Clear the steering colum by about 1" but plug access is pretty rough. The passenger side is probably just like all the other headers on the market.

 

looks great!

 

Passenger side on also?

Spent the better part of Saturday trying to get the stock exhaust off my 350 ('88 IROC) so I could install 2055's. Already have a Flowmaster cat back so exhaust shop said the hooker's should bolt right on

Was unable to get driver's side manifold off. Got all the bolts and nuts off, but could not pull the old one loose from the collector pipe. Almost like the studs were bent out and were preventing it from coming out.

Thought if the EASY side was this hard, no way the hard side would get done. Bolted the stock one back up to ty again another day.

Got any tips or suggestions? Especially for the passenger side with all the emiisions crap.

 

I have a few tips.

1. Allow 2 full days to do a header install.

2. The passenger side is easiest installed from the bottom. The emissions stuff comes out very easy, and doesn't take long. You'll also have to take the starter out...not difficult either.

3. The drivers side may require unbolting the valve cover to get the header to slide in.

It took me about one full day to do them and I had no experience with this stuff...other than cat-back install. Just remember to take your time and be patient.

Matt

 

Hey. Yeah if you got emmisions and AC on your car it's not gonna be a single day project. It took me the whole weekend to do it. I was able to remove the manifolds from the top and put the headers in from the top. Maybe not the easiest way but it worked. I had to take my vavle cover off on the passenger side, but the driver's side slid right in. Keep it up though cause it's worth it!

David

 

Oh man you had trouble with the drivers side with those headers?!? The drivers side is a breeze. Took me less than an hour to get the manifold off and get the drivers side header on. Didnt even have to remove the plugs. But if you have AC have fun with the pass side. I didnt have AC anymore or any of the emmissions crap but the AC box made it a pain in the ****. I ended up taking the plugs and fan switch sensor off, flywheel cover (which is now melted), starter, and the top part of the AC box to get that header in. Also have fun trying to get the tab on the #8 bolt on the pass side manifold. (Those who have tried now exactly what im talking about.)

 

I dunno how hard it is to put them in when everything is on. I slid them both on when my engine had just gone back in, none of the emissions stuff or ac stuff was on, nor were the valve covers. ****, under those conditions it took about... 30 minutes for both headers lol.

 

It only took me one day to do mine and I have ac and emissions on my car. I didn't use the Hookers, but there is not going to be a whole lot of difference in the way they have to be installed.

Matt

 

Hey I just did mine on a 89 IROC and my best tip would be....put a jack under the oil pan and pull the motor mount bolt out and rock the motor to the side. Mine fell right into place that way.


Brian

 

Brian I tried that and my motor wouldnt move. I hear the hookers are bad about not fitting well on the pass side. Mine was tight. The collector wouldnt go downfrom the top and i couldnt get it from the bottom so finally after taking alot of crap out it finally slid down in. It was not fun.

I think the hardest part of installing heads on my car was getting the last bolt on the pass side manifold off...damn GM and those little tabs.

 

Can I presume or ASSume that my 2055's will bolt right on to the existing Y pipe? They both have 4" on centers on the bolt holes. I purchased some grade 8 bolts to run in from the bottom of the y pipe to screw into the header

Trying to take the driver's side off appeared to be complicated by what I THINK was a problem with the studs (bolts) on the stock manifold that are MAYBE bent outwards. They seemed to be binding on the holes in the y pipe collar. If i had a little more time Sat, I might have run up and bought a 5" C clamp and tried to squeeze the studs in to see if they if it would come off....

Would really HATE to go thru and get the driver's side off, bolt it on then find out the passenger side won't line up and bolt on.

Is there a gasket of some sort between the Y pipe and the headers? Also what type gasket should I buy to go on the headers themselves. Do I not want to use the fiber looking ones that came with it?

Any of you guys close to dallas and would want to come help????

 

No gasket between the header and the y-pipe.

The one gripe I had was with the collectors. five7kid pointed this out to me, if you measure the stock opening at the collector its only 1.8" because hooker says its necessary for a proper seal. I just dremmeled it out to about 2.25" and had no problems with the y pipe leaking at all. Coulda prolly taken it to 2.5" but im not making that much power anyways so it didnt matter.

 

thanks Chuck....what about the gasket for the block? Any suggestions there or go with the ones supplied by hooker?..kinda look like asbestos..course they can't be for OSHA reasons...just look like it...or go buy something else?

 

I used the dead soft gaskets and never had a leak. The paper ones will fail its just a matter of time.


Brian

 

Yea I used whatever I got with the hooker kit, and Im sure it'll go south sooner or later, but the RS isnt my daily anymore so in the past 4 months Ive put a combined 700 miles on it. At that rate it'll take a while to go bad

My buddy had great luck with the Mr. Gasket ultra seal copper gaskets. You might give them a try.

 

No. You need to use the y-pipe that comes with them.