Hooker Headers Install
 

I'm in the middle of taking my exhaust manifolds off however I'm wonder how do I get to the bolts in the back? I got the front four off. Any suggestions besides taking the k-member off?

you can pull your fenderwells but you wont be able to get the LTs in. bascially, youll have to remove the kmember.
good luck with this job. haha i did it, and its a PAIN IN THE ASS.:tongueout:

Yeah, I spent from 11-3:30 and got 9 bolts off. I was hoping I could leave the manifolds attached to the H-pipe but now I realize that ain't gonna happen. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the 4 manifold-to-H-pipe bolts off with a breaker bar otherwise I'm going to have to drive 15 minutes w/ 1/2 the manifold bolts off to my friends houe since he has an impact wrench and then 15 minutes back with everything loose passing the police station. Wish me luck.

Sorry, but you really need an impact and you really need to pull the K Member. That is how I did mine.

yep. that kmember is HEAVY... its like 250lbs with everything attached. youll need impact gun, engine hoist, jack stands, ect... its not a simple garage job for headers. sounds like youll be in for some trouble doing this job. you might want to take it where you have a helping mechanically inclined hand with the tools to back it up and expect to spend 12 hours on it.

I did mine without a hoist:

http://www.mcmmotorsports.com/headerinstall3.jpg

http://www.mcmmotorsports.com/headerinstall2.jpg

http://www.mcmmotorsports.com/headerinstall4.jpg

The thing though is that it doesn't mention anything in the instructions about doing so, just to remove the brace. I could drop the K-member, all I would have to do is support the engine from the oil pan but this is a last resort for me. Looks like I'm just going to have to take bolt by bolt. Luckily I have thin hands with long fingers. Now, If I drive it for 30 minutes w/ 9 of the manifolds bolts off and everything else loose, is this dangerous or am I just going to hear some crazy stuff comeing from the exhaust?

Got the H-pipe off w/ a breaker bar, now another couple of question. How many bolts is retaining the starter, just 2? I see the bttom one but how hard is it to reach the top one? Also, to disconnect the steering shaft, do I just undo the pinch bolt and slide it off? And lastly, how heavy are the manifolds, 40 lbs? Thanks guys for the help.

http://www.dndgarage.net/macltheaderinstall.htm

There are 3 start bolts, a lot of people dont put the top one back on. I can get to it fine with an extension and swival. Steering shaft has 1 13mm bolt, then it just slides off. Manifolds arent that heavy.

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping to get the stock stuff off today so tomorrow I can spend installing the headers.

the only thing that would worry me is that the motor is being supported by the jack. thats dangerous!!!! user beware

Well, it's supported by the trans also since the tranny mount isn't disconnected but I'm more worried about the fact that my jack stands say "Made in China."

Ive left the jack there overnight and didnt have any problems.

Can someone give me a pic or a diagram of the starter with the bolt locations? I think I got two bolts out (I know I definately got one out but the other I think could have been the bell housing) and I still have to get the third one out.

Theres two on the side and one on the top. The top bolt is the one everyone leaves out. You should be able to get it with an extention and swival. I dont have a picture of it.

I'm pretty sure I got all three bolts out but the starter isn't budging. Is this unusual or it is it suppose to be stuck on pretty good? I've tried moving the rear wheels in gear but I'm waiting on a 2nd person to come and hold down the clutch while I try to remove it.

I took the front right wheel off and went in through the wheel well. You can actually see (and touch) the top bolt - and having long skinny fingers will be a plus here - and the swivel and a 6 inch extension is a must. I put it back in with the new starter. (Wasn't smart enough to leave it out.)

The thing is, I did get all three bolts, but the thing just won't come out.

Nobody has any suggestions?

Try wackin it with a rubber mallet. When I took mine off for the clutch install it was a little stuck to the dust cover plate on the bellhousing. I could see how it might get really stuck since the dust cover gets rusty. There are definatley only 3 bolts the one on the top I got through the front of the with a long extension and a swivel. Hope you get it off. Is it not loose at all ?

When I put all my force into it, it feels like it just barely moves but that's it. I've tried holding down the clutch, keeping it in neutral, in gear, turn the engine w/ a breaker bar, and hitting it with my fists. I'm working with the k-member still attached so it's a bit hard trying to get a hammer down there. I'll give that a try after lunch.

Dont forget liquid wrench or some type of chemical loosener. It has saved me lots of times.

Maybe there is a bellhousing bolt that goes through it also? I dont remember there being one though.

As far as I know, there are 3 bolts holding that SOB in and all 3 are out. I've just tried turning the engine w/ no luck so I'm going to try to give it a bath in WD40 to see if that helps.

Wow, luckily Im installing my Hookers with the engine out.


Maybe your best bet here would pull to get a cherry picker, lossen eveything up and just lift the motor up as much as you can to get clearance.

Turns out the infamous 3rd bolt wasn't removed. I guess this is what happens when you have 2 different people working on it...

Hahahahaha, wow.

http://www.csledd.com/ellie/exhaust/k-member.jpg

drop it like its hot

No, do NOT drop it with all that shit attached. Also, am I seeing things or do you have a jack on top of a jack!?

lol.. yeah we got a little pissed and decided to move everything.. and yeah, we're ghetto in kentucky

yes... you need a long extension and a universal...

That bolt is a ****ing bitch... I ripped my hands open so bad with on that...

I knew it. :godamnit:

Yeah, that's what happens when you let your electrical engineer friend help you w/ mechanical stuff. Anyway, just my luck, I broke that bolt loose, but now I can't get the socket back on.

Ok, after an hour playing with it, I got the bolt and starter off. Now, the last obstacle to take the manifolds off is the nut that holds the passenger side manifold in (the very last one on top, right on top of the collector). How did you guys get to it? All the other nuts are taken off on that side besides that one.

How is everything set up? Do you still have the k member on, or the midpipe still on? I dont understand why you had so much trouble with the starter, you should clearly have been table to see all bolts and get to them easily. Not take an hour. Also, the manifold bolts shouldnt be hard to get to.

I got the K-member in still, but the H-pipe is out. The only reason I had problem w/ the starter is that I assumed my friend took the 3rd bolt out, but I was wrong. Would it help to raise the engine and get from the top of the car or should just do it from underneath?

Here's some good write ups.
http://www.fnsweet.com/garage/lt_install/index.shtml#1

http://www.dndgarage.net/macltheaderinstall.htm

Support the motor, drop the k member and you should be on your way.

Why havent you dropped the k member yet? Just follow my write up, you're making this 10x harder for yourself.

I don't want to drop the K-member because I don't want to screw anything up w/ my alignment. Hence why I'm doing it the hard way. Anyway, I did get it out so now I just gotta run to Sears to get a wrench o loosen the motor mounts so I can pull the old pieces out.

just mark everything as you remove it, then line it back up when re-installing.