Congratulations on your perserverance. Everyone cries about the Kooks...until they get them in. I don't regret installing them. Actually, it is well worth the time and we all saved some money!

 

All,

Tonight I had a chance to take some quick measurements of my Kooks install. Unfortunately, the cat shields hang about ~.6" lower than my Andy's-rocker-rails. This isn't what I had hoped for but it will have to do as they are not coming off.....because they are soooo cool!

Hopefully I don't trash the system by snagging it on something unexpectedly...that would really suck. I've emailed Nick to see what his thoughts are on this issue.

Here are some quick tips/notes/thoughts from my install:
1. I was able to install both headers myself but a 2nd person would of helped to man the "2x4".
2. Don't forget to remove the oil filter and oil temp sensor right next to the oil filter before attempting to install the drivers side.
3. I did not have to remove the alternator bracket as some have stated.
4. I used a piece of paper between the top of the manifold and the firewall during engine jacking to determine when contact was made. At that point I only used Mr. 2x4...i.e. no more jacking to be safe.
5. For the passenger side I used a 2x4 as well and place a block up against the forward portion of the head as the leverage point.
6. The collector flange bolts weren't threaded enough (i.e. they bottomed out before getting tight) so I went out and purchased some properly sized grade-8 bolts.
7. The bracket that attaches to the bell housing won't fit until I increase the two center holes to additional slop/clearance.
8. I completely removed the steering shaft...but I don't recall if I really needed to or not.
9. I completely removed the starter....getting it back in kinda sucks...make sure to reinstall it before bolting down the header.
10. Plugging in and tie-wrapping the passenger side O2 sensor wire harnesses was easiest done from above.....not below. Make sure to pull them up away from the header...i.e. towards the starter.
11. Passenger side O2's were easily done from below....once again tie wrap them far away from the header.
12. The hex nuts provided with the system seem to be the locking variety which makes assembling everything by hand a real beech as they take quite a bit of torque to install. I'd prefer lock washers and free spinning nuts if I had my choice.
13. I installed the system loosely and then started tightening everything from the headers back....in that order.
14. Remove the temperature sensor in the block just forward of the stock exhaust manifold prior to installing the drivers side header....it would be real easy to break.
15. I lost my air tube gaskets that came with the system so I used the stock ones.
16. I re-used my stock manifold gaskets and they seem to be doing just fine.
17. For me the hardest part was the under-the-car bit....I'm starting to get a little older and that concrete floor sheet gets kinda old.

I will try to post some pics soon if I can find the time.

All in all I am very happy with the system (except for the ground clearance issue). The SOTP's meter is showing big gains...she sounds great....and the wife likes them too.

 

I think you about summed it up pretty good (except I think you meant the temp sensor on the Driver side, not passenger). As they say, been there, done that!

 

All,

Here are my dyno results....without a baseline though...sorry.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=875357

 

having just pulled my Dynatech headers in favor of the Kooks, I can say that the Kooks were somewhat harder to install, but certainly not as bad as everyone makes them out to be. It did help that I had two others helping me, and we got the whole thing done in a little over 5 hours. Unfortunately, I sold my stock Ti exhaust with the Supermaxx headers, so I have to drive around with no mufflers for the next few days until my exhuast arrives. This thing is so loud, its painful to drive. But it is fun pissing off the sorority chicks whos apartment shares a wall with my garage every morning at 530 when I head over to base

 

All,

After 1 month with the Kooks I'm still a very happy customer. Today I finally modified the mounting bracket as stated in #7 above and got it installed. I've had some issues with leaks at the collector flanges so I'm hoping installing this bracket with help some with that issue. Lastly, I've had no ground clearance problems so far so that is good as well.



Later

 

Well PewterC5, I agree. After just one week, not even a week actually, I can say without a doubt, the Kooks are incredible. Of my best mods, they run a very close second to my gears and torque converter.

The sound, the torque, the fit and finish, the new revision of the driver side header to ease installation,...... I have no complaints whatsoever.

Sound: My wife says the car is actually quieter on coasting and idle than it was with my stock manifolds and Corsas. Indeed, cruising....I am hard pressed to tell the difference soundwise. Normal driving, its only when you get to the hills and have to give it more throttle, that you can even tell that the car has headers. But kick it and its an entirely different story. It speaks with authority. The car sounds awesome.

You do, however, hear more valve train noise, and stainless steel headers are so thin compared to the cast iron manifolds. Nothing the radio won't drown out however.

SOTP: Impressive. . Put your foot in it and the car digs down. You can definitely feel the power.

I will be getting a dyno tune in a couple days to finish everything off. I can hardly wait.

Price wise: Just over 13 beans for the complete system. You will be hard pressed to beat it. 304 stainless with no steering column contact issues, or corrosion issues, fitment issues, or wire burning issues, and you use the the front and rear 02 sensors, no need for sims. Tough to beat.

Clearance: I saw one or two discussions, on the forum, regarding the ground clearance of this system. I have no idea where they came from. I have no clearance issues at all. Everything tucks up into the tunnel with maybe an inch to an inch and a half of the cats below it. I have gone over speed bumps and my driveway is on a hill. Not even so much as a scrape.

I had the folks at Midas install that bell housing bracket, align my Corsas and put the final turns on every exhaust system bolt underneath the car. . They were in disbelief that I had done the install on ramps and jack stands, charged me 30 bucks for the tweaking. Not bad

The Kooks have a well deserved reputation.

Talking about this has inspired me to take an early evening drive

: :

 

i had andy install kooks..they took out the heat shield, bottom parts only, for ground clearance..it does not affect any..sure, it looked a hard job, and respect your dedication to her..

btw, you got any after market cat-backs?