Header install tips?

[axis]

Originally Posted by ST1LE

There is a good post in that DIY section that should be all you will need.

+1

Lots of pictures as well.

[mikespeed69]

I just did the install today, just take a flashlight and check from the top where it enters the block. You can see where it goes from the top, took me about 10 minutes. It sucks getting the stock header bolts out but you will be ok. I did the job on jackstands by myself. The o2 sensors came off no problem with 7/8 wrench. When you unclip the o2 sensors from the back of the motor pull down. Then pull the green little lock plastic pins out. Just pull tab and wiggle the sensors apart. I broke the drivers side sensor mount and just had to zip tie it to the harness.

[angie7]

Thanks everyone!!! Great tips! Hoping it goes painless!!

[strych9]

You may have a little bit of dipstick bracket interference, so be prepared to have to grind a little off to get it to clear. In most cases, that isn't necessary.

Here's what your car will sound like (pre-cam/post headers and catless):

[angie7]

Originally Posted by strych9

You may have a little bit of dipstick bracket interference, so be prepared to have to grind a little off to get it to clear. In most cases, that isn't necessary.

Here's what your car will sound like (pre-cam/post headers and catless):

Sounds damn good!!!!! I can't wait! Then its on to the tune in a few weeks for maximum performance! So excited

[strych9]

Originally Posted by angie7

Sounds damn good!!!!! I can't wait! Then its on to the tune in a few weeks for maximum performance! So excited

You'll love it.

[The Blue Ox]

Originally Posted by Fast6.3

if you have a hard time putting back the dipstick go under the car and put your hand on the block more or less where it goes till you find the hole have someone put it in from the top and you guide it in on the bottome quick and painless

Easy to see exactly where the dipstick goes into on the block Angie! There is a little tiddy that sticks out on the block! Give it a firm push to properly seat it!

Make sure you have a torque wrench to properly torque the header bolts to heads! A must since you are bolting to Aluminum!!!!!

[1KillerSS]

I did some BBK shorties and install was smooth make sure you dont over tighten your manifold bolts. also watch out for your padding on the firewall it rips easy. dipstick wasnt a problem in my BBK's...doing cat delete next month when and if it finally warms up Video was a great answer to my question of what the sound difference would be like!

dont forget to recheck the your bolts a few weeks later to see if any of them are not as tight as they should be..have fun!

[Chevy Fanatic]

Originally Posted by revived

Also you shouldnt need to heat o2 to get the loose, adjustable wrench and a hit with hammer loosens it and can spin them off by hand dont know why they say to heat them thats dumb you can burn youself.

I indicated getting the exhaust hot based on my past experience with removal of O2 sensors. There are numerous posts on this site about people removing their sensors only to find they must have been cross threaded from the factory, because they came out with no threads on them. I seriously doubt the factory cross threaded the sensors. In my experience cracking them loose with the exhaust hot helps eliminate galling of the threads on removal. Once I crack the sensors loose with a BOX end wrench (never use an adjustable wrench) you can finish the removal after the exhaust cools a little so you don't burn yourself. As I mentioned I have sucessfully removed hundreds of sensors using this method. It is probally more like thousands as I worked as a professional ASE certified master technician for over 21 years, having owned my own shop for 10 of those years. By no means is my method the only way to remove sensors, but it has worked very well for me, as long as you don't do something dumb, like burn yourself