The previous pics help a lot to see how to mate them to the stock exhaust. Keep the install tips coming. I plan on wacking the mid pipe off after the cats and using some lengths of pipe, reducers and clamps to mate the headers to the stock midpipe with no cats. This will of course only be used off road.

I've pretty much decided that a portion of the $ I get from a maturing stock purchase plan in August will og toward a set of these and the miscellaneous parts needed to hook it up to the stock exhaust minus cats. I can't wait to see how it performs and sounds with the headers and no cats for ~$400!

 

I just spent 20 minutes reading every thread. I have wanted to do this for awhile and this is a bunch of knowledge. What I would like is a list of parts needed for a complete install. Here is what I have found we need for a complete install. Obviously some minor welding but heres the arts list. Please chime in if you can think of anything else.

Headers
3" high flow cats. (What brand is best for the money?)
reducers (From what to what)
3 pair of 3" clamps.
Header wrap


I plan on wrapping them for a couple reasons. One I live in Ca and the less they see the better, keep the hood temps down, and to protect things like the AC lines.

I would love to see a full list of ALL parts.

 

Sent you a PM.

 

Thanks guys for all the help so far this is what I have
-Thunderbolt 3" Cats
-Reducers are 3" O.D. to 2 1/2" I.D. X 8" Lg
-Torctite 3" stainless stepped band clamps
-New header to engine gaskets and for the Starting Air Pump System tubes on the headers


Looks like I have to have my cats sent to someone out of state and then have them send them to me in Ca.

 

I have looked over the pics in this thread a couple of times, and if I am not mistaken, the bellhousing bracket in the pics on page 4 shows that the bracket was also turned around on the expensive Stainless Works headers.

 

Good eye! You're right. The Stainless Works bracket faces the rear, the stock faces front. Seems too simple, but there it is. Someone suggested these low cost headers might have been copied from Stainless Works and now I believe they are dead on the money.

Charlie

 

Looks great and good deal too. Ebay Headers

 

Thanks Cruisemon, I have been thinking a lot about these headers since I have read this thread. May be my next mod!
Shawn

 

Just remember to install the front O2 sensors before you bolt up the headers and hope you don't have to ever replace them, as the clearance is tight.

 

Would also like to know where you got the High Flow Cats from. Your system looks factory perfect.

 

There are several sources for high flow cats at good prices.

Charlie

 

ttt

 

anyone have any number yet?

 

I don't have before numbers. With ebay headers, hi-flow cats, intake, and exhaust. 1st run was 333whp on the dyno printout...but on the dyno file is showing only 330whp. oh well.

dyno temp was 92F with high humidity.

dynojet located at colvin automotive

 

a tuner take a look at your fuel map. This bad boy is getting a tad lean at 4500 rpm and probably costing you a few ponies from there on up.

Charlie

 

Mine arrive tomorrow. I bought the ball flanges through summit, should be a clean install. Dumping my TPIS.

 

just got mine installed it was fairly straight forward, took about 4 hours with just me using instructions from http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=17 . everything lined up good, collectors tucked up real nice and are with in 1/4" of each other. o2 bungs worked out just fine. but the bell housing bolts about about an 1" off from bolting up. my only concern is pass side header is touching an ac line, anything i could do to keep it from rubbing a hole in it?

 

the bell housing bolts about about an 1" off from bolting up.

Take the bracket off, turn it around, bolt it back on and the holes line up.


my only concern is pass side header is touching an ac line, anything i could do to keep it from rubbing a hole in it?

Per a post maybe ten back up the thread, it WILL rub a hole in the AC line. Haven't seen the line routing, but if you can reposition it, you need to. Probably won't hurt to put some insulation around it either to avoid heat absorption.

Charlie

 

I had my ac line blow when i was in a shopping center with the TPIS heades, very loud! I wrapped the new one in extra insulation and made a bracket to fix it as close to the frame as possible.

 

I just installed a set of these on my 97 yesterday. They are made by a company called ssautochrome the problems everyone else is having Im having as well. the o2 sensor bung on the right header has it pointing right into the tunnel and will not be able to be used as its located. im going to try to heat the tube in the area of the bung and rock it approximately 20 degrees before I decide to weld another one on. the header tube is also right tight to my low side ac line. the line has a heat protective boot over the rubber but im not satisfied with that. I want at lest 1/4 of an inch air gap before ill feel better about it. the collectors were off about 3/8 of an inch but I can easily make them level with eachother by adjusting the headers with all of the flange bolts loose and tightening them while holding in place. the bellhousing bracket appears to be useable if I rotate it 180 like everyone says although the height of the tabs isnt exactly correct. Ive installed headers on just about every type of vehicle out there and the problems ive run into are really common on basically every job-it takes work to make them fit well. I havent however installed a set of the more expensive types. I will finalize my opinion of these headers as soon as I finish making the modifications necessary-the largest concern of mine no doubt is the ac line clearance and I do plan on somehow modifying the tube of the header to make it have enough clearance to satisfy my conscience.