I did a search and found that the headers should drop right in from the top. They don't.

I have a 91 formula WS6 with 305 tpi.
The passenger side sucks:
I finally got the exhaust manifold off after two weeks of liquid wrench on the second to the farthest back nut that holds the heat shield to the stud. Got the stud out easily.

How do I take the dipstick out?

It looks like I'm either going to have to take out the air conditioner stuff (which I know nothing about, except that the chilton's says don't mess with it) or I'll have to try lifting the engine, removing starter, etc. and trying to go up from the bottom. The only means by which I have to lift the engine is by jacking the oil pan, which I have heard is bad (seems like it would be). Plus, I have a small dent in the rear, driver's side corner of the bottom of my oil pan.

Should I try to take out the A/C (with help) or try to lift the motor? I really don't want to have to lift the motor, since I'd have to unbolt my tranny . Also, I don't know that I can get the header in even if I lift the motor, but I think I probably can.

Thanks for any help--I really want to drive my car again, hopefully soon.

 

No need to lift the whole motor. If anything you may have to slightly lift it a bit to get clearance....you may need new motor mounts.

To raise it a touch, just get a jack with a thick board and place it under the oil pan, this will spread the pressure evenly.

Hope this helps

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ORIGINAL OWNER
92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Partial TBI mods, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Richmond 3:42 gears, Torsen HD Posi
Sights & Sounds:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers. Spectre valve covers and accessories, Z28 grille w/aftermarket lights, MacEwen whiteface gauges
NEXT UP: the rest of the TBI mods & Suspension upgrades

 

I put the jack under the harmonic balancer. Worked just fine, until we were a little TOO vigorous with the wrenching and the engine slipped off the jack...BTW, you don't have to disconnect the A/C to move the compressor, just remove the compressor from the bracket, the hoses should be flexible enough to move around.

 

Sorry to hear about the tough nut, that's the crappiest part of the job (or any job) in my opinion.

Did you try removing the starter&solenoid (very easy to do, if you already have the car up) and sliding the psgr header from the bottom? This worked fine for me (I don't have SLPs, but I assume the dimensions are fairly similar).

As far as your dipstick, you don't remove it, just (carefully) bend it out of the way. Pay attention to where you want it to be permanently before you bolt on the header so you can position it with the header still loose (does it sound like I'm speaking from experience here?)

Good luck!

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Joel Geerling
91 Formula, red, 305 TBI, Edelbrock 14x3 open element, TBI 1/2" spacer, Hypertech street chip, Crank/Alt Pulleys, 180* stat, Hedman hedders, 3" cat, Hooker catback

 

Thanks guys, I'll see if I can get those headers in now.
Did you have to raise the motor or just take out the starter and solenoid? I'm guessing that your headers had AIR--I'll try to put them in this way.

Oh and I need a new distick anyway, so can I go ahead and remove the one that's in there?

 

I just put my SLPs in my 92 on friday, so here's what you need to know.
You shouldn't have to lift the engine at all for either side. For the pass. side it is easier if you pull the dipstick (it juts pulls straight out of the block, no bolts, it's a press fit) and also take off the AIR diverter crap as well as the metal tube from the AIR pump to the diverter (2 10mm bolts on back of pump) then you kind of weasel the header in from the front and down, it is tight. To get the new dipstick in, slide it in as far as you can from below, then alternately grip it with pliers and pull down from below and hammer it from above to get it to seat, be careful not to destroy it.
As for the driver's side, you'll need to eitehr unhook the steering shaft to drop it in from the top, or take off the oil filter and put it in from below. You'll also have to bend the brake lines out of the way so they're not too close to the primaries.
The fun part is tightening them down and the doing the plugs. I used either a stubby wrench or a 1/4 drive ratchet with a wobble bit on a short extension for most of the header bolts. The plugs would be easiest going in with shorty accel plugs. Then use a spark plug socket that is cut off to the max to get as much angle as possible to get it on/off the plugs. And you'll need to use a wrench to turn it.

[This message has been edited by Ed Maher (edited December 09, 2001).]

 

With the accumulator in the way, you're gonna have to lift the motor a bit to get the dipstick tube out all the way (or at least I did) .

What I did was remove the passenger-side motor mount through-bolt, use a bottlejack and a block of wood placed at the corner of the block where a mechanical fuel pump would normally be mounted and jack up the motor a mere three to five inches. You don't have to unbolt the tranny. It took me five whole minutes out of my way. Man the way people talk about jacking up the motor some you'd think it was the hardest thing in the world to do... The clearance that five minutes of work gave me was tremendous. It'd be a good idea to watch the distributor and make sure it doesn't smoosh agaist the firewall, but that won't happen since when you lift the motor it's actually going to twist towards the drivers side more than go back.

[This message has been edited by Jza (edited December 09, 2001).]

 

double post

[This message has been edited by Jza (edited December 09, 2001).]

 

Ed has it pretty much spot on, but the 1 3/4" headers, driver's side will NOT go in from below.

But you probably have 1 5/8" since you have a 305.

 

The ONLY way I can get my driver side 1 3/4" on my motor is from below.I have tried many different angles and positions from the top but ending up crawling under the car to install it everytime I have it off.

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1982 Z28:355,4 Speed,Lots of bolt ons

 

On the driver's side just take off the valve cover and unbolt the steering shaft, move that out of your way and it basically falls into place. I put both sides of mine into place from the top. I took off the old headers and put the new ones on in about 4 hours. Its not that bad of a job, just a little tedious

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*1989 RS
*Red, Daytona Turbo fiberglass hood, chrome 16x8 IROC wheels
*355 CID
*TPI ported plenum, SLP siamesed runners, Edelbrock high flow intake
*SLP 1 and 3/4 headers with 3 inch catback
*Richmond 3.73, Auburn Posi
*Modded 700-R4, 2800 stall converter
*eibach pro kit and hotchkis strut tower brace

"There is no way you have a 350 in that car. They are made to have 305's and a 350 wouldnt fit"
-local parts store genius-

[This message has been edited by cobrakiller1989 (edited December 10, 2001).]

 

You'd think so. I got the 1 3/4" ones with install kit for $300. I know that they are too much for my motor, but I can go with a fairly aggressive cam/heads in the future to make it work (maybe a blower ...)

Do the firebirds and camaros actually have different dimensions or something? That is the only reason I can think of for the incredible variance. Just look above--1 3/4" slip right in from the top on both sides. No, 1 3/4" have to go from the bottom because they don't fit from the top. How can that be. I have to say, on my car, with the valve cover and steering column removed, the driver's side goes in from the top. I'll have to see about the pass side--try moving the air conditioning stuff without disconnecting it (thanks, VampireHunterC) then I'll try lifting the motor (thank you, all that suggested that).

By the way, my car has never been in a wreck and it only has 20,2xx miles, so I don't think that it is deformed or anything