VR'92

Ok this is for anyone who was curious about installing Hooker 2151's on an LT-1. :yesnod: If you have ever been curious on how to do this now is the time to learn.

Will they fit? Do you have any clearance issues? Why would you put headers for a L98 on a LT-1?

I hope to answer everyone and help them do this or any LT header install on their corvette. Please forgive me for any spelling and grammer problems. Also the pics are a little small and I can email anyone who wants larger versions. Remember this is how I did it. I am not the gospel on headers or anything for that matter. This is just to help people get a good idea of a Header install on a LT-1 Corvette.

Ok here we go: :cheers:

Step 1: Put car on jack stands and ramps. Drop the exhaust.


Step 2: Remove the entire EGR/AIR pipe system from the manifolds to the back of the motor. (Remember this is how I did it not how you have to do it) This will make it much, much easier to acces the Spark plugs, header bolts, etc. (Mine is perminatly removed. ;) )



Step 3: Remove the serpintine belt, Compressor, and Alternator. This will allow you to have more acces to the drivers side manifold bolts and to get them off/tight enough.

Step 4: Remove the spark plug wire brackets attached to the engine. Mark your plug wires and remove them from the spark plugs. Remove the oil Dipstick. This can be a tough one. It just pulls out with a little effort.

Remove the spark plugs. You should now be able to take the manifold off pretty easily.

Step 5: Remove the old mainfolds. Some of these bolts can be pretty tough to break.



Remove Cats with em too!:






"Those aren't cats! :eek:"

Shoosh :nono: :lol:

Clean all around the exhaust ports and clear off the old gaskets.



Step 6: Get some LT Headers!


Put some O2 bungs in them. If you are keeping you AIR/EGR system get ports welded into them.

Better yet get them coated with Jet Hot




Step 7: Install both headers from the bottom. I had no clearance problems from the starter. I had to cut the tips off the engine mounting bolts (only about 4mm worth) and I had to trim the spark plug wire holders on the drivers side. They took a little bit of working but I got them in fine.

Step 8: Get some Copper Gaskets (D-port) and some Header bolts. I used Mr Gasket and ARP.





I put the haeders on first with one easy bolt in the middle very lightly. Them I got the harder end bolts on by hand and removed the center bolt. I them slipped the gaskets in. Then put in all the bolts and got them tight using a special wrench I made with the bench grinder.


My special wrench is made in Taiwan so I dont car if I mess it up I will just buy another on for a dime. With the top shaved like this it allows you to get the wrench on all of the bolts. You can get some of them tight with the regular wrench or wratchet. I would suggest doing so.




The clearance is better than I thought but it is tight. Here are some more pics:




Step 8: Reverse installation of the other steps. Keep in mine to reconnect evrything and MAke sure nothing it touching the Headers. I had to ziptie some of the O2 stuff.


The reconnecting of the factory exhaust will be a little tricky. I used some extra long collectors from Summit. I am going to have a weld shop connect them to my factory exhaust connections.




Yes I cut off the drivers side connection. :yesnod:

Im also going to have them install my $39 X-pipe while they are at it.




I also do not have any EGR/AIR stuff on this car. To do so you have to get custom tuning and this will not help anyone with emissions checks.


Total time for the install: 7 Hrs.

I just realized I got almost everything off the forum to do this project.

Hooker 2151's off the forum: $300 Shipped
Jet Hot Coating (Local): $250
ARP Header Bolts off the forum: $12 I think.
Copper Gaskets $40 bucks Advanced Auto
Collector Gaskets $15 bucks Advanced Auto
X-pipe Ebay(tip from forum member): $39.99+shipping

Thanks for all the help and info from evryone who helped me! :cheers:
I love this Forum! :party:


Dyno results coming soon!


[Modified by VictorRussell'92, 11:25 AM 3/22/2004]


[Modified by VictorRussell'92, 4:44 PM 3/22/2004]


[Modified by VictorRussell'92, 5:12 PM 3/22/2004]

QuikZilver

:thumbs: Congrats!!
And thanks, I think you talked me out of that mod!! :D

STL94LT1

Hey, those header bolts look familiar. :D

Nice writeup, and nice job on the install.

VR'92

Yeah I wish I had gotton the freebie copper gaskets you were giving away too before I bought mine! :cuss :jester

Pretty packing job! :lol:


[Modified by VictorRussell'92, 11:40 AM 3/22/2004]

VR'92

Some pics of my baby!




I found my Cats! :jester

93Quasar

Great writeup. And also excellent use of a Beemer hood as a work bench ;)

I installed 2151's on my engine over the weekend too. Here's a shot down the tunnel, minus the trans:



One of the problems going with headers is re-attaching the stuff that use the header studs/bolts for anchoring. For instance the brackets behind the A/C and alternator. I'm not the one that pulled the engine out of my car - I just got to cope with trying to figure out how to get it all back together. So I'm not 100% sure I even have these brackets/bars installed right, but here is what I came up with. You can see the spacer I made (by cylinder #3 exhaust) to offset the end of the bolt so the ends of the brackets lined up:



Yep, the dipstick is on the wrong side of the engine. I have a Canton pan and my dipstick tube bolts directly to the pan on top of one of the bat-wings.

VR'92

Very Cool. Yeah I have not tackled that problem yet but I was thinkin I would do exactly like you did and add a slip over a stock bolt for those brackets. The A/C will vibrate pretty bad without them. Shouldn't be took much trouble tho. Nice motor! Very nice :cool:

VR'92

:confused: I hope you aren't serious. I guess not with the smily. Its not too hard just takes a little patience. ;)

Gary04Z06

:iagree:

Strick

This is excellent material for a "TECH TIP" Hit tools>tech tips>C4>submit.

JetHot does a nice job and so did you. :cheers:

rsafier

Great writeup, I should have done something like that one my install last week.

CORKVETTE1

:cool: :cheers:

VR'92

Entered as Tech Tip. Thanks for all the nice words guys. :yesnod:

Steve85

:thumbs: , however, is that an E30 your using as workbench?

chriswtx

Just fyi on the 7154 gaskets, summit has them for $27... :D

Mr Mojo

:cheers:

Kizmo

Nice job Victor! :thumbs: I knew you were good for sumthin. :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: Seriously though; good job.

69mako

:thumbs: :smash: :thumbs:

Nathan Plemons

Good writeup. I've done the same on my car, just helped a friend do his Friday. We did the headers and installed a new intake in about 10 hours. We did basically the same thing, but we did a few things slightly differently.

We removed the driver's side inner fender well. This helps a lot with spark plugs and manifold bolts. We unbolted the AC compressor from the bracket and moved it aside. The alternator we left in place.

For the motor mount bolts rather than cut them, we just turned them around the other way.

Looks like you had what you needed to fab up the exhaust. Since we didn't have access to that we had to head over to an exhaust shop. The headers also came coated direct from Holley so the O2 bungs weren't installed. This would have ruined the coating. We had ours installed in the cat-back, just behind the headers. We will need to install heated O2's before next winter.

Overall it's a good project and not too difficult. BTW, I LOVE the copper header gaskets. If you can get them tight in the first place you'll never have a problem out of them! :cheers:

ralph

Could someone cover how to tighten the rear bolt on the passenger side? No way i can get at it. Thinking of trying an allen head, but i'll have to remove the header just to get the bolt out.