so i was installing my headers today... - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

sweetbmxrider · 03-25-2008, 07:20 PM

i found that my cat is actually gutted

. i laughed and i don't really care but, i don't want a raspy exhaust. i have the slp loudmouth 1 and pacesetter shorties with a y pipe to connect up to the cat. should i replace it? what are some options? any sound clips of how raspy it actually is like this or is what i heard on my stock manifolds/loudmouth it? cuz that wasn't bad at all.

i have a couple days to wait for the air tubes that broke off in the check valves so it isn't immediate. plus i don't start driving till monday so i can wait.

man i had that driverside out so quick too but the passenger side, wow.

sweetbmxrider · 03-25-2008, 09:15 PM

nobody? no input? hollow it is then...

Tru2Chevy · 03-25-2008, 09:33 PM

If you want to go that route, at least stick a straight pipe through the cat body for smooth flow....

- Justin

sweetbmxrider · 03-25-2008, 09:41 PM

well i wasn't sure if it would act as a resonator or something as is. get it deeper and not all raspy. open to ideas though.

TheBandit · 03-27-2008, 06:40 PM

This is on the LT1? kind of off topic but what are doing headers like? and how did you go about getting them in?

sweetbmxrider · 03-27-2008, 08:32 PM

yeah lt1. driverside is a joke. its out in under 40minutes easy. passenger side is a little tricky. removal of the alternator is a must. access to a lot of tools and a lift helps. it was either the third or fifth bolt back doesn't accept a socket but i was able to fit a stubby open end wrench in there. i was using pb blaster to break the rust up the whole week before. one air line to check valve broke. waiting for that, my spark plugs, and msd wires before i continue. i think most everyone replaces the dipstick so i got one, but i haven't seen the need to yet. they usually break or something. i have midtubes by pacesetter goin in too. the driverside drops in from the top, passenger from underneath. fitting the y pipe to the cat is a little tricky and has to be welded. so far though it wasn't bad...so far. oh and #3 spark plug has like no clearance with the new headers. you need to do the vacuum line trick to get it going, then wrench tight. i searched around and there are some great write ups/how-to's on what to do and expect. definitely worth the read.

JL8Jeff · 03-27-2008, 08:47 PM

I'd put in a new 3" high flow cat to help cut down on obnoxious noise and a better chance to keep it legal. You can find the cats for $25-50 depending where you look. My old 93 Indy Pace Car had stock manifolds with a Borla 2-3/4" y-pipe to a 3" random tech cat and Flowmaster cat-back. The car sounded great and had a nice deep rumble to it. It also passed tailpipe emission's with the supercharger, SVO injectors and no custom tuning.

sweetbmxrider · 03-27-2008, 09:08 PM

yeah i was lookin at the random techs. i'll see how this sounds first. thanks though.

TheBandit · 03-28-2008, 12:53 AM

I was looking at a complete system a guy was selling.. Longtubes into an x pipe with some dynomax bullets then the pipes are ran out to the stock location. not sure how it would sound, assuming it would be pretty damn loud but for the price i would buy it. Just wanted to know how installing longtubes would be if i didnt pull the engine or anything.

sweetbmxrider · 03-28-2008, 04:56 PM

long tubes...i'd rather pay someone. its more so clearance issues everywhere. they install from the bottom and i think you need the car 18inches off of the ground to get in there. u deff don't need to pull the motor, and they are actually dropped out the bottom with the car lifted over the top. if you have the time/money/experience to attain that setup, by all means do it. just be ready for things to break/go wrong.

TheBandit · 03-29-2008, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

just be ready for things to break/go wrong.

haha.. well my friend owns a muffler shop so i was gonna have those guys do it, at least just the header part. putting the rest of the exhaust on won't be that hard.

chevyt454 · 03-29-2008, 11:06 AM

I had trouble with the oil dipstick. Had to take it off. Also the Ac bracket.

JL8Jeff · 03-30-2008, 10:16 AM

On my 96 SS and my 00 SS I put longtubes in by myself with the car on ramps in the garage. You do have to jack it up off the ramps to get the headers up in there but once they are up in place you can lower it back down to finish the job. The LS1 was easier with better clearance than the LT1. You probably want some form of heat wrap in case any wires are too close to the headers. The LT1 had wires really close that I ended up wrapping for safety sake. Either one, you want to change your motor mounts while the exhaust is off the car. That will take a bit of time unless you buy a spare set of motor mounts and replace the bushings in the spare set. I spent hours doing the motor mounts in a 35 degree garage!