Headers questions
 

1.Looking to get some long tube headers and was wondering people’s opinions on Texas Speed vs ARH vs Kooks and any other brand people run and how they fit.

2. Steering shaft bolt impacting the headers and how to deal with that if it happens and anything else I should look for or do while installing.

3. I’ve heard you need to put heat tape around the wiring harness on the passenger side and either put sleeves over the plug wires or get new ones with ceramic boots.

4. Is it recommended to wrap the headers because I was thinking about wrapping them to help with heat.

go ARH and you will not have fitment issues. Made in USA with USA stainless steel. yes you need to move the wiring harness under the coolant over flow bottle and heat tape it. zip tie it away from the headers. Get GM exhaust gaskets https://www.summitracing.com/parts/a...make/chevrolet torque manifold bolts to 17 ftlbs.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...%2C+%26+clamps
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...park+plug+boot
It would be better to have the headers sent to Swain tech http://swaintech.com/race-coatings/ to have them ceramic coated. not painted like everyone else does.

1. I have the TSP 2" headers. No issues with installation or fitment. I would go TSP again (awesome price).

2. If you have issues with the steering shaft, mark the spot with a sharpie, pull the headers back out (luckily this is the easy side), get a 2x4 and a hammer, and knock a dimple where the shaft was. Repeat as necessary. Some people have to do this, but most don't.

3. You can heat tape the harness if you want. A better option is to cut the few zip ties and pull the wiring harness to the other side (fender side) of the coolant reservoir. Either way you need to pull it well away from the header. Heat tape doesn't work if it is touching. I am running with the factory plug wires, no boots. The fat rubber part of the plug wire (where you grab it to remove it) for cylinder 3 barely touches the header, but I haven't had any issues with it since the install. Been a few thousand miles so far.

4. I feel like wrapping headers is kind of the crappy solution. Send them off or have the vendor ceramic coat them before shipping to you. It's a few hundred dollars but it looks a lot better and lasts longer.

Make sure you get new factory gaskets and make sure you face them the right way. There is an arrow showing proper installation orientation. Tighten bolts from the inside out and do it in multiple passes with a torque wrench. I think I went 15 ft/lbs the first time, then went to 20 for the second pass. No leaks at 20 for me. Also, check tightness after a few drives and periodically after that.

Swaintech looks good. I’m gonna pull my wrap and send them there next time I take the tsp headers off

No fit issues at all with the ARH 2 inch headers. I would coat (jet hot, etc) the headers instead of wrap. No only does wrap look awful, if not applied correctly, it can degrade the metal on the pipes and cause hot spots...yes I have seen that happen.

I do agree but I’ve had coated headers before and I do think the wrap is more effective at insulating. Running the top tier wrap

17ft lbs is what GM says but sense my torque wrench only goes to 200inlbs then my next one starts at 20ftlbs i had to do 20ftlbs. no leaks here either

i have afe power catted ones no issues here