Kooks Header install difficulty
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Kooks Header install difficulty
Always heard great things about Kooks Headers but also read tons on nightmares with installation. Are the 1 3/4" as difficult to install as the 1 7/8"?
Also what are y'alls feeling on running cats or not. Im in Florida so no emissions testing here also car engine wise is stock at the moment except for Corsa extreme and Corsa xpipe
Also what are y'alls feeling on running cats or not. Im in Florida so no emissions testing here also car engine wise is stock at the moment except for Corsa extreme and Corsa xpipe
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,049
Likes: 316
From: USA
As the guy above eluded to... they redesigned their C5 header design sometime in 2013 IIRC. I have a set I bought earlier this year and it went in with zero drama, no clearances issues doing the install in my garage on jack stands. Worst part was removing the stock stuff. I have the 1 7/8" model.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 28
From: Oviedo Florida
Awesome… I don't have a lift and not into the jacking the motor up and removing everything under the sun to get these things in. I had heard about the re-design and and easier fitment but didnt know if that applied across the board to all their C5 LT headers or if it was a specific model header. Are y'all running cats or did you go without?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 803
Likes: 42
From: Destin Florida
As the guy above eluded to... they redesigned their C5 header design sometime in 2013 IIRC. I have a set I bought earlier this year and it went in with zero drama, no clearances issues doing the install in my garage on jack stands. Worst part was removing the stock stuff. I have the 1 7/8" model.
Same with me I installed my 17/8's by myself start to finish in about 5 hours. I removed the coil packs and plugs but nothing else(starter or alternator). This was my first set of headers on a Vette but have done probably all brands on a 4th gen Fbody and these were as smooth an install of any of those.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,049
Likes: 316
From: USA
Originally I went with cats but now I have the catless x pipe on. I don't drive the car everyday so I don't mind the smell. Not a bad smell to me, but it is there-- not overwhelming or anything. If the car was my DD I would have kept the high flow cats on. Sound wise, catless is a bit louder but not hugely different on my stock Ti exhaust.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,725
Likes: 149
From: chicago area IL.
I just had a set of kooks 1 3/4 (old style) installed on my car I had LG street series on it that was trashed, i can tell you the LG's came out fairly simple in about any hour, the installer tried to get the kooks in from the bottom fiddled with them for about 2.5 hours until he finally gave it a shot from the top (witch is how the old pairs get installed) once he moved to the tops side they was installed in about 2 hour
had to remove the following:
plugs
wires
coil packs
alternator
steering shaft
temp plug from drivers side head
oil filter
oil sending unit housing
it took some finesse with jacking the engine and 4ft pry bar, I think if he would of pulled the valve covers it might have been a "little" better, the alternator bracket was left on and did make it a little harder
had to remove the following:
plugs
wires
coil packs
alternator
steering shaft
temp plug from drivers side head
oil filter
oil sending unit housing
it took some finesse with jacking the engine and 4ft pry bar, I think if he would of pulled the valve covers it might have been a "little" better, the alternator bracket was left on and did make it a little harder
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 1
From: Richmond VA
I installed them with a friend. It wasn't complicated.
Get the car on jack stands about 18" off the ground. Take off the alternator, plugs, wires and cool packs. It was very tight and I did jack the motor one side at a time but not past the threaded stud. The extra motor clearance allowed them to slide in.
It was harder to get the car up and back in the ground than it was to put the headers in.
I would buy converters to run the rear O2's if you don't have them.
Get the car on jack stands about 18" off the ground. Take off the alternator, plugs, wires and cool packs. It was very tight and I did jack the motor one side at a time but not past the threaded stud. The extra motor clearance allowed them to slide in.
It was harder to get the car up and back in the ground than it was to put the headers in.
I would buy converters to run the rear O2's if you don't have them.
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