I hate kooks headers .....!!!!
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Sacramento California
I hate kooks headers .....!!!!
I hate kooks headers, i tried to install them today in my garage. Without any luck, i jacked the car up all the way, jacked the motor up for room...still no room for the header to slide down
. The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!
So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
. The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
Last edited by SICVENM; Mar 2, 2008 at 10:03 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Dyer, IN
I hate kooks headers, i tried to install them today in my garage. Without any luck, i jacked the car up all the way, jacked the motor up for room...still no room for the header to slide down . The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!
So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
. The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Sacramento California
Tech Contributor
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From: Dyer, IN
So the instructions that came with the headers were no help? My original question was pertaining to your experience installing headers in the past. I was just wondering what you found difficult about the Kooks compared to other LT headers you have installed in the past.
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From: Sacramento California
Ive installed headers on my 2001 cobra and 1968 firebird, and my buddies 2003 cobra, much more harder i would think then these. No big deal, this will be the first time iv'e ever taken my own car to get worked on.
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From: Dyer, IN
68' Firebird? That's not a fair comparison. Changing headers on an old F body was a piece of cake compared to a C5. Sorry you had trouble. Still wondering, did the Kooks headers come with directions? If so, were they easy to follow?
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Former Vendor
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From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
The common mistake is to unbolt the lower bolts too much. All that does is lift the motor. You need to only back the opposite side 2 turn max.
I installed 2" headers on the drivers side by myself without ANY issues whatsoever. You just CANT outsmart the install
Robert will get her handled..He's got a killer sawzall and JB weld..
(Just so no-one FREAKS out, Robert and I are good buddies)
I installed 2" headers on the drivers side by myself without ANY issues whatsoever. You just CANT outsmart the install
Robert will get her handled..He's got a killer sawzall and JB weld..
(Just so no-one FREAKS out, Robert and I are good buddies)
Last edited by Jeff @ TPE; Mar 3, 2008 at 04:58 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,011
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From: Dublin GA
You won't hate them after you get them installed
They were tough to install, but like they said, somtimes you need to walk away and come back (with a big
) and THINK it through. They definitly DO go on and are a big increase in power and torque
They were tough to install, but like they said, somtimes you need to walk away and come back (with a big
) and THINK it through. They definitly DO go on and are a big increase in power and torque
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
I think you needed to install them from the bottom.
Drivers side should go in from the bottom with no issue. Passenger side you'll need to remove the starter. Car has to be up high to allow room to twist the header in.
Drivers side should go in from the bottom with no issue. Passenger side you'll need to remove the starter. Car has to be up high to allow room to twist the header in.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I spent a good 8 hrs on my first back in the day , I wasn't going to let the headers win. If others can do it, why can't I?
, I wasn't going to let the headers win. If others can do it, why can't I?
Last edited by SteveDoten; Mar 3, 2008 at 10:20 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
I've installed 2 sets of Kooks headers... my first were their original design which were notorious for install issues, the 2nd were the newer design which had been massaged for easier install.
I found the second set to be easier, but neither were anywhere near as hard as people had made them out to be and to me it's the trade off you take to get equal length primaries (internet rumor mill/marketing tells me Kooks have the closest to true equal length primaries of any brand out there, but what the hell do I know
).
You need to take everything off the car:
1. Alternator
2. Coil packs and plug wires
3. Valve covers
4. Oil filter
5. Starter
I think that's about it... then you need to unbolt the motor mounts from the bottom. It's just 1 18mm nut per side. Then take your jack and a wood board and jack up the motor slowly until it won't go anymore, don't force it.
Then the headers will slide in from the top with a little cursing Here's a picture I took when I removed my first set after an AIR tube blew off at VIR (road race track).
I replaced them w/ their "race" version which have no AIR tubes at all (I deleted my AIR system)
I found the second set to be easier, but neither were anywhere near as hard as people had made them out to be and to me it's the trade off you take to get equal length primaries (internet rumor mill/marketing tells me Kooks have the closest to true equal length primaries of any brand out there, but what the hell do I know
).You need to take everything off the car:
1. Alternator
2. Coil packs and plug wires
3. Valve covers
4. Oil filter
5. Starter
I think that's about it... then you need to unbolt the motor mounts from the bottom. It's just 1 18mm nut per side. Then take your jack and a wood board and jack up the motor slowly until it won't go anymore, don't force it.
Then the headers will slide in from the top with a little cursing
Here's a picture I took when I removed my first set after an AIR tube blew off at VIR (road race track). I replaced them w/ their "race" version which have no AIR tubes at all (I deleted my AIR system)
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,947
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From: Redwood City CA
This post is not going to help me sell the spare set of Kooks in the garage LOL. Robert will fix you up.
I hate kooks headers, i tried to install them today in my garage. Without any luck, i jacked the car up all the way, jacked the motor up for room...still no room for the header to slide down . The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!
So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
. The bend right at the collector kept hitting the bell housing. And to make matters worse i ended up snapping 2 studs off one of the manifolds where it connect to the mid pipe putting the car back together!So my car is getting dropped off at advanced dyno on friday for... cam install, lt's, ported tb, and tune
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Sacramento California
ok i know my f body is no comparison, but the cobras are....I unbolted and took everything off i needed, but no luck....the original plan was to just have Robert install them. But i got curious and decided to do it myself and ended up biting me in the ***.
Tech Contributor
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From: Dyer, IN
