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My process for install Kooks 2" headers (w/pic)

Hi everybody,

Here is my process - step by step - for install Kooks headers...
Not the Kooks process (i bet 1 billion $ that nobody success just by following kooks notice).

It's not a HOW-TO, i'm not a pro, just i have do it, and take a ton of pics.

They are installed is since 40 days, i made 3500 miles in 5 days just after install, done 2 weekend of dragrace.

The only issue i have (after the install) is that my ac line seems to be burn, and after the 3500 miles trip, no more airco, leak in the system.
Checking with the special light and glasses, nothing spécial
I have refill it, and at the pressure control period, all the gaz fall out.
At minimum, i have to lookingfor a new a/c line... or find the solution for a custom a/c line who dont touch the headers.

Just one number : 7
The number of day of my holiday i have pass to do the job

So... Here is my last holiday :willy:

Dude....that was painful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS2001SS (Post 1581977086)

Dude....that was painful.

:lol: No disrespect intended.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS2001SS (Post 1581977086)

Dude....that was painful.

i think its german

First, here is the beginning of the Kooks notice

#1—Disconnect the negative battery terminal.

=>no problem with that, i have a "stop switch")

#2—Remove the plastic engine covers...

=>i haven't any engine cover since i drag race with the car

...and the coil pack assembles with spark plug wires.

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00211.jpg

=>DONE

#3—Remove spark plugs, and the alternator.

=>DONE

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00210.jpg

#4—Disconnect the air filter assembly from the engine.

=>DONE

#5—Disconnect the steering shaft at the rack.

=>Done, but after #11 step at #D step

#6—Raise the vehicle, and secure with jack stands. The vehicle will need to be 24 inches off the
ground.

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00212.jpg

#A[Personal notice] : Put off the oil dipstick

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00213.jpg

#7—Unplug front and rear oxygen sensors, but remove only the rears at this time...

=>DONE

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00214.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00218.jpg

...Also disconnect the AIR tube connections on the exhaust manifolds.

=>No AIR since 1 year

#8—Remove the starter...

=>Done, but after #11 step at #B step

...and disconnect the coolant temperature sender unit located in front of the number one exhaust port, drivers side cylinder head.

=>Done, but at the begining of day 2 at #H step

#9—Carefully remove the oil filter from the motor and disconnect the oil sender just above oil filter.

=>Done, but also after #11 step at #C step

#10—Remove the manifolds and the complete exhaust system.
If being reused, the cat back system will need to be modified as explained below If you are replacing the complete exhaust system, remove the two nuts that hold the connection pipes in place. They are located just forward of the flange of the connection pipes. You can then remove the two front oxygen sensors.

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00215.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00216.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00217.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00219.jpg

One side
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00220.jpg

The other side
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00221.jpg

With nuts
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00222.jpg

Without
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00223.jpg

The H pipe
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00224.jpg

Total of parts
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00225.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00235.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00310.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00311.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00312.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00313.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00314.jpg

#11—With care, inspect and clean the exhaust port surfaces using a gasket scraper. Use care the heads are aluminum.

=>DONE

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00315.jpg

#B[Personal notice] : Removing starter

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00226.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00227.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00228.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00229.jpg

#C[Personal notice] : Removing oil filter

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00230.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00231.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00232.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00233.jpg

#D[Personal notice] : Removing sterring shaft

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00234.jpg

#E[Personal notice] : Removing valve cover

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00316.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00317.jpg

Parts
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00318.jpg

#12—Both left and right headers install from the top. The engine needs to be raised. One side at a time! Also keep the opposite side motor mount bolt loose. When raising the engine to install the header, raise the engine as high as possible. On the driver’s side, remove the two ground wires from the block. Also remove the male and female rear oxygen sensor connections from one another, and pop out the retaining clip that holds the sensor to the chassis allowing the connections to hang down, not to be in the way as the header is lowered into place.
The driver’s side, it may require some prying of the engine to one side in order to allow the header to slide in.

