Hooker headers really stink.....P.U.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Hooker headers really stink.....P.U.
What is the deal with Hooker? I can bet that they have never actually bolted a set of their 2149 coated long tube headers on to a C4. There is nothing about these things that are pleasant to install. My dad and I are still beating on these things to fit. The spacers they included for the accessory braces didn't fit over the bolts, the egr tube wasn't drilled out, the alternator brace has no chance in hell of fitting, one tube didn't clear the pass. side x brace, one tube was right up against the motor mount bolt, driver side collector sits on the floor board, no way the included bolts and gaskets will be used. To get the passenger side header in we needed to remove the x brace, no way was it going in without doing so. Not to mention all the banging around the bolts so we could get the bolts in, and get a wrench on them. These are sad piles of doo doo, I wouldn't recommend them to ANYONE.
What ever happened to quality and pride of an american product?
And don't get me started on the SuperRam, what a nightmare.
BOLT-ON, my butt.
Enough ranting
Jeff
What ever happened to quality and pride of an american product?
And don't get me started on the SuperRam, what a nightmare.
BOLT-ON, my butt.
Enough ranting
Jeff
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,212
Likes: 10
From: Sun City West Az
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (89BP)
If you get tired of beating on the Hookers, trade them in on a set from JBA. They go in fairly easily and they supply all the necessary parts. A little on the expensive side tho. :yesnod:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (89BP)
wow, that sucks. sounds like a convertible installation?
Another thing, before ya put 'em on, blow some compressed air thru the AIR tubes. When they bead blast them, some of that media stays in the tubes. Shake em out. Little white beads. Less chance of clogging something, unlikely, but still. Sad to hear of this. Lots of guys running these headers. Gonna install mine later this week if I can.
Another thing, before ya put 'em on, blow some compressed air thru the AIR tubes. When they bead blast them, some of that media stays in the tubes. Shake em out. Little white beads. Less chance of clogging something, unlikely, but still. Sad to hear of this. Lots of guys running these headers. Gonna install mine later this week if I can.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (FoolCrzy)
The 2149's I installed in the '89, last year fit perfectly!! :yesnod: :yesnod:
We just decided that we are going to cut off the driver side flange to gain the floor board clearance we need, instead of pulling them away with force.
Other than all that, they bolt right in.
Jeff
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 26,679
Likes: 17
From: This vette goes to 11 Milford MA
St. Jude Donor '03-'05
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (89BP)
Has your car ever been wrecked? Mine went right in, no problems other than the fact that I had to bend the EGR tube a little to line up. All of the emissions bolted right up. There is NO WAY to use the back AC or alt brace though. I pulled the right diagonal brace and threw them in there. The gaskets are fine, been in there for almost 1,000 hard miles. My only complaint is that you need a crow's foot to tighten the right rear bolt.
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
Re: (scorp508)
Is this the first set of headers you have ever installed? I have commented several times that the 2149 Hookers are one of the easiest header installs I have ever done. No I did not use the supplied header gaskets, did not expect to. Yes I upgraded to stainless steel bolts. I did have problems with the Hooker front y pipe and they did admit that their tooling had failed, (this was right around the time Hooker was bought out by Holley, so maybe it was not an accident the tooling failed, maybe a disgruntled employee failed it, but they replaced the y pipe at no cost. I did have to refab the brackets, but what else is new.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,474
Likes: 1
From: Drive it Like You Hate it Cincinnati OH
Re: (scorp508)
I can honestly say you are the first person to bitch about these headers
[Modified by FoolCrzy, 10:25 PM 4/29/2002]
[Modified by FoolCrzy, 10:26 PM 4/29/2002]
[Modified by FoolCrzy, 10:25 PM 4/29/2002]
[Modified by FoolCrzy, 10:26 PM 4/29/2002]
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Re: (HWoods)
I have been working on modified cars since I was 14, so no, these aren't my first set of headers, but are the worst. I have always gone with Hookers, but all my previous ones were on vintage and 5.0 Mustangs, those bolted right in. Case in point with these wonderful works of art, the supplied spacers for the back braces, only one would slide over the stock bolts, the others had to be drilled out. Plus, only one would go on in the stock location without beating the tube, and you have to grind the shoulder off the bolt. To get the A/C back brace spacer in, we had to beat the snot out of the tube. Don't even get me started on the alternator side, you can't even put the spacer in there, even if you beat the tar out of the tube. We are going to have to custom make the back brace for the alternator.
I want the power benefits from long tube headers, but these things are ridiculous, especially with how many sets of Hookers that I have run in the past.
Jeff
I want the power benefits from long tube headers, but these things are ridiculous, especially with how many sets of Hookers that I have run in the past.
Jeff
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 26,679
Likes: 17
From: This vette goes to 11 Milford MA
St. Jude Donor '03-'05
Re: (89BP)
Case in point with these wonderful works of art, the supplied spacers for the back braces, only one would slide over the stock bolts, the others had to be drilled out. Plus, only one would go on in the stock location without beating the tube, and you have to grind the shoulder off the bolt. To get the A/C back brace spacer in, we had to beat the snot out of the tube. Don't even get me started on the alternator side, you can't even put the spacer in there, even if you beat the tar out of the tube. We are going to have to custom make the back brace for the alternator.
Jeff
Jeff
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,594
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (89BP)
My 2151's fit fairly well. I did not install the rear Alt. bracket since I would not really work well with the BPP AIR Pump Elim. I also had to dimple the tubes on the passenger side for the bolt spacers for the AC bracket and dipstick.. otherwise no major problems
Pro
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 700
Likes: 1
From: Florida
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (-=Jeff=-)
Hmm I installed a set of hookers on my 93. The installation was a pain,
but nothing out of the ordinary. I have the coupe, so there's no X-brace
to worry about. I had to eliminate one of the Alt brackets and custom
fit the EGR parts (since it's a later model) and reverse the motor mount bolts for clearance. Other than that they fit great. I sure don't have to worry about low ground clearance like the other brands on the market, they fit just peeeeeerrrficlty.
Hank
but nothing out of the ordinary. I have the coupe, so there's no X-brace
to worry about. I had to eliminate one of the Alt brackets and custom
fit the EGR parts (since it's a later model) and reverse the motor mount bolts for clearance. Other than that they fit great. I sure don't have to worry about low ground clearance like the other brands on the market, they fit just peeeeeerrrficlty.
Hank
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (89BP)
I've got these headers on an LT1. Even on the wrong engine, they bolt on PERFECTLY. They are the single easiest header install I've ever seen. Now headers on an F-body is a PITA.
Hooker headers on a C4 should about about the easiest thing you can do. I promise you if you have trouble with these, you will have trouble with all other brands. Something is up with your car.
[Modified by Nathan Plemons, 9:21 AM 4/30/2002]
Hooker headers on a C4 should about about the easiest thing you can do. I promise you if you have trouble with these, you will have trouble with all other brands. Something is up with your car.
[Modified by Nathan Plemons, 9:21 AM 4/30/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,588
Likes: 1
From: Volcano, HI
Re: Hooker headers really stink.....P.U. (Nathan Plemons)
I was amazed at how easy my 2149 install was! I have to agree on the back bolt on the passenger side, though. And the egr tube isn't drilled because early C4's didn't use an external EGR tube.