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Kooks Headers.......HELP!!!!!!!

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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 08:35 PM
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Default Kooks Headers.......HELP!!!!!!!

Does anyone have the original directions from kooks for a 99 Corvette? I have screwed with it all day and got everything loose and mid pipe off, but can't get the headers out! I am going back to stock. I have all the stock hardware ready to go but can't get the damn kooks out of the way. Here's what we did so far.

Disconnect steering shaft, remove alternator and valve covers, also loosen the motor mounts and jack the engine.

How far do you jack the engine? Which one goes from the top and which from the bottom? Any help is appreciated, if anyone has the kooks manual my e-mail is rphinney@hotmail.com or you can fax me, thanks in adviance.
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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 09:34 PM
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Can't find the instructions right now, but I put the driver's in from the top and from the bottom on the right. The motor rocked over a little more than an inch. Two at the most. It needed a good tug to get the left side on. The right was not as tough going in. We also loosened the brake booster to drop in the left. I will keep looking for instructions.
good luck
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 02:17 PM
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Any other help, still haven't gotten either side out working now just on the passenger side, removed the starter, intake manifold fuel rails, and jacked the engine damn near all the way off the mounts, still the headers are stuck between the block and the A/C line WTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFW TFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 02:21 PM
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Default Kooks Headers..

Originally Posted by 99SoCalFRC
Any other help, still haven't gotten either side out working now just on the passenger side, removed the starter, intake manifold fuel rails, and jacked the engine damn near all the way off the mounts, still the headers are stuck between the block and the A/C line WTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTFW TFWTFWTFWTFWTFWTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I unbolted the A/C unit from the block and moved it out of the way when I installed mine....(left all the A/C lines connected).
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 02:47 PM
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How the do you get to all the bolts? I got the belt loose and the two on the top are there more on bottom? I can't get to those in a million years because I have jack stands and jack under the car holding the damn thing up? Anyother suggestions I think I am just going to get my hoist out and pull the whole f-cking engine this is rediculus.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 02:48 PM
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How Kooks ever sold these for this car is amazing, a piece of engineering ****, did they ever actually try putting them on the car?
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 05:39 PM
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Got the passenger side out, how do I get the alternator bracket off? I took it off once before to do the underdrive pulley but alot more wasout ofthe way, what do I nee to take off to get the drivers side out? I have loosened the mount, pulled the oil filter and disconnected the steering shaft?

Needless to say I am wishing I had a GTO like my cousin and girlfriend, we did a cam on his gto in 1/4 the time it takes to swap headers in this POS, good riddance to this car.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 08:38 PM
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"This POS" as you refer to the C5 cost half as much as any other sports car out there that comes close to its performance. I know it has flaws but in this case you get way more than you pay for. I would buy a new Corvette again any day since I don't have
$100+K for an exotic which will cost much more to repair than our cars do. So I think you should not insult forum members choice of automobiles when you are asking for their help.

Merry Christmas!
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 09:12 PM
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Originally Posted by 99SoCalFRC
Needless to say I am wishing I had a GTO like my cousin and girlfriend, we did a cam on his gto in 1/4 the time it takes to swap headers in this POS, good riddance to this car.
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater huh? I havent heard much about Kooks headers but most other brands can be done in 2-4 hours on the garage floor. Sounds like your issue is with the Kooks headers, not the car.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 09:21 PM
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http://www.gtoforum.com/
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Chevy Guy
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater huh? I havent heard much about Kooks headers but most other brands can be done in 2-4 hours on the garage floor. Sounds like your issue is with the Kooks headers, not the car.
You've obviously never been through the steering rack circus that comes along with a C5 cam swap.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by craig04c5
"This POS" as you refer to the C5 cost half as much as any other sports car out there that comes close to its performance. I know it has flaws but in this case you get way more than you pay for. I would buy a new Corvette again any day since I don't have
$100+K for an exotic which will cost much more to repair than our cars do. So I think you should not insult forum members choice of automobiles when you are asking for their help.

Merry Christmas!
People can buy whatever they want, trust me most people think I am crazy for switching to a goat, constrained engine bay as well as the "one piece" driveline set up that must be removed for clutch/ tranny work just doesnn't go very well with the DIY'er.

More power to the vette owners, it's a bueatiful car, my father just bought an FRC in white (mine is a red FRC), Where on our 3rd CD player trying to get it work with his factory C5 non bose system, again loads of fun. Still can't figure out why GM thinks they must outsmart theirselves on much of what goes into the Vette. When a regular OE CD player from GM made in the same model year works with everything else but a vette, that is silly. Every day of the year, even christmas.

Last edited by 99SoCalFRC; Jan 27, 2008 at 12:42 PM.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by YeloFevr
Already there, we have an 05 parked in the garage right next to the vette, I've got real world experience with both, see how it has turned out.

Last edited by 99SoCalFRC; Jan 27, 2008 at 12:40 PM.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by 99SoCalFRC
You've obviously never been through the steering rack circus that comes along with a C5 cam swap.
Good lord, quit your belly aching. I've pulled my rack out when I did my vortech install. Is it pleasant...no, but it's not that big of a deal. I also did mine on four jack stands. I think it took me an hour to get the rack out, including pulling the radiator.

So you start this project without the proper instructions, you probably don't own a service manual, and you want to blame the car and the header manufacturer? Classic.
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Old Dec 25, 2007 | 10:31 PM
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Ha, I can understand your frustration man. I'm probably going to sell my Corvette in the spring. It runs perfect right now, but I don't have the time to fix it if anything should break (God forbid), and I don't drive it a lot any more. Plus I'm still in school and the maintenance/insurance/gas is taxing me. It an awesome car, I'm just burned out on modding the hell out cars and all the annoyances.... I know someone will get one awesome car at an awesome price though. I'll probably get another vette after I get out of school or start my own business (and make a profit).

The headers are a b!tch. I have LPE headers and they put up a good fight. The worst one was the driver side, it kept wanting to hang up on everything.... Good luck with everything.

I still wish I had my LS1 F-body, I had everything perfect on that car, and it had a stout LS1...

Don't hate the man for going to a goat - still a GM product. It's good car, just the weight hurts it a little. Save up your money and buy a new Camaro!!

Edit: I see you have the goat already... have fun with it!

Last edited by Third Gear; Dec 25, 2007 at 10:34 PM.
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by 99SoCalFRC
You've obviously never been through the steering rack circus that comes along with a C5 cam swap.

And this has what to do with your header issue?
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 11:56 AM
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they are a pita, once you do them a dozen times, it's nothing; use a 2x4 to lever the motor over a bit
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To Kooks Headers.......HELP!!!!!!!

Old Dec 26, 2007 | 05:26 PM
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Obviously no one told you to remove the eng mounts one side at a time.
And to remove your steering shaft from the rack and the water temp sensor and the oil temp sensor and the plugs and remove the left side from the top.
BTW the right side also comes out from the top too!
Really, they are not that hard to install or remove.
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 05:33 PM
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Doesn't help 99SoCalFRC at all but a good example of why I chose ARH's
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Old Dec 26, 2007 | 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by mrm1149
Doesn't help 99SoCalFRC at all but a good example of why I chose ARH's

Amen!

Got it out last night thru the top.

Last edited by 99SoCalFRC; Dec 26, 2007 at 09:11 PM.
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