LS1-Z28's 2001 SS Build Thread

[Bulldogwinters]

Originally Posted by LS1-Z28

The only reason I took the coil packs off, is because of trying to get that wire out.. PITA.. No room to work with at all.. It's a world of difference with it off. May not seem like it but it did lol.. And the intake thing, ehh cause we we're going by some dudes writeup on LS1Tech(which is the best I've ever seen, detialed pics, etc.) and dad said just do it exactly how he did.

And no, leaving the air on, don't wanna throw any more codes then I'm alrready going too. And dad siad just leave it,, it's not hurting anything. And plus would have to find a plug for the intake..

Oh I got ya.. We got the plugs out from underneath so I didn't have to worry bout that. is the writeup youre talking about the ram air one? My headers are race type, so I couldn't leave m air on lol. I unhooked it in september and finally took the pump itself out today when I put my new turn lamps in

[LS1-Z28]

Originally Posted by Bulldogwinters

Oh I got ya.. We got the plugs out from underneath so I didn't have to worry bout that. is the writeup youre talking about the ram air one? My headers are race type, so I couldn't leave m air on lol. I unhooked it in september and finally took the pump itself out today when I put my new turn lamps in

Nah it's by some guy.. It's called like Pacesetter Headers + TSP ORY + Motor mounts for dummies haha... Not a dummie here.. But it sure is helping me out.

[Bulldogwinters]

Originally Posted by LS1-Z28

Nah it's by some guy.. It's called like Pacesetter Headers + TSP ORY + Motor mounts for dummies haha... Not a dummie here.. But it sure is helping me out.

I had that writeup bookmarked, thats what I used on mine too, but we obviously skipped a few steps

[LS1-Z28]

Originally Posted by Bulldogwinters

I had that writeup bookmarked, thats what I used on mine too, but we obviously skipped a few steps

Yeah lol.. He unbolted the ac compressor and his belt? Did you have to unbolt the compressor to get the pass. side header in?

[Bulldogwinters]

Nope, the only things I took off were the old manifolds and the spark plugs lol

[LS1-Z28]

Originally Posted by Bulldogwinters

Nope, the only things I took off were the old manifolds and the spark plugs lol

Didn't even have to disconnect the steering linkage? lol.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by LS1-Z28

Yeah lol.. He unbolted the ac compressor and his belt? Did you have to unbolt the compressor to get the pass. side header in?

He unbolted damn near everything off the engine to get extra room.. 3rd one to be using that writeup here.

Helps but it's really up to how the headers go in and each individual car; hence the bending comment. It shouldn't be needed but somehow it happens, even if pacesetters have arguably the best fit for the price segment.

How much room did you get just pulling the coils and steering linkage? And clean those valve covers and coil packs! Shiny headers need a shiny engine bay. Lol

[LS1-Z28]

Originally Posted by Zabo

He unbolted damn near everything off the engine to get extra room.. 3rd one to be using that writeup here.

Helps but it's really up to how the headers go in and each individual car; hence the bending comment. It shouldn't be needed but somehow it happens, even if pacesetters have arguably the best fit for the price segment.

How much room did you get just pulling the coils and steering linkage? And clean those valve covers and coil packs! Shiny headers need a shiny engine bay. Lol

I know haha. That's one reason why I did pull them is so I could clean them. 11 years can have some buildup under there

Haven't disonnected the steering linkage yet, but have heard it's pretty much a must to get them in, I will let you know. As far as the coil packs it really freed up some room on that passanger side. But if yours still has the 5th bolt on them....... good luck getting it out.. It's the last bolt, and its on the bottom in the back..... I was taking mine out, and looked at dad and said theres no way to get one out if it's there.. Mine didn't have it and it was holding fine on there so I'm not worried about putting one in there haha.

[demonspeed]

I'd suggest doing the LS6 PCV conversion since you've pulled the intake. Less than a $100 in parts.

[xXSilencerXx]

Originally Posted by Zabo

All I can say is 'Good Luck.'

I'm currently 'installing' mine..

Fitment is a BITCH for any brand, and the fact that there's no crush on your TSP ORY may be seen as a blessing, but it'll also wind up a curse during install. Reason being that the crush helps the Y pipe mate easier with the collector on the headers. Doesn't affect the flow much as you'd think especially having seen how the crush 'works' on the pipe.

Namely the drivers side...

