Headers to go with ??
 

Well curious to what people think of kooks American racing or so forth What are you running and how do you like them

American Racing here - car made great power, sounds awesome, no clearance issues/leaks/etc

Tons of info on the forum, there have been issues with most over the years but it seems the issues have been resolved. There is even a comparison from one of the vendors.

Running LG Street Series here - can't say enough about the value. Don't think they're best solution if going big cam / FI power down the road, but they've been a great solution for my goals. Good TQ gains down low in addition to the HP. Great fit too!

Kooks!

Contact us for awesome pricing!

-Josh

Seems like the 3 big brands are a good one to go with. Just curious how people liked them and any complaints or if you would use another set if you did it over

Kooks here

Billy Boat here.

I’ve had KOOKS for about 15 years.

My preference is ARH. Whatever brand you choose, here a few things I do when installing headers:
1- wrap the starter housing and solenoid.
2- use metallic heat shield (i.e. DEI) on the primary tubes closest to the starter and oil cooler pipes, secure with metal self locking band straps. It comes in sheets, cut as needed with tin snips.
3- I cut the tunnel plate into 2 pieces right where there is a notch in the tunnel, between the 4th and 5th bolt, and notch one side of the plate then run the O2 wires up in between the tunnel plate and torque tube.
4- fires sleeve the O2 connectors and secure as far away from the headers as possible with wire ties.
5- fire sleeve the 2 trans cooler pipes where they go over the right side header collector.
6- wrap the right side header collector at the trans cooler pipe area, see #2.
7- fire sleeve the 2 heater hoses.
8- add additional fire sleeve to the wire harness behind #8 primary tube.
9- add a small piece of fire sleeve over the purple wire and connector on the starter solenoid.
10- rotate the knock sensors as needed for additional clearance and secure wiring with wire ties.
11- fire sleeve the clutch slave cylinder line.
12- depending on header brand, heat shield #7 primary tube if close to slave cylinder line.
13- add heat boots to the plug wires and secure the coil end with wire ties.
14- if not already there, fire sleeve the engine mounts.
15- use high temp antisieze on all the bolts and the oxygen sensors.
16- no header wrap. I also have had high temp coatings peel off. may work ok for a street car.
17- check for clearance between the chassis flange and where the 4 tubes join the collectors on both sides. Depending on header brand, I have had to bend the chassis flanges with a hammer. Not required on aluminum frame cars.

WOW! I installed LG longtubes about 40,000 miles ago and never did any of the things on your list. I've not had any problems from header heat. Your suggestions are all good but very much overkill for well designed headers.

Tom

Some or all may not be needed on a street driven car. A trackday/race Corvette is another story. I've seen burned and melted wiring, brittle heater hoses, melted clutch slave hoses, and O2 harness connectors melted together. This is from experience with doing 100's of header installs and engine replacements.

Thank you. Yeah looking at using Texas speed headers. I know they are not the best far as quality goes but they are decent and will work. It’s just a weekend car. Not ever getting on a track with it. Will let j-rods speed shop install them

My bad! I didn't realize you were referring to race cars. :cheers:

Tom

I bought ARH and both leaked from all 4 so I had to cut the collectors to weld from inside and re weld the collectors, when ARH told me to send them back it meant with out the car for 3 weeks and paying shipping I decided to fix it myself the manufacturer decline to reimburse a very reasonable welder's charge but that's not the worse part.

The worth is having to remove the starter, the left side knock sensor lifting up the motor and lowering the cradle every time you have to remove or install them.

I sold them and got Kooks they are so easy to install don't have to remove the starter the knock sensor lower the cradle or lift up the engine they do seat a 1/2 inch lower at the collector clamp than I like but I have never hit them so is nothing to worry about imo.

Note worthy about the kooks is if you loose your handle during installation they will fall straight to the floor (I love that)

Kooks.

I use and recommend Kooks, haven't used other brands. Kooks fit well and don't leak. we've used them on ls swaps and on 2 c6 corvettes, mine and a customers.

ARH here for years, no problems.

ARH also & they fit really well... I did 75% of what 3x2 did... anything in very close proximity to primaries or x-pipe was heat-shielded, used DEI sleeves & sticky foil, including O2 sensor wires/connectors, clutch line, oil & trans cooler lines, etc. I was under it with everything out so it was pretty easy to do. Adding the tunnel plate shield DRAMATICALLY reduced inside cabin temp, & the console not even warm, where before it was almost too hot to the touch. I constructed 24in high stands that I somehow lifted the car high enough to make it easy to slide the headers in from underneath... car has been as reliable as any vehicle I've ever owned...