Well should be getting my set of TPIS long tubes for my 85 in next week or so. Wondered if anybody has tips that might make the install a bit easier, get me prepared a little before I take on this task. Going to be the largest job I've ever done on the car.
I know they reuse the stock manifold bolts, but wondered if it might make sense to get new ones just in case, or do they come out fine and just reuse them?
There are already a lot of good threads I got in the search, but just figured I'd ask in case I missed anything in my research.

 

Here's what I had to do to install mine.

The passenger side cross brace had to be unbolted at the outside and the inner nut loosened to allow the brace to be swiveled out of the way.

I bolted the headers to the heads then found that TPIS' 'Y' pipe would not align with the header collectors no matter how hard I tried.

I ended up loosening the header bolts (where they bolt to the heads) and pulling the headers away from the heads an inch or so.

I could then slide on the front 'Y' pipe; I then re-tightened the header to head bolts.

I'm running an oil cooler, so I wrapped a few of the tubes with heat wrap where the tubes ran close to the oil coolant hoses. Used screw on clamps to hold the wrap in place. I also wrapped the collectors to help with heat coming up through the floor pan on to my feet.

There is a tight fit between the collector and the oil filter too.
I had to dimple the #2 pipe near the point it turns to go to the head in order to get additional clearance.

I had to remove the two sensors in the heads (fan and gauge temp); there's a chance you'll break off the tips if you don't. Of course this will involve losing coolant when the sensors are unscrewed.

Don't use regular "U" clamps on the collectors or you'll have one hell of a time removing the exhaust if you ever have to down the road. You should use the band clamps.

Start all bolts by hand before tightening any of them and be sure to use anti-seize on the bolt threads. Check bolt torque after a few heating and cooling cycles.

I reused the stock bolts since the TPIS headers came with the same bolt stand-offs as the stock exhaust.

Hope this helps.

Jake


[Modified by JAKE, 7:23 AM 2/23/2004]

 

Thanks, good info. Seems someone else also posted the same thread last night too, so good stuff over there too. Should no be too bad of a job since I have this whole forum as a reference.

 

Just curious, but how long ago did you do the install? I'm planning on ordering a set of TPIS headers within about a week or so and I've heard the newer ones had a lot of the fit problems fixed.

Chris

 

I would inspect the openings in the primaries to see if there's a bunch of solder/flashing built up from the manufacturing process. If there is, it would probably be in your best interest to grind it out and make everything smooth on the inside of the tubes (there was a lot on the set I got)... :cheers:

 

I installed them about two years ago.

Jake

 

I wonder when the fixes were made. I know some of the guys who bought them lately didn't have the y-pipe to collector problems from before.

Chris

 

I put mine on 2 years ago on my 84 and didn't experience the problems described above. The biggest problem I had was getting the big nose starter up there. You need to be careful of the routing of the starter harness and other electrical wiring.

 

I've pretty much decided to get the TPIS headers. I just hope I have your luck installing them.

Chris

 

I did my 85 last year.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=562704

 

Chase and clean out the threads in the heads first. Get ARP stainless flange bolts. I used the 1" long ones with the Cometic gaskets and the reasonably thick flanges on the Hooker Supercomps. They have a small 1/4" hex head with a flange that's the same dia. as a regular sized header bolt. You can they use a 1/4" drive ratchet set that makes it infinitely easier to access all but the last bolt on #8. I made up (bent and ground) a box wrench to get it from underneath. I tried the 12 pts. and they were a freaking nightmare. The standard heads were slightly less BS.
Don't forget, you don't want to overtorque these bolts!!! :smash: You will play hell trying to Heli-coil an installed head! :mad


[Modified by h rocks, 11:23 AM 2/24/2004]

 

One of the reasons, but not the main reason, I bought TPIS headers is because they support stock brackets and the use of the stock length bolts. I have no problem getting to any of the bolts or any need to dimple the tubes for clearance.

 

:iagree:

 

Dave 85, thanks for the link.
Should I really go out and get new shortened plugs or is it possible to run my current Bosch+4s, they only have about 30K on them and look new.
Is the problem with the plugs getting in and out, or just wire boots from touching the tubes?
I have MSD 8.5mm wires, which have pretty damn thick boots, figuring those might cause a problem as they are already very tight fits on the current stock manifolds.
Seems it will still be another week before I get my headers so figure I should gather whatever additional stuff I'm going to need so I can get this thing on the road quickly.

 

With the straight plug heads there is not much room between the end of the plug and the tubes. The shorty header plugs are about an eighth of an inch shorter than the Bosch 4s. Every little bit helps.



[Modified by dave_85, 1:31 PM 2/25/2004]

 

Okay, so I started my removal of the stock system today. Got the front manifold to y-pipe nuts off, then started to remove the drivers side. That wasn't too bad. Did have to use a dremal to take a little material off of the #5 tube because it was blocking me from getting a socket properly seated on the stud. perhaps a millimeter of material, I'm sure they never were taken off before, it was just hard rust buildup that was blocking me.
Now I need to get that passanger-side off. That looks like the #6,8 studs are going to be insanely hard to get off. What size are the bolts, because a 15mm open-eneded wrench just seemed a little big, wanted to round off bolts. And it doesn't look like you can get socket in there.
Anything you guys have learned to make it easier to remove?

 

I seem to remember it being 14mm. Main key for install is having the car high enough in the air. I had my jackstands in the front on the top hole & had the rear sitting on these steel boxes I've had for years that used to be the tops of a set of drive on ramps. Ramps sucked but the boxes are awsome for setting a car on the tires up high.

 

Don't think so, I tried 14mm and it wouldn't fit. I did get it off with the socket, just couldn't with an open wrench, wanted to strip so I stopped. Could be I need to get another 15mm open-end, perhaps this one is a little off, it was from a cheapy $10 combo set.

As far as height I have it as high as my floor jack would allow me to get and then lower onto my jackstands which is 15", someone said that should be okay. Guess I'll find out, I'm sure its going to be damn tight. Otherwise I guess I'm going to have to hunt for a bigger jack to get a bit more height.

 

I used Craftsman tools and had no problem with any of the bolts. Are you using impact sockets they are thicker than the regular sockets. As I remember I thought the bolt was 9/16 or 5/8.

 

I tend to agree - seems to me that anything on the front of engine is metric and the rest of the engine is standard.

Good luck.