So I have a question.....I bought a set of Edelbrock TES headers a few years ago. They have been sitting in my garage for the entire time i've owned them and I have decided that it is now FINALLY time to install them. I've been calling around to a few shops to get prices on installation. Each shop i've called has told me between 4 and 6 hours of labor and anywhere from $250 - $400 to install. I can't see paying more for the installation than I did for the parts. So the question is....how difficult will it be to install them myself? I have access to a lift to get the car into the air with no problems, but is this even something I can do myself. I understand the drivers side goes in with little to no problem, but what about the pass side? I was told at one point that either the valve cover or the entire head needs to be removed to get the header in. Can someone who has installed these units PLEASE give me some info as I am NOT going to pull the head off on my own. Plus I really don't want to pay all that money to have them installed if I don't have to. Also about how many hours does it typically take to do the install on your own? Thanks in advance!

Ryan

 

I just did mine and you will most likely have to unbolt the pass side motor mount and lift the engine about an inch.You will have to pop the steering rod out till you get the driver side in.The rear bolt on the pass. side will be a pain in the butt.It took me all day.

 

theyre not all that hard to install...if u were anywhere near me id do it for 100 bucks

 

u can do it, just do some searching. my driver side went in with no problems. dose TES's have air pipes? i cant remeber but if they do its a little harder. take your plugs out, dip stick tube and your fan switch sensor out, there both on the pass side. unbolting your motor mount helps alot.

 

If your not familiar with installing headers, be prepared for some tight places and bruise knuckle/fingers. Passenger side will be the hardest since you have items in the way that has to be removed. The one bolt rear bolt on the header closest to the firewall gave me the most problems when removing the stock headers.
Do you have the edlebrock Y pipe as well? If not then you will need to get one made since the stock Y pipe will not work with aftemarket headers. If you have a weekend to waste then install it yourself then have someone fab you a Y-pipe.

 

Ok so I'm going to attempt to tackle the installation this week. Next question is....what type of gaskets should i puchase for the headers? Is it just a standard set of gaskets? or like a copper set? let me know. If you guys have a part number i could take to autozone or kragen or something similar that'd be great. Thanks.

 

I used the gaskets that came with my headers just to see if they would work well enough before spending the $ for the better ones and I haven't had any problems with them.

 

You don't have to take loose the motor mount. Just drop the starter on the passenger side and remove the AIR module (thing with the black box sticking up behind the a/c compressor) and go in from the bottom. Just be sure to watch out for the rear fan switch and the knock sensor connectors, you don't have to remove them if you're carefull. And be sure to position the flanges at the collectors carefully before tightening or you'll be feeling the vibrations through the K member. Hardest part for the drivers side is dropping the steering shaft and that's only because it's a tight fitting piece. My first set of headers took me all of a day and a half. New set just under 6 hours, 3rd time when I sent them off to be coated less than 2 hours.

 

See now that depends on his motor mounts, if they sag or not.I had my starter and the air box out and the only way it would go in was with the motor mount loose.I would try it without loosening the motor mount and see if it works.If you have to it only takes a minutet to do.

 

$250 would be really reasonable for a header install. Of course labor can cost more than parts, it usually does. People's time is worth money. Plan on it taking an entire day if you have never done something like this before. What happens when you snap an exhaust manifold bolt off in the head and can't get it out without removing the head? Stuff like this always has a way of happening when you least expect it.

 

That could be true in his case but from my own experience I didn't have to take loose the mounts and I am still running with the original mounts in my car.