Crazy is more like it!

 

WTH, Tim!?!?!?
You got the Version 1.0 Headers with the O2 sensors in the wrong place?

 

Well, I'm not 100% sure just yet, the Driver's O2 sensor is installed in the collector and it looks good. I believe the Passenger O2 sensor was giving everyone grief on the old set... I'll know for sure tomorrow when I wrap this install up! (I hope!)

The only reason I thought they might be the old version was the Bellhousing mounting plate had to be 180ed for the Driver's mounting tab to line up... Maybe the new version has the same setup and they only corrected the O2 bungs??????

 

I'll tell ya one thing, I was having one mother of a time trying to get the Passenger Header to go in from the top before I had to leave the garage! It is hitting both ends of that AC line coming off of the compressor... and the starter. I'm going to loosen up the compressor and remove the starter first thing tomorrow...

Unless someone else chimes in with something I'm overlooking... hint hint

 

Sounds like you've contacted the seller for us all - so we will stand by till you are done. (got pics of the install?)

 

thinking ahead a bit in regards to that reducer. Why not buy a 5' length of 3" stainless tubing on ebay, cut off that part of the X pipe that has the slits in it to aid in clamping, and then take a pipe expander and expand the 2.5" X pipe to 3" and then but weld the 3" pipe that you cut to length to the cat and to the x pipe. That way you now have a 1 pc. x pipe, one less piece of mild steel (the reducer) and one less place to leak.

Opinions?

Dave

 

OK I got done installing them and all is well! I’m really busy with work right now as well as being sick so bear with me as far as Pics and a full report goes. But here’s the down and dirty on the new design…

I did get the new design! The O2 bungs are in the correct place now…



The Bellhousing mount still needs removed and bolted back up 180 degrees out, or reversed…



The Passenger side is not lined up prefectly underneath, it's kicked out towards the outside of the car about an inch. I got it straightened out fairly easily though...

I did the install without using any instructions at all and what I ended up having to do is almostly exactly as outlined in this install report for FLP Headers. Minus the steering shaft removal...

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

I need to get the sections of 3 "pipe welded in yet, I had to use those damn saddle clamps and they hang down too far. I'll take Pics of the whole system then and also measure the sections of 3" pipe I added between the Cats and the cone reducer...

They sound great at WOT, not a whole lot of difference at idle, a little deeper tone. The car feels stronger from mid RPM tp Redline now...

I got ZERO codes... I ended up welding the rear O2 bungs into the rear of the Cats. That seems to be the trick as far as the highflows are concerned, that and putting them right on the collector of the Headers... that's about as hot as they are going to get...

 

Sounds good as long as you can get the 2.5" to expand to 3" ID without splitting, that's one hell of a spread!

I do like the idea of having less mild stell under there! I looked all over for SS reducers and came up empty...

 

If you look at the pics, you'll notice the passenger header isn't lined up with the bellhousing mounting hole? Well I took a big *** crow bar and moved the header towards the inside and voila... good to go. It actualy probably would have worked fine as it was, just couldn't bolt it up is all.

 

Did you really have to remove the valve cover, steering shaft and alternator? I was told by many guys that I'd have to do that on my old car but never had the need to.

 

I'm going to have to sit down and re-read that... NO I didn't touch the steering shaft. I had to remove the alternator and coils on the driver's side to get the old manifold out.

I did have to remove the valve cover on the passenger side to get the new Header in... which surprised me beause it looked like the header wasn't even close to the valve cover when I tried getting it in before. What I did was position the header as if it would have hit the valve cover and started lowering it in and the damn thing popped right in!!!!!!! It was funnier then heck! I just couldn't believe it.

Also, I bent the hard AC line next to the compressor before installing the new header and also bent the rear portion(next to firewall) there are two rubber lines that run behind the AC line there, raise those up a bit and then bend it... it'll make sense when you're looking at it.

I'm sorry this is piecemeal... I haven't sat down and gone over the pics nor my notes yet. I'm too wiped out right now...

 

I would say that if you have everything before starting count on 4 to 5 hours. Maybe less if you've done Headers before...

Really it isn't bad at all, I just went at it as if I had no instructions.

Remove the driver's side ground strap after removing the stock manifold. Don’t forget to re-install it!

Remove the spark plugs, yeah I got lazy and busted two…

The O2 connectors need to be unclipped from the frame and re-routed closer to the collectors. No extensions needed…

Get new OEM manifold gaskets, mine came apart (separated) when I removed the stock manifold.

Reverse the Bellhousing mount.

I had to pry the passenger Header towards the middle of the car, not sure if that will be a common problem or not…

Install the rear O2 sensors in their bung before bolting in the Cats. Install the front ones with the Headers loose.

I don’t see an issue with the oil dipstick support bracket nut not being there. So far anyway…

 

well my PS header fell in w/o any problems or having to touch the starter. The one problem (seems to be the opposite of yours Tstar) is that it is resting on the BH and the AC line is resting on a primary as well. I think i can loosen the bolts at the head, tighten the bolt at the bellhousing bracket, and then re-tighten the bolts at the head to move the collector away from the BH some. Here are a few pics.









Dave

 

Dave,

Did you bend the AC hard lines at the compressor and by the firewall? After I did that I got a 1/4" air gap...

Let us know if the repositioning works for the BH clearence...

Good job BTW!!!!!!

 

which way could i bend it to give me any more clearance? Ok i re-reat that, I will bend the line at the firewall. My goal is to get the hose to drop down I assume under the tube somewhat?


Dave

 

I bent the compressor end towards the frame, sounds pretty obvious I know but that seemed to help the most. I'm not sure if you'll be able to get the angle you'll need with the Headers in there now. Now the firewall end, I pulled up those two rubber lines running behind the AC line, then bent it in towards the frame also and got a little more clearance...

Does that make sense?

 

Good to have some updates!

 

yeah. ill try to get a pry bar in there to bend. My ac line is already wedged between the frame and the header tube so i dont know that bending the compressor line that way will help any.



Dave

 

That would be the best, I didn't have to do that, I got a little air gap by bending the hardlines in towards the frame, but the Headers were not in yet. Yeah, if you could get that line to drop that would be better then what I did!

Edit - From your pics it doesn't look that bad...

 

It's even better to have them installed finally!

Check out my updated signiture....