So yesterday i started my header install, Jet-hot LTs w/ emissions, and a hooker Y-pipe. I did it at a friends house with a lift so it should have been easier than it was. Needless to say it was very frustrating. Both headers went right up the driver side is all bolted up with no problems at this point... And the passanger side went right in when we jacked up the motor...

Now the problems:

The AIR doesn't fit, its the wrong threading, i thought this was only a problem with the 97 LT1s but JET-HOT must have sent me the wrong headers. So im trying to getto-rig something to work for now, but thats not the worst of it. The passanger side will not bolt up!!! I can not get the first and last bolts on the flange to go in at the same time!!! I can get 5 of them to go in, but i either have to un bolt the first one and start from the last or vice-versa. I think that the spacing on the header is slightly off. So every time i tried to get the bolt in it would start to cross thread, which is my greatest fear of screwing up the heads. Im not sure if i should try to use a dremmel and bore out the hole in the flange a little or what i should do. I dont think it will seal with only the five bolts? Will it??

please give me some advice as to what i should do because im worried ill screw up the threading on my heads...

also can i run the car with the AIR fittings just plugged untill i figure something out? or will i get an SES light?


sorry for the long post, but any suggestions would be helpfull

thanks, matt

 

I would ream the flange hole a little.Cant help with the other problem.

 

Yea i guess thats probably what im going to try... hope it works


keep the sugestions coming

 

anyone else?

 

Do NOT just put in 5 bolts and call it good enough... it will leak and you will create other problems. Sometimes getting all of the bolts in can be a little tricky, but do not lose patience, they WILL go in!

While it's possible Jet-Hot made a mistake somewhere, I'd say it's not all too likely that's the case, as the headers went in and one bolted right up. As far as the AIR fittings go, I have no idea, my Jet-Hot's don't have the fittings so I never had to deal with that.

And when you say run the car with the AIR fittings plugged, you mean by putting drain plugs into the AIR holes on top of the headers? Yes, that will work. However, you will get an SES light since the AIR system is not functioning properly.

 

Yeah dont lose patience, I tried bolting mine up by myself and basically did the install by myself. That is frustrating. The header will bolt up, its just lining it up thats the really hard part. I also dont have emissions junk on my headers so I cant help you there either.

 

Hey thanks guys,

My spirits are lifting, i was just frustrated last night after doing all the work for about 8 hours then spending another 3 hours trying to bolt up the damn passanger side... im going back to it tuesday afternoon for round 2!!! Im going to use a dremel to enlarge the hole a little if i can, and if not, ill take the header out and use the drill press to make the first hole a little bigger...

As for the AIR, i might just plug it up for now, and take it to a plumbing parts store and get some adapters... If it does get an SES, will it run crappy with the AIR fittings not connected?


again, thanks for the insite guys

 

Honestly, before you go dremeling and drilling into the sterling finish on your Jet-Hots, I'd take a deep breath, ask a friend for help, and try again. Have your friend push it up and into position from the bottom, while you thread bolts up top. Try that. Trust me, as long as they are indeed the correct headers and no mistakes were made creating them, they will bolt up, unscarred from your dremel or drill.

As for your AIR fitting difficulties, I don't understand why it won't thread on. That's definetely weird, I would try contacting Jet-Hot and asking them for their input.

But yes, on your 96 it will indeed set the SES light after a little while. BUT, it will not (or shouldn't) effect performance or driveability at all. The AIR system only runs for a few moments at startup, and after that isn't activated. So, if worse comes to worse, you can just plug them up, without problems.