doesn't even remotely come close to showing how loud and powerful it sounded:

Watch in 1080p

Here's some pictures:

Here's when I got the headers from Apex Motorsports. Amazingly fast shipping, and great customer service and communication from Apex Chase,

Here's how the car sat during install,

Here's a factory exhaust manifold and a factory cat,

Here's the view from underneath,

Had to do a little adjusting to get the drivers side cat to be friends with the NPP exhaust,

Fun day, well worth all the money, time and effort.

Ehmsea · 07-01-2013, 04:47 PM

Car sounds Great! The video that shows before and after is one of the best I've see as far as direct comparison.

What all did you have to "modify" to get them to fit with the NPP exhaust? Just grind a little off the end?

Jeff_SS · 07-01-2013, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ehmsea

Car sounds Great! The video that shows before and after is one of the best I've see as far as direct comparison.

What all did you have to "modify" to get them to fit with the NPP exhaust? Just grind a little off the end?

Thank you!
And there was a little nut that that I grinded off.
It was on the factory exhaust pipe and it initially was used as a little clip to hold the bracket that mated the factory cats to the exhaust.
I put a big circle of the location of where they bolt together, and I put a little red circle where the nut was that got grinded off.

So I grinded it off, as well as did a little grinding off the edge of the exhaust pipe to squeeze the high flow cat in between the collection pipe of the header and the factory NPP exhaust.

Vengeance Graphix · 07-01-2013, 07:15 PM

Glad too see you installed some kooks long tubes on the camaro

Sounds awesome!!

VictoryMuscleCars · 07-01-2013, 07:34 PM

Sweet!!

Jeff_SS · 07-01-2013, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xVengeancex28

Glad too see you installed some kooks long tubes on the camaro

Sounds awesome!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by VictoryMuscleCars

Sweet!!

Thanks guys. I'm loving the sound and can feel the power difference already.
Surprisingly no CEL. Can't wait for my tune from CMS on monday.

wally mayfield · 07-01-2013, 10:47 PM

nice thread...bitchin videos.

Ehmsea · 07-02-2013, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff_SS

Thank you!
And there was a little nut that that I grinded off.
It was on the factory exhaust pipe and it initially was used as a little clip to hold the bracket that mated the factory cats to the exhaust.
I put a big circle of the location of where they bolt together, and I put a little red circle where the nut was that got grinded off.

So I grinded it off, as well as did a little grinding off the edge of the exhaust pipe to squeeze the high flow cat in between the collection pipe of the header and the factory NPP exhaust.

Ok, Thanks. Its these little things that always get me... thanks for the details...

Enjoy!

Jeff_SS · 07-02-2013, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ehmsea

Ok, Thanks. Its these little things that always get me... thanks for the details...

Enjoy!

Yeah no problem, it's always the little things.
The only other thing that stumped me for about 20-30 minutes was getting the little o2 sensor wires unplugged. There is a little green plastic "keylock/pin" that you have to pinch and push out to be able to unconnect the wires. That was a bitch to figure out haha

Outlaw77 · 07-02-2013, 01:31 PM

sweet! I just had the same done to my camaro. I also installed a magnaflow street series cact back as well. The tune will be a nice difference as well.

2010 SSRS · 10-29-2013, 12:28 AM

Sounds absolutely awesome

Sapper12b · 10-29-2013, 12:35 AM

The videos won't play on my iPad. All I see are blank white screens. Can you attach the links as the URL?

Apex Motorsports · 10-29-2013, 08:27 AM

Sounds great! Thank you for your order and...

07-01-2013, 04:47 PM	#2
Ehmsea Drives: 2013 2SS RS Hurst NPP Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perrysburg, OH Posts: 233 View My Garage	Car sounds Great! The video that shows before and after is one of the best I've see as far as direct comparison. What all did you have to "modify" to get them to fit with the NPP exhaust? Just grind a little off the end? __________________ No Worries CAI Intake w/washer relocation and race scoop Ported Throttle Body (Polished) Kooks LT stepped headers 1-3/4 to 1-7/8 High Flow Cats Livernois Motorsports Stage 2c Cam Package https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKXyCyBh9BU Hill Start Assist Delete

07-01-2013, 07:15 PM	#4
Vengeance Graphix Drives: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport Join Date: May 2010 Location: Central NJ Posts: 10,870	Glad too see you installed some kooks long tubes on the camaro Sounds awesome!! __________________ Vengeance Graphix

07-01-2013, 07:34 PM	#5
VictoryMuscleCars Drives: 2012 Camaro SS RS Convert Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 886	Sweet!! __________________ Tom P

07-01-2013, 10:47 PM	#7
wally mayfield Drives: 2013 2SS 6M Join Date: May 2013 Location: eastern high sierra Posts: 893	nice thread...bitchin videos. __________________ Strut tower brace(GM), CAI, Blade Spoiler, ZL1 wheels and tires, Heritage grill, Dual mode exhaust, and thats it, no more..except for the lowering springs..Ok Hotchkis springs were delivered today, thats it..

10-29-2013, 12:28 AM	#11
2010 SSRS Drives: 3 V8 Camaros Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Ocean State Posts: 111,187 View My Garage	Sounds absolutely awesome __________________ Jannetty Racing JRE Street Package

07-02-2013, 01:31 PM	#10
Outlaw77 Drives: 2018 Charger SRT 392 F8 Green Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Oakville Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,910	sweet! I just had the same done to my camaro. I also installed a magnaflow street series cact back as well. The tune will be a nice difference as well.

10-29-2013, 12:35 AM	#12
Sapper12b HTCC Member Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,868 View My Garage	The videos won't play on my iPad. All I see are blank white screens. Can you attach the links as the URL? __________________

10-29-2013, 08:27 AM	#13
Apex Motorsports Drives: 2000 Camaro SS Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Louisville, Ky. Posts: 25,179	Sounds great! Thank you for your order and...