I have had 4 blown head gaskets in like 5 years and using that Bars stuff half the time and the other removing the heads. The Q is would stock headers warp because I mostly had problems with hot gases going in the coolant. Should I buy Pacesetter long tubes while I am there?

The other is with all the coolant going through the first cat which 96-97 have I notice it looked kinda clogged, my buddy that's helping me said the same. So when you buy headers will I pass emission without that stupid upper cat. The two cats are stock since 1997.

 

HUH,......? You go from talking about headgaskets, to headers, which makes me wonder. Hot gases in your coolant? Thats a sign of blown head gaskets for sure, especially if you're burning it in the exhaust. I dont know what headers would have to do with that unless yer asking if you should upgrade. Have you ever had the heads checked for straightness? If they got hot and warped you'll never get them to hold, especially f you're not cleaning/prepping the surfaces correctly. Ive seen people try to do some stupid crap in my time. These surfaces need to be clean enough to eat off of, and not all scratched/gouged up from scraping them clean. This is really not a job for in experienced people, theres so much that can go wrong.

 

Well duh if your doing head gaskets on a stock car wouldn't you upgrade to long tubes while you were there. I know the heads are warped and they will be shaved. I was just wondering with a car with super high miles and a couple of blown head gaskets wouldn't the stock headers be warped, is it possible?? I am tight on money but if I have to I will upgrade.

 

As stated above, I would rewrite this and ask again. Further, explain "blown head gasket" There are a lot of things that can go wrong.

Also, was it 1 head or both?

 

It has been the driver side gasket but I will have the passenger out tomorrow which was never changed. I remember the moderator guy saying a while ago that if your cat is clogged or even slightly it can blow a head gasket which the second time was the steel cylinder gasket ring. I think the compression from the two old cats did it.

I have to stop racing my car every time I punch it on a hill it blows a head gasket LOL. I was young and stupid but man this motor is just amazing 0-60 like nothing and will bury the speedo like nothing. I have many LS1 friends that respect my car and ford fans and I have two guys that want it now for a good price but I love LT1's so much I can't sell it. I have drivin a lot of LT's but this motor rocks!

 

well when you pull the headers off to do your gasket change check to see if your exhaust manifold is warped by laying a straight edge across the flange this will help determine if putting longtubes on the car is neccessary

 

I think you are also confusing people by referring to your stock manifolds as "stock headers". That may explain why you got the responses you got.

Your car does not have a "first cat" or an "upper cat".... it has one cat in the Y-pipe for the left bank of the engine, and another cat in the other branch of the Y-pipe for right bank of the engine. They operate in parallel, not in series.