so to install headers do you have to pull the engine? im gonna have to stick with shorties btw since im in cali. but im about to do a cam swap and if its possible to install headers myself without pulling the engine i'd love to so i can save $$$

 

Do shorties even gain you anything with respect to accessibility to the plugs? Can you install mid length headers in Cali?

Anyway, i put in long tubes and once you figure out the tricks for your own car it gets easier the 2nd time around.

You need lots of PB Blaster or liquid wrench

soak those manifold bolts

I used a sawzall and cut off the orignal y pipe etc because it was all going to the dump as I put on an off road y and magnaflow catback (although I have no cat)


Once I got the junk out, I removed the starter and steering linkage. Bear in mind that this was for LT's.

I then removed the bolt from each motor mount and raised the engine about 2 inches and the LT's dropped in from the top. Well, the passenger side is more like wiggled in but they went in.

 

with the short ones i would think getting the old manifold off would be the biggest pain. if memory serves the slp has the best gains in the shortys and its not alot, in cali every little bit helps, the sound is better.

 

so would it even be worth it? Or would it not be that necessary even for a cam swap?

 

i would do it. especially if your adding more ability to move air in other places like cam, intake.

 

dumb question coming. Why can't you have long tubes in Cal? Or, at least mids?

As for doing it, absolutely. You need to scavenge out the exhaust gas from the cylinders. The stock exh manifolds are terrible and that's why you see such good gains from long tubes.

the more cool air you can get into the chamber the more power you will make. By leaving hot exhaust gas in the chamber you make less power.

 

cuz california is gay and illegalizes anything thats fun lol

 

I put in my longtubes from the bottom...but the transmission wasn't installed at the time, which kind of made things a bit easier lol :P

honestly, I think removing the exhaust manifolds will be the hardest part. That's how it was for me. Disconnect the steering linkage (pretty easy, just one bolt), and I'm pretty sure I had the alternator off as well.

 

easiest way is to pull the bolt out of the pasenger side motor mont and jack the motor up using the accory bracket youll need a block to do so but that shouyld give you the clearence you need slide the ps header in the set the motor set back in place bolt it down and pull the steering linkage and slide the drivers side in its that easy mind you i have LT's and ive had them out a couple of times for various reasons