Well I should be the new owner of a set of AS&M 1 3/4 headers for my '96 Camaro! Anyways, I have a couple of questions reguarding the other miscellaneous parts necessary for the installation of these headers. If possible, please include any part numbers and where I could find these parts at a decent price...

1. Header Gaskets: I hear people saying Fel-Pro's are the best.
2. Collector Gaskets: Same as above.
3. S-Pipe: Since I have a '96, the S-Pipe will be necessary for the mating of the cat and the catback. What brand would be best? I'm not sure if there really is much of a choice regarding this part.
4. Header/Collector Bolts: Obviously I am going to use locking header bolts. Seems most folks agree Stage 8's are the best. I have also heard about another brand called Breslin. Any ideas?
5. Oxygen Simulators: I will most likely be not running a cat unless I need to go get my car inspected. From what I've seen, I can pick up a used pair pretty cheap.
6. Offroad Pipe: The only offroad pipe I have seen is by Mac. Would this fit my setup?
7. Catalytic Converter: For when I have to go get my car inspected. Would just any 3 inch cat work that has the air tube? How about just a stock cat off a '95 F-body?


This is all that I can think of that I will need. Any input would be a great help! Thanks....

 

TTT... Anyone?

 

The AIR fittings are different. Get either an adapter or new AIR tubing. 94-95 are screw in and 96-97 are screw on. Not sure about the 93s.

The orp can be bought at Thunder Racing. They making them for AS&M headers.

S pipe is just a peice of tubing doesn't matter where u get it from just price, slp and thunder have them.

 

1. Header Gaskets: I hear people saying Fel-Pro's are the best.

I've had excellent results with the Mr. Gasket UtraSeal Copper.
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2. Collector Gaskets: Same as above.

Percy's dead soft aluminum.
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4. Header/Collector Bolts: Obviously I am going to use locking header bolts. Seems most folks agree Stage 8's are the best. I have also heard about another brand called Breslin. Any ideas?

Not sure how well the Stage 8 locks will fit on the 1-3/4" AS&M primaries. I use an ARP bolt. The Breslins are fairly new, but are suppose to work well.
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7. Catalytic Converter: For when I have to go get my car inspected. Would just any 3 inch cat work that has the air tube? How about just a stock cat off a '95 F-body?

The stock LT1 cats don't have an "air tube".... that ended with the 3rd Gens. You would need a good quality 3" monolithic cat. A stock "single-cat" unit would also work.

 

About the header bolts, since the Stage 8's won't work I may end up going with the Breslins or do they make some sort of allen wrench bolt? That would seem like it would be pretty easy to tighten down.

As far as the S Pipe, is this the one that I need from SLP? Link

 

What do you mean torque issues? They have the allen bits so that I could then use my torque wrench on them so I wouldn't over tighten them.

 

How about using lock washers? Would this cause you to overtorque the bolts? It seems that no one has thought of these ideas (allen bolts, lock washers) for headers or at least they are a tried and failed idea? The last thing I need is to have headers and have a big exhaust leak while at school with no tools!

 

I'm not sure where you guys are getting information that the stage 8's won't work. They worked for me. Nothing different from any other bolts.

 

The Stage 8 bolts have allen heads, in addition to the conventional hex head. Also be aware that Stage 8 has changed the design over the years... on some headers with the bolts very close to the tubes, it was hard to fit the earlier locking part over the bolt head, and then slide the c-clip on. The newer design seems to reduce the issues.

Breslin Info

 

1. I've run Mr. Gasket copper's Percy's, Felpros, and now Mr. Gasket paper Ultra seals. The Paper ultra seals have been the best, followed by the coppers. The coppers worked great until i had a bolt back out and they started to leak. After that no matter how much i tightened them they would never seal again.
2. I would probably run some Coppers or Percy's.
3. Just get your local exhaust shop to make you an S-pipe. Cheaper, better fit.
4. Stage 8's are junk. I installed all the locks and had to do a lot of grinding on them to fit with my SLP's which are similar to AS&M's. They seem like really cheap metal, the heads are very easy to round off as are the allen wrench centers on them. I removed them all and they are sitting in a drawer on my work bench. I just installed some Mr. Gasket bolts from O'reilys.
5. Sims are fine or just get OBD1 conversion.
6. Off-road pipe i would leave up to your exhaust shop if you can find someone to do it.
7. There are no air tubes on factory cats. One off a 93-95 would work but if you do a visual inspection you will still fail.

 

Well I am thinking the more and more I see them, the more and more I like the Breslin bolts. Anyone had any success with these locking bolts? Also what size and count is needed?

 

I used the stage 8 bolts and locks on my '97 when installing the AS&M's. It's a pain, but it can be done. If the Breslin bolts have a smaller head, I'd definitely go that route - you'll need 12 of them.

I wouldn't even imagine a way you could get a torque wrench in there on header bolts, regardless of what kind of bolts you used.

My install page is at http://www.go-fast.org/z28/headers.html if it's useful.

Dave

 

Anyone have a part # for the alum or copper header gaskets ?

 

Can't you just use the stockers? I had a bad exhaust leak on my manifolds from a backed out bolt. I just tightened it up and no leaks. Seems they are good gaskets?

 

i used the gaskets and the bolts supplied with the headers. After tightening them up a few times after the first few heat cycles they were fine. The biggest trouble i had was that the cat was cut off the old y pipe a little short and i think the flange was welded a little off as well. leaks pretty good under there now I would suggest saving the money you want to spend on gaskets and bolts, and buy an offroad pipe and use the supplied hardware. Good luck -Rob