Pro shops I've talked to said that in almost all cases they've had to hand work the pipe to fit (be it cold or hot bending) as well as the Y pipes banging the floor boards when you really punch it. Some say the solution is a Y pipe support clamp (sort of like a muffler hanger) or to swap mounts out with either Poly or solid mounts.

In the end do the wise thing and DO MOUNTS WHILE THE HEADERS ARE OFF!! It'll help alleviate not only the banging but also any play the motor has via the probably now decimated rubber stock pieces.

And thank god TSP sent you two bolt clamps rather than the common-place single bolt band clamps you see some companies skate by with. OH, and if you're doing gaskets.. OEM uber alles. Nothing truly seals as well as the GM factory gaskets.

Not true, My ARH's slid right in no problem. The Y-pipe took 20 minutes to install....you get what you pay for when it comes to header fitment.

GM MLS gaskets FTW, I bought a new set and have had no issues with it. I didn't do motor mounts, and got lucky on that one. Mine have 175k miles on them but still hold up well with no banging. They will be coming out though for some solid mounts when I do H/C here soon.

As for pulling stuff the only things I had to remove was the manifolds, spark plugs and dipstick to so the swap. Otherwise, there was plenty of room to work with and the headers slid up super easy. It was harder to get the manifolds off than it was to get the headers in!

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by xXSilencerXx

Not true, My ARH's slid right in no problem. The Y-pipe took 20 minutes to install....you get what you pay for when it comes to header fitment.

GM MLS gaskets FTW, I bought a new set and have had no issues with it. I didn't do motor mounts, and got lucky on that one. Mine have 175k miles on them but still hold up well with no banging. They will be coming out though for some solid mounts when I do H/C here soon.

As for pulling stuff the only things I had to remove was the manifolds, spark plugs and dipstick to so the swap. Otherwise, there was plenty of room to work with and the headers slid up super easy. It was harder to get the manifolds off than it was to get the headers in!

And that's why some of us pull extra stuff off because the curse fest that is getting those manifolds off in the first place sometimes lends well to a little elbow room; though I could see how you did it.

I'm a bigger guy so wrenching would have required me pulling all that stuff off in the end unlike you or LS-Z here. Should have it tied up by the end of the week; can't wait to put up a comparison to the Ebays/TSP ORY/ Magnaflow and my Pacesetter/Catted Y/TSP setup

As for the 5th coil bolt: Leave it off. Really has no business being there anyway..

[xXSilencerXx]

Originally Posted by Zabo

And that's why some of us pull extra stuff off because the curse fest that is getting those manifolds off in the first place sometimes lends well to a little elbow room; though I could see how you did it.

I'm a bigger guy so wrenching would have required me pulling all that stuff off in the end unlike you or LS-Z here. Should have it tied up by the end of the week; can't wait to put up a comparison to the Ebays/TSP ORY/ Magnaflow and my Pacesetter/Catted Y/TSP setup

As for the 5th coil bolt: Leave it off. Really has no business being there anyway..

True, I just twisted them around a bit and they eventually fell out. The drivers side one still had the cat connected because all the bolts stripped when I went to remove it.

It should sound great once you're done. I don't have the brackets yet being a '98 but the consensus I've seen is that bolt doesn't need put back on.

[LS1-Z28]

Little update...

Been stumped since saturday on that last damn bolt... Got the drivers side coil pack off last night and that seemed to have been the trick.. But as my saturday was getting worse I dropped the 10mm short socket I need in between the windshield washer fluid thing and the front of the car... I've been working all day today and got out there about 9 and got the y pipe completely off the cats, and was working on getting it out of the i pipe.. But wd-40 isn't helping that much. So I'm going tomorrow when I get off at 3 to get a magnetic pole or something to get that socket, and to get some PB blaster.

I got the y pipe a little ways out of the i pipe, but was working by myself tonight and just couldnt get it slid out by myself. Any other tips to get it off besides force and pb blaster??

I'll take a pic tomorrow, but the U clamp that's on the y to i pipe I snapped one of the bolts completely off Good thing I got some more.

I'm gonna try and get it all removed tomorrow, and then it'll be ready for the headers to slip in, hopefully pretty easy lol..

Also, I've been getting Winter's help on this, but anybody got any tricks or tips for getting the last header bolt out? And no, from underneath isn't really an option.

[dmginc]

can you get it through the wheel well? might have to remove the wheel but you should be able to get access to it from there with the front of the car jacked up.