Holley Blackheart headers

[rontammy0]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams76

Lol yeah ok results. 10 hours later they are finally in. Everything is extremely tight fitting with lots of cuts on the hands and lots of hurt knuckles. I'd recommend the 45 degree plug wires. I also recommend rachet wrenches..... Which I didnt have. The stock wires work but the back wires rest directly on the header which is a good recipe for burnt wires. So howd it go..... Well I have an exhaust leak that I believe is coming from the manifold/cat connection and that can wait. I'm beat

My struggles:
I didn't take the steering rack off. I got the 11mm bolt out, got so frustrated because the rack wouldnt disconnect and the headers wouldn't fit in so I shoved those MFs in there. Cats have to come off. The driver side is cake compared to the passenger side.

The ****ing oil tube..... Yeah fun fun fun. Getting that thing to go back after the headers are installed LOL..... Better have 2 people.

Holley recommends taking the starter off if the headers won't fit from the bottom. Yeah screw that. There's a threaded nut coming out of no where and the threads are long and hangs the header up. I cut that thread so the header could fit. Starting bolts r a PITA. Overall the entire experience I probably wouldn't do it again.

With all seriousness this is easiest with two people. My father helped me out and I really needed it. I couldn't get a bolt to start for my life on the passenger side.

I did all this stuff with rachets in my garage on jackstands. So I'm sure it could have been easier. I think the design of the headers could be a little better for ease of install and fitment of spark plugs. Getting to the spark plugs is crazy now, as in guess I'm not changing them again

I had my jba shorty headers installed ....their tools and lift looked better then my tools and packed garage. They do look like quality pieces.

[CamaroDreams76]

They are quality peieces for sure. But I'd rather have function over looks. Some things could be a little bent here and there. I ordered wire sleeves so I don't burn my wires up. I'm going to work on the exhaust leak later. And probably take some pictures.

Edit: car will be out of commission until I get wire sleeves like what come on the ARH shorties. I drove it for a little after I fixed the exhaust leak. The piece of rubber hose I threw ontop of the plug wire to protect the wire from burning was melting and smoking. Still think I have an exhaust leak on the passenger side now. Sounds like lifters but there's no way they are thought loud.

Update: Ordered vibrant performance fiberglass wire covers. protects wires up to 1200 degrees (advertised). I also purchased the Holley wire set specifically for the Camaro SS with the blackheart shorty exhaust.

[CreeperRS]

Did you use a gasket between the shortys and the cats?

[CamaroDreams76]

Originally Posted by CreeperRS

Did you use a gasket between the shortys and the cats?

Yeah, I reused the gasket provided with the SOLO cats. The gasket is just hard to line up is all. I reused the factory manifold gasket.

forgot to add. I weighed the driver side factory manifold with heat shields and came out with 32.6LBS. I weighed the Blackerheart driver side manifold and came out with 16.2. Assuming both passenger and driver side are equal weight for both headers (factory and Holley) the weight savings come to 33LBS compared to the factory manifolds vs Holley

[CreeperRS]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams76

Yeah, I reused the gasket provided with the SOLO cats. The gasket is just hard to line up is all. I reused the factory manifold gasket.

forgot to add. I weighed the driver side factory manifold with heat shields and came out with 32.6LBS. I weighed the Blackerheart driver side manifold and came out with 16.2. Assuming both passenger and driver side are equal weight for both headers (factory and Holley) the weight savings come to 33LBS compared to the factory manifolds vs Holley

Nice. What do you think caused the leak?

[CamaroDreams76]

Originally Posted by CreeperRS

Nice. What do you think caused the leak?

My guess is the cat moved a little or gasket moved during getting everything lined up and tightening it down. That's what happened on the driver side. There was a gap I could see inside the manifold. Easy 5 min fix.




But I have some of the sleeves on, I was such in a rush to order the sleeves to protect my wires, I only ordered 1 pack (4). So I only have sleeves on, which is fine because only 4 wires touched. I ordered another pack and I'm still waiting shipment of the Holley wires. Seems to me like Holley is extremely slow and that's being nice.

Took the car for a drive, it's certainly louder, the sound is deeper and screams at WOT. Feels a little stronger in the mid range and down low but I didn't notice it pulling any harder up top. I will post a video once I fix the exhaust leak and post some pictures of the headers installed.

[CamaroDreams76]

Drove the car about 60 miles around town the past 2 days I've had off. Car ran GREAT, no issues at all....... Was driving to work this afternoon, sitting in traffic and the car started idling a little rough. Still sounded ok..... When I went to go, it felt like the clutch was slipping bad (best I can explain it). I could tell something wasn't exactly right. Service Stabilitrac came up on the DIC (car began running even more rough). I pulled off into a parking lot, shut the car off. Sat for a few minutes, and started it back up, ran a lot smoother then service stabilitrac showed up again and it started running rough again. All gauges read normal, oil, coolant temp, trans temp, a blinking CEL until I shut the car down for the first time. Never came on again after I shut the car off that first time. Service Stabilitrac would come on after a few seconds of the car running.

Ran the car over to another parking lot (so it could sit the night). On my way to the other parking lot (probably 1/10th of a mile if that) I noticed the car would run really rough and service stabilitrac would come up. It would clear and everything would run a lot more smooth but still not 100%, run rough and stabilitrac would come on, clear and run smoother.

I think the headers burnt another wire. Not sure which one, will check when I get home.

[CreeperRS]

Were you running the new wires or stock?

[CamaroDreams76]

Originally Posted by CreeperRS

Were you running the new wires or stock?

stock wires with Vibrant Performance fiberglass thermal sleeves. Protects up to 1200 degrees. The Holley 45 degree wires came in today. They will go on when I get home.

[CreeperRS]

Post pics of the new wires, please.

[CamaroDreams76]

Originally Posted by CreeperRS

Post pics of the new wires, please.

installed or new right out of the box?




Here is a picture of the first burnt wire I had. The is #2 plug on the driver side going front to back or the wire off of cylinder #3 in firing order. The rubber thing was my temporary sleeve to protect the wire. This happened in about 5 miles worth of driving. OE ac delco factory spark plug wire toasted with wire exposed split.

I assume the burnt wire this time will be this wire too. Its either burnt or came off the spark plug due to the extremely tight fitment. It may have not been fully seated and if it was maybe engine vibration knocked it off.



If the Holley wires fail I guess I will spring for the MTI "hot wires" another 135 dollars.

[CamaroDreams76]

As I suspected, my dilemma yesterday was my wire being burnt.




New wires arrived yesterday. They do not touch the header at all. I still put the thermal cover over them as a precautionary measure anyway.






Here are views of the headers installed with the sleeves on the wires.
Driver side (wire #3 was the one that was touching the header and burning)


Passenger side

[clarkkent]

Wow, yeah, that one really burnt all right lol

[xc_SS/RS]

That wire would cause issues. Everything back to normal with the new wires?