Anyone have any additional thoughts on this - i wonder if we wrap teh collectors up to the cat's, if it will still read correctly. I guess worst case is you have to plug teh cats and put them back in the headers, but who want to pull the headers again to put them in....

 

I don't have any problems with throwing codes for the rear O2's. My thunderbolt cats are clamped directly to the collectors just like SXE60's are. My setup looks exactly like his.

 

You don't have to pull the headers to add relocated bungs. A good welder can do it on the car. That's how mine were done when we discovered that there wasn't clearance to install the sensor with the headers bolted up. I see some Guys are installing the sensors before bolting up the headers with no clearance problems.

This is the best "Bang for the Buck" mod you can do. I'm amazed at the Guys who are still on the fence about it.

 

Ebay headers rock! By the way, thanks sxe60 for your advice on my install!

 

I took the vette to a speed shop to have a wide band O2 bung welded in yesterday. The guy asked what brand headers they were and said that they were one of the better sets he had seen. When I told him they were ssautochrome and I paid $350 to my door brand new off of e-bay he was floored!

The stock O2 bungs will work as is, just install the sensors prior to bolting up the headers. The AIR tubes need nuts as they are not threaded. The tabs that are supposed to bolt to the bracket on the bellhousing do not line up, sometimes even when the bracket is reversed. Big deal. I have less than $500 into mine including the high flow cats and welding and could not be happier. For me these were a no brainer.

 

Does anyone know if these headers will match up nicely with Random Tech's cats/x-pipe setup. I'm currently running TPIS coated headers and want to switch to these stainless headers, and was wondering what compatibility issues I'd have with this setup.

 

Almost 100k on the vert, time to change plugs and wires. While I'm at it these headers sound like a good idea. I think the cats with o2 bungs looked like a good choice. Anyone try these yet?

 

Has anyone with an '01 to '04 installed these yet? I've tried to contact the seller about making them a bolt on for later model C5s. Four emails over two weeks with no response. I guess customer service costs extra.

 

I just finished the install on an 03 Z06 and everything went pretty smooth. The only problem I ran into is that the air tube on the passenger side was welded to the primary closest to the firewall, while the stock location is about 6" forward. I had to bend the tube towards the firewall so it would bolt up to the header. I don't know if they are all like that or if my set was welded wrong from the factory.

I used the following link for the install...

http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=17

A few things to remember...

1) Screw in the 02 sensors before bolting in the headers.
2) The bracket that holds the stock cat pipe to the car may be able to be reused if flipped 180 degrees like others said. I couldn't use it either way, which is ok because its not a necessary bracket.
3) Like the how-to link states, it is necessary to unbolt the steering shaft at the knuckle towards the front of the car. Unbolt it and pull the rod up and towards you (not down, like the link says.). This, along with the alternator removed, will make it easy to drop in the header.
4) Be gentle in dropping in the driver's side header. I got too frisky and broke off the oil temp sensor that sits next to the oil filter.
5) Before dropping in the passenger side header, bend the a/c line towards the fenderwell with a screw driver as far as possible to minimize clearance/heat issues.

Costs (including custom catless mid-pipe):

$340 shipped (ebay, quick shipping btw)
$30 for new GM header/manifold gaskets as well as two air tube gaskets
$15 for two 2.5" torctire connectors (Jegs)
$15 for two 3" torctite connectors (Jegs)
$70 for 02 sims (ebay) This is a good idea even if you are running high flow cats.
$20 for two 2.5" straight pipes with one end that can slip over the 3" header collector. One pipe was 23.5" and the other was 25". (local muffler shop)
$0 install

Total: $490 installed

Conclusion: DO IT. It's a very good deal ($) and product. Very little, if no custom work is involved. It just takes alot of patience and time to do it right. I did all the work by myself and the majority of time was spent removing the stock exhaust under the car and reinstalling the new exhaust with the custom off-road mid pipe I made.

 

Thank you! This is the post that I've been waiting for. Now to figure out what to tell the wife when the UPS guy brings that big box.

 

If you are doing the custom catless section like me, put a mark under the car with a pencil/marker where the stock cat pipe connects to the rear midpipe section so later you can use it as a reference point.

Later once you get the LTs bolted up, measure the distance of custom pipe from the header collector to the previous reference mark. The custom pipe should fit over the header collector about 1.5" - 2". The other end of the 2.5" straight pipe will fit right into the rear mid pipe section.

One side ended being 23.5" (add an additional 1.5" to fit over the collector) while the other was 25" (add the same 1.5"). Yours may be a little different.

Dont be afraid to get the pipe made a little long because you can always trim the 2.5" end as needed.

Here are a couple pics from member 2000C-5. He did the same install...

 

Thanks Ryan,
My biggest concern was the fitting of the air tubes. It looks like these headers are designed for the 97-00 cars. I've emailed the ebay seller about this issue a bunch of times, but have gotten no response. I'd like to see some pictures of the air tube setup from anyone whos done a later model C5.
As for cats, I'm up in the air as to use H/Fs or just eliminate the pup cats and use the stock main cats.

 

looks like he is out of stock

i was thinking of going cat-less myself, but i use mine as a DD and dont want the stink that usually goes along with it.

 

just read this thread ordered mines what do you think is easiest, hi flow cats or mount straight to factory cats?

 

 

I'd go with high flow cats over stock cats for two reasons...

1) They will net you more power than stock cats, which is the point of getting headers in the first place. Get the 02 sims if using highflow cats.

2) You won't have to hack up your stock cat pipe and can be reused if you ever decide to remove the headers in the future.

 

I have some "like new" 3" high flow Random cats that should slip over or inside the collectors on these ebay headers. Take a look in the for sale section. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ht=random+cats

 

Why in the world would you want to remove your TPIS and install the EBAY headers ?????

 

I read most of this entire thread, (whew, long read), but could not find anyone that actually dynoed these. I might have missed it though. So, does anyone have before and after dyno numbers for these headers??

 

Yea what he said