#F[Personal notice] : Removing driver side bolt

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00321.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00322.jpg

#G[Personal notice] : (optinal) Enjoy comparing headers

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00323.jpg

Little story :
As you can see, i choose the kooks tubing to weld on normal H pipe.
BUT, this kooks tubing came alone (just ONE side).
Not the fault to kooks, but to the "well know big seller" (i think corvette forum rules dont allow me to speak of it).
I inform the "one of the biggest seller of race parts for us cars on the internet", and, in the same time, i check the date of avaibilility of the part... 3 weeks of delay :ack:... (to late for me because 3 weeks is all my hollydays, and cannot work on my car after)
And, they tell that for having the 2 tubing, i need to resend us the only tubing i have :willy:
Another thing to know is that i'm not in the country, so, i have a person who have buy it for me and send me by post...
Biggest furius i was when the person who is in US have a postman at the door two day after, and waiting for have "the only tubing they send"... and only after "give the two tubing"... GRRRRRRRRR
So, for finding a solution, i friend of mine was just speaking about the man who is preparing is car (for putting a 350hp cosworth on his caterham)... i went to his garage, and in 3mn i find the good tubing (3 inch, good cruve, and too long) from a Race model of Mitsubishi Evo 9.
After 10s of cutting, 2 days for find the tools, and 2, 3 of 4 hours of job with a special tools, this tubing have took the perfect shape for the header can enter on it without any leak.
Next part to do was the 3 inch flange (after visit some local sport car parts sellers, and also truck parts sellers, no way to buy one :ack:)
So, solution was to use a brake disk... you can see the result one this pic, paint in black !
End of this story

Next... The o2 system...
I plan to use the only whole of the driver side header for the wideband... and simulate the narrowband with the special wiring for the heating simulation, and wire to PLX , so, here is my solution :

Normal wiring
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00324.jpg

Preparing of the simulation
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00325.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00326.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00327.jpg

Protection, like stock :D
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00328.jpg

End of the first day :woohoo:

:lol::lol::lol::ack: I had the same problems with my 2 inch kooks also. I even had to take out my P/S booster and that to get mine in plus I had a lift. They where a pain in the azz for sure...Plus I had to get a new A/C line made up also keep doing the same thing also.. Robert

#14—Coat the threads of the oxygen sensors with anti-seize and install them into the Kooks headers. Then install the headers and gaskets with high temp silicone. Install the AIR tube fittings, then tighten completely. Lower the engine back into place.

=>No anti-seize... No high temp silicone... No AIR, but tighten completely and put back the engine into place !

#R[Personal notice] (optional) Wiring from wideband plug to PLX

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00380.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00381.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00410.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00411.jpg

#15—Reinstall all items previously removed. The steering shaft, spark plugs and wires, air
filter assembly, the engine covers, coil pack assembles, and the reconnecting of the
battery.

Put steering shaft :
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00412.jpg

Put coolent temp sender :
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00413.jpg

End of day 5

Cleaning under the intake :

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00414.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00417.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00418.jpg

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00419.jpg

#S[Personal notice] (optional) Change my oil pressure sender
I was at the full presure since a couple on months, even if the engine wasn't start !

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00415.jpg

See the temp where is was working on my car (temp in °C... so it's 125° F) :
http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00416.jpg

End of day 6

Day 7 was for welding the custom H pipe and put it on the car

First start... No noise change at idle (was already no cat before)

First wot... Here is the 2" noise !

First weekend of drag race... No gain because not able to tune before (clutch issue on the first 200 miles of my 3500 miles trip, and finish to change the clutch just the night before the drag race) and run VERY rich.

Second weekend of drag race... Great tuning BUT not grip at all (2 accidents in the weekend, a camaro 67 drag on the roof... and a rain in the grass)
My best time was 0.1s slower that my best time, at the end of the weekend, after the race, and with my girlfrind inside !

Third weekend of drag race... Perhaps in 10 days :D

THE END :cool:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve@C56 (Post 1581978099)

#6—Raise the vehicle, and secure with jack stands. The vehicle will need to be 24 inches off the
ground.

http://i30.servimg.com/u/f30/14/20/54/09/img00212.jpg

:eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave89gta (Post 1581979929)

:eek:

:iagree: yikes

Congrads on your header install. I just installed my SLP headers which people say are hard but yours were a total pain. I had my complete exhaust out in 2 hrs. Installation was a bit tough but not like yours. I had to unbolt motor mount screws and jack up motor a bit, move aside some coil packs, some sparkplugs, remove drivers side valve cover, unblot and move steering knuckle.Thats about it. Starter stayed in place. A little time consuming but doable with some motivation. The biggest PITAZZ was rerouting and insulation of the stater wires. This was the most frustating and time consuming part. Some of the cables had to be extended then insulated and run through the SLP header tube. I still dont feel comfortable about this but did my best. The car is only a bit louder since the headers have cats(corsa catbacks). This did wake up the car!
I can now burn good rubber from a stop and from 40mph or less when it downshifts ( I have the crappy 2.73 gears). :thumbs:

Man make sure you use plastic tie,s on all the wiring around your starer and your 02,s. Wires mover around if you dont. Also not much room any more with those 2 inch header tubes running ever place Use a ton of tie man. Robert