In a few months I'm going to be picking up a set of headmen headers and a 99 SS muffler from a friend of mine. He's parting out his firebird so I'm picking them up. The only thing is he's running without a cat.

I know enough people to be able to get the car passed emissions and inspection so that's no problem. My questions all lie in what I should/need to remove. The headman header do not have any spots to hook up anything emission-wise.

I'm still new to this whole exhaust thing so I'm sorry if i make and stupid comments or ask a stupid question.

Let's start off with the A.I.R. system. As i understand it this is involved with the cat so i won't need it. Next i'm wondering whether i shoudl just go through and remove everything with the emissions. I've heard good and bad on this. I'm using a TBI so I'm curious to find out.

Any information anyone can add I'd love to read. If you have or know of a how-to I'd appreciate it. Thanks

I would ditch the AIR but retain a cat. You practically don't lose any hp with a cat and it will allow you to pass emissions. I think it is impossible to pass without a cat. Just get a universal high flow cat without AIR. You can pass without AIR but that is with a cat. This way you can get rid of your smog pump and all of the lines that are assosiated with AIR but retain your cat for emissions.

You said the headers "do not have any spots to hook up anything emission-wise". If that means O2 sensor, you'll have to do something about that, because the TBI needs its input.

The headrs are coming off a 350 TPI so i'm not sure whether they use the O2 sensor or not. If it doesn't can i add one the the "bulges" that i've heard about?

The 350 TPI will have an 02 bung and they should work no problems.

Good to hear about the O2

Would I need/want to remove the EGR or should I just leave that go and everything along with it? I'm still a little shaky on all that so if someone could explain how the EGR and the system around it work I would appreciate it. Also, what's included with the AIR system? What all should I remove? -> a list would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Leave the EGR be. It actually is really good for a car. You don't add any power by removing it. Many people remove it to clean things up in their engine bay and delete something that could cause problems if it went bad.

Now as for the AIR stuff. I assume the headers do not have the AIR tubes on them. You can pretty much dissconnect the stuff from the back of the smog pump and remove all of the lines and stuff connected to them. Just leave the two plugs from the dirverter valve hang and keep them out of the way. You will not throw a code so don't worry. There is a bolt on the back of the motor that holds the tube that goes to your cat. You will have to cut that tube a bit to get it out from behind your motor and off of your cat. Just follow the tech srticle in the tech srticle section and you will be fine. After the lines are out you can remove the smog pump and install your longer serpentine belt. You don't have to remove your smog pump but it will slowly seize up and make funny noises when things are dissconnected from them.

Shifty -> You're a great help! I'll leave the EGR since I'm not all sure about it and I'm sure that the GM engineers know better than I do. As for the AIR, that's going...going...soon to be....gone!

I was just thinking about it and I'm just curious. The car is a Firebird with a 350, should either of these two facts cause the headers from it to not fit on my Chevy 305?

Does anyone know about this?

They will work no problem. Any header desinged to fit inside a 3rd gen will hook up to any Gen1 and Gen11 small block. They have the same external dimensions with the bolts holes and exhaust ports in the same location.

Shifty, you're one of my favorite people to hear from. I trust what you have to say a lot. Definately surprised you're not a moderator.

Anyone have any suggestions on what i should do before or during this install, any bits of help or suggestions that may give out a little power, no increase in power is too little to gain.

I appreciate the kind words. I am glad that I can help out. I have been there before and I know what it is like to get sound advice. Anyways, are these headers coming with a y-pipe? What are you going to do with the rest of the exhaust besides the muffler you picked up. You may have to do a little fab work if you have some miss matched pipe sizes down there. As for the AIR you have it covered. it is really easy. When you put these headers on and you take off your old stuff you will see the AIR just kinda separate from the rest of the stuff. it isn't at all confusing. I would re-read the tech article and just get ready to do it. You may also want to pick up that new serpentine belt if you are taking the air pump out right away. That may be one of the hardest things you have to do. Some people have theirs come out right away and others scream and yell like me. I eventually got a pair of vice grips on it and it came right out. I have helped others and we found it easier to unbolt the entire accessory bracket and pull it out of the car. It is cake to get out then. Here is a pic of the top bolt that is stripped. I can't find the pic of the bracket after I got midevil on it to get the pump out.

Well here is one more pic to show you what the back of the air pump will look like when you have everything dissconnected from it. I left it like this for about a year until it started to sieze. I recomend getting it out as soon as you dissconnect the air to avoid the horrid death noises it makes.

Hey ShiftyCapone

I want to delete all the AIR garbage. Although I have Edelbrock tubular headers with the air tubes. Is it still possible to remove all the tubes? As of this moment my air pump has been gutted out and not functional but still mounted on the car.

Not to change the subject but I plan on replacing my valve seals on my 88 IROC with a 305 TPI. Do you have links that explain in detail on how this procedure is done. Please advise.

Thanks in advance.
Joey

Also could you post more pics of your AIR deletion.

I don't really have any more pics with the air deletion because it is pretty straight forward. You can remove your AIR stuff and then just cap the tubes on your headers. Try a search for valve seal replacement and you should have some luck. Most of the posts out there accurately describe the change out procedure.

Well here is one more of the big picture.