After several late nights and skinned knuckles the Hooker 2005' (coated by ASC) and Aerochamber cat back are on. Driver side header, piece of cake. Passenger side, PITA. Me and the rear bolt on the passenger side got to know each real well. Life became much easier when I unbolted the passenger side motor mount and rocked the engine up. While I had things apart, I changed plugs, cap, rotor, and installed custom fit wires.

Fired the engine up last night. Other than a little smoke from the headers burning in, everything was fine. Love the sound of the Aerochamber. Drove it for about 10 miles. I can already tell my driving habits with more power and better sound will require more frequent trips to the gas pump. I seriously need to get rid of the 3.08 open rear end and move up to something like a 3.42 posi. Just with the few easy mods I've made so far, keeping the right rear tire planted is difficult.

Plan to get started on the data logging and prom tuning soon. Have just about everything I need to get started. I plan to get my feet wet tuning now even though I haven't done anything serious to the motor yet. That way I'll know what I'm doing when I change the heads, cam, and intake.

 

I bet your car sounds pretty good now, doesn't it? And, your definitely on the right track, the sooner you start burning your own PROMs, the better. Good luck!

 

You will get even more power out of your new combo with chip work. I am glad you are getting started in that. The volumetric efficiency of your car has dramatically changed and chip work will make the most of it

 

Great way to go about it.

FWIW, I had to make VE table changes as large as 10% after I put the 2055's on my car.

 

I went with the 2055's myself and I like them quite a bit.

 

REMEMBER

Retighten your bolts in a week or 2. They'll work themselves loose.

 

Benm109, You're right, the hooker 2055's and cat back sound really nice. The sound is very mellow and not excessively loud while cruising, but have a tough throaty growl when you put you're foot in it. Everyone that's heard it is really impressed with the tone. I'm running with a 3" Catco cat, suppose it would be louder without the cat.

cali92RS, about retightening the header bolts . . . I used Stage 8 bolts and Percy's gaskets. I put the locks and retainers on the passenger side and buttoned everything up on that side hoping I don't have to tear it back apart to retighten. Driver's side much easier to get at, so I left the locks and clips off and will check and tighten if necessary in a few days, then install locks and clips. If I find the driver's side has relaxed alot, guess I'll have to bite the bullet and go after the passenger side.

 

Not a problem with my headers. I bought some Breslin header bolts. After you tighten them you take an allen wrench and tighten the center and it locks in place. No more loose bolts.

 

Yea, I just saw the Breslin bolts for the first time, after I bought the stage 8's. I think the Breslin would work better since they should eliminate ALL loosening. The stage 8's, no matter how good you "custom fit" the locks, can back off a little. Anyway, I think they will be o.k. along with the dead soft aluminum gaskets I used.

 

I would like some long term info on the Breslin bolts, Like if the get rusty and lock up. A nightmare or a great dream.

 

91RockS, when you do your chip tuning work on the timing side as well. There is quite abit to be gained there. If it was me, I would be sticking a LT1 cam in there soon.

 

JokerRS, I'm just getting ramped up on the prom tuning. You're right about the LT1 cam. It's sitting in the garage waiting to go in. Want to tune with what I have first, then swap the cam. I'm real happy with the improvements seen with the headers and cat back with the stock tune, look forward to making it better with a little tuning. Winter will be here quick, so the cam may go in until spring.

 

Stupid quick question I've never heard answered, can you use the factory air tube setup for the 2055s on the TBI setup, I was under the impression the 2055s were designed for TPI cars and the tubes faced opposite directions.

 

I used the 2055's on my LO3 with no problems. Air tubes hooked up fine.

 

I had the aerochamber catback on my 82 crossfire car. I loved the sound of that thing. That with the headers woke the car up quite a bit.

 

I bought my coated 2055's through ACS. They fit up perfectly with the factory air lines. You could be right about the 2055's being designed for TPI cars. I believe that when I talked to Dave at ACS to place my order for my 5.0 TBI he said they have to modify one of the headers to reverse the direction of the air tube fittings by cutting it off, flipping it around, and re-welding. ACS also welded the O2 bung on on driver side collector.

 

Mine fit fine. Didn't have to turn one of the tubes around.

So how do you like how they sound?

 

Just finished collecting my first data logging runs. I was surprised to see almost all the BLM's to about 118 to 128, none above 128. Numbers lower than 128 means engine is running rich, so the ecm's adaptive learning is taking fuel out. I thought that with my mods (open element, headers, high flow cat, hooker cat back) I would be running leaner due to better air flow. Maybe my logic is flawed. I'm curious what BLM's others have seen with similar mods and stock tune.

I have the base timing set at 4*. Logs show only a couple of knock counts in a few cells. I plan to bump the timing a little more until I start seeing more knock. Will be ordering the Prominator soon so I can start tuning.

 

I had to make pretty significant changes, but only in the higher KPA ranges. I added as much as 10% more fuel in a few cells under WOT.

 

My BLM's were in the 90's after the head, cam and exhaust mods.

 

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I could be wrong about flipping one of the air tube around. If you ordered your headers in stock form (no coating or modifications) that I guess that's proof they'll fit a TBI.

Hooker 2055's and Aerchamber cat-back sounds great, no to mention looking great from the rear.

 

I have the 2055's with the Borla cat back.