Couple header install questions

[dentnshell]

Originally Posted by jshaf

thanks for all the suggestions, will be tackling the install wednesday if all goes well!

At 7500 miles I can only assume this is not your DD. If it is you mode of transportation, start with the Sensors, make sure you can break them loose. I ended up twisting the threads out... Using PB Blaster and a torch....

15,000 miles on a 2014. Again my wife and I did it (Her car) on a Saturday afternoon. No problems... Make sure and get some Anti-Sieze for your sensors and bolts. Do you have a Torque wrench? Or one you can borrow. You don't want to over torque the bolts. Again 18 ft/lbs is not tight at all!

[GoldCartridgeGamer]

Use a vice grip on the o2 sensors and hammer the vice grip. Mine didn't come out easily. Tried heating them and everything. Barely budged if at all. Came right off when I put vice grip around o2 sensor and hammer the vice.
I used the sealant with my original gaskets. No issues. I have Stainless Power 1 7/8 mated to stock exhaust. I used the new bolts provided. The old bolts took some endurance to get them loose. Wish I thought to spray them. I had approximately 45k miles on my 2010 when I did this install.

[Jason@Phastek]

I always spray the O2 where it meet the bung down with WD40. Let it soak a minute then pull them out. I have locked up plenty of O2s before and it sucks when you have to replace them.

[jshaf]

Originally Posted by dentnshell

At 7500 miles I can only assume this is not your DD. If it is you mode of transportation,

I would say it is my DD for 8 month out of the year and my work is pretty close by so don't put tons of miles on her, in the winter I drive a 07 Trail Blazer or walk to work.

Found my tube of blue loc-tite so have it ready for the bolts when I reinstall the headers. will pick up some zip ties and an extra set of header gaskets just in case. if I don't need them I will just return them on the way home.

[jshaf]

Originally Posted by Lgndryhr

Use a vice grip on the o2 sensors and hammer the vice grip. Mine didn't come out easily. Tried heating them and everything. Barely budged if at all. Came right off when I put vice grip around o2 sensor and hammer the vice.
I used the sealant with my original gaskets. No issues. I have Stainless Power 1 7/8 mated to stock exhaust. I used the new bolts provided. The old bolts took some endurance to get them loose. Wish I thought to spray them. I had approximately 45k miles on my 2010 when I did this install.

the vice grip idea seems like a good one, will give that a try if they give me problems.

[GVA 45TH 2SS]

Originally Posted by jshaf

the vice grip idea seems like a good one, will give that a try if they give me problems.

They should call them vice strips. Cause if something is so tight a wrench wont break it free, then vice grips will just chew the crap out of it.

A good mini 6 inch pipe wrench will remove just about any thing. (including something someone destroyed with vice grips)
I deal with it at work enough

[dentnshell]

Vice Grips?????

I stripped the threads out..... leverage was not the problem. I have Snap-On O2 sensors socket and extra length ratchet... After PB Blaster didn't work... I used a MAP Torch....
I twisted the first O2 sensor in half. The second one I did a better job of working int in and out... still messed up the threads to the point I was afraid to use it on my new headers.... I didn't want to mess up the threads on the headers.

[jshaf]

OK....guess I will hit it up with pd blaster, let it set for a few, say a couple hail marys and pray they come off easy....LOL

[FASTDIESEL]

Mine came apart very easily, even with over 100K miles on the clock. I sprayed everything down with penetrating oil (NOT WD-40) a few days before the install, and drove it. Another soak down just before disassembly.

[JCunningham]

if there is any concern with the threads just buy new ones.

[Tenring]

Originally Posted by GVA 45TH 2SS

They should call them vice strips. Cause if something is so tight a wrench wont break it free, then vice grips will just chew the crap out of it.

A good mini 6 inch pipe wrench will remove just about any thing. (including something someone destroyed with vice grips)
I deal with it at work enough

Truth right there!

I just sprayed mine down a couple times with PB Blaster and picked up a new 7/8" box end I think was the size, got them ready, one quick blow with the rubber mallet and wallah.

[dentnshell]

Ok, its Wednesday... Do you have the "Permagrin" yet?

[jshaf]

I put a canned SCT tune on for headers til I get my tune, M Y G O D !!!! this car scares the sh!t out of me (good thing) very obvious power jump! a little louder but not quit as loud and I thought it could be. sound bada$$!!! damn near threw it in a ditch leaving my brother in laws place. way more fun only bad thing other than taking twice as long as I thought it would was a slight chatter I hear at around 35-40 MPH, going to check around tomorrow, don't hear anything of it on the highway. Weird!

[jshaf]

easiest part was getting the O2 sensors out, didn't take them out til well after the car cooled down, and them came out with an open wrench and a couple taps of the hammer on each. worried the most about those things and it turned out to be the easiest, still had a heck of a time getting that dip stick back in. getting the bolts out/in of the passenger side was a pain in the rear. kept the spark plugs in but I was constantly pulling anything near them away. won't lie, I never want to do this again! but got through it and all is good accept that one chatter sound.