I was thinking about putting LT headers on the car to give it a little more power and make it easier to work in the frickin engine compartment (that last plug job had me fed up). What LTs would you recommend and how does this factor into the O2 sensors? What needs to be done to make sure these work? I hear you can't simply put LTs on these cars because of the O2 sensors. Input?

 

The long tube headers have to have bungs for the pre-cat O2 sensors. As long as they have those, there is nothing preventing the use of long tubes, and the retention of the O2 sensors. Never heard anyone say you couldn't use long tubes because of the O2 sensors. You will need harness extensions for the sensors, since they move a bit further from the engine.

Your setup will not be emissions legal with long tubes, because they relocate the cat(s).

What makes you think any particular headers will make plug access easier? Many headers are worse then the stock manifolds.

 

I was on a corvette forum which said that using certain LTs would give a little more access to the side of the engine. Why do I even visit any other forums??? :-/

So can I merely take the LTs on and off when I need to go through emission?

 

If emissions are a concern, go with a shorty or mid-tube type header. You don't want to have to "merely" take them off when it's emissions time.

 

Oh, gotcha. What about:

http://www.lmperformance.com/16363/2.html

Or

http://www.lmperformance.com/16361/2.html

 

You need to figure out if you have a single cat or dual cats on your car before you order the headers. I can tell you right now from the way those are designed you will not have better access to the plugs.

 

I don't know how the smog test is where you live is. But in the Phoenix,AZ area I live in this is what its like. If your car is a 96 or newer obd2 they don't even pop the hood or look underneath. No sniffers or synopsis. They plug into the obd2 port and see if there are any codes. No codes, you just passed smog. I used pacesetter long tubes with the air fittings on them and the o2 sensor bungalow. I cut the precat o2 sensor wires and extended them about a foot. Then just installed them. The spark plug/wire access is much better. The long tubes do perform better than manifolds.