Gettin ready to install longtubes soon on my LT1 and was looking for some tips and tricks

 

for the easiest install you gotta take some stuff of that you might not think of
gotta remove starter oil dipstic oil filter disconnect steering (DO NOT SPIN WHEEL) take out the spark plugs you might also want to remove the valve covers

once all this stuff is outta the way install should be really easy especially from the bottom as long as the car is high enough but good luck with the install

 

Get the car as high as you can, and if you put them in from the bottom, dont bother taking off the valvecovers. You should also remove your alternator.....

 

What about from the top? Dont have access to a lift this week

 

I put both sides in from the top. The driverside just remove the steering link,valvecover.If you have get the air pump and lines outa the way.I dont know if they pose a threat but mine was not on the car at the time of install.

I also did the Passengerside from the top,but I doubt you would be able to do that. I have all the HVAC module gone,associated lines,AC gone and associated lines,canisters condensers etc. gone on that side lots of room now. All I did was remove Alt., dipstick,heat shield,valve cover... dropped right in.
If you have all the creature comfort still,you have to do it from under the car on the pass. side
Try the driverside from top though I really have not removed much on that side at it went in pretty easy.

T.

 

The passenger side will go in from the top with all the ac stuff. I got both mine in from the top by removing the valve covers and spark plugs.

 

Then I should have plenty of room cause all of my a/c stuff is gone as well. Thanks everyone

 

No problem then you'll have easy time of it. The removal of the heatshield at the bottom of the firewall and under on passengerside helps too.

You might want to create another heatshield for the driver side right by the collector/Y the fuel lines are real close as they cross over to the center of chassis from engine bay. I pinned mine up and made shield there.

Good luck

 

for the people that did these, did you have to remove the steering knuckle thing? or did dropping it from the top prevent that. and i was told the K-member had to be notched for proper fitment. is this correct? i am lookin to pick a set up in the next day or so.

 

I believe the old design of lt's had to notch teh k-member but the new design doesnt.

 

nothing has to be notched out of the k member! i also had to take off the shield on the front of the tranny to get to the starter!
DO NOT USE THE PAPER GASKETS THEY SEND YOU! i learned this the hard way! i went through 2 sets of the paper ones on my driver side,
and my passenger just blew out this mornin and i am goin to have to replace over the weekend now! i am now using some metal/cardboard ones from autozone ( cost like 5 bucks) and they are hooked so they just dropin over the bolts! adn they havent blown out yet, or show any signs unlike the paper ones!
believe it or not it took my friend and i about 15 hours over a weekend to do the install. but i have a northern car and everything was RUSTED together. half of the bolts broke off!
only other thing i have to say is GL.
and dont break ur water temp. sending unit

 

winter park huh, are you on RevXtreme?

but thanks for the heads up on the gaskets, ill probably pick up some metal ones when i get the headers in. as for the 15 hours, was that with hand tools and in a driveway? and trying to put them in from the top (will they go in from the bottom?) i;ve got a lift and air tools at disposal, and done numerous longtubes on LS1's in about 4-6 hours.

 

Yeah the gasket I found before I did them was important!! So I went ahead and got the Felpros I havent had a leak yet. I used the bolts that came w/ the header though. But I did get the plugs fireball coil and OTVC kit w/ side mounts and some of the 1200degree fire sleeves to put back in.Forgot replaced the starter too since I was there replaced it w/ the small vette one.
Ended up rerouting a strand of harness I think starter and something else (o2?) to sneek behind the header from the friewall on driverside. Got the PB blaster on the night before.
It is handy to have somebody support/adjust the end of the header while you bolt them.
I heeded the warning. That at first start up headers will be burning off their crud or whatever inside the tubing and ruining the O2s for some.So I did have them plugged in at first start but not installed till the headers got hot and had a good chance to get the initial burn off. I cant verify but I did not want that to happen if possible.

T.

 

hmm, never heard of any issue with the coating or anything burning off causing o2 problems. i bought the uncoated ones because the few people i have talked to with them complained about the factory coating saying it got bad after 6 months or so. local place by me that has a 2 year warranty on their coatings and honestly it is less than what pacesetter charges. i just worry about burning the spark plug wires

 

I had to replace my o2s after about 2 weeks. If you have to don't buy the the bosch o2s. I had lots of problems with them, ended up getting the delcos and haven't had any trouble since. I bought the felpro 1406 gaskets and haven't had a leak in 6 months.