Header install question
 

Hey guys, I'm on day two of my header install and I cant get the passenger header in. I removed the heat shield, but I still cant get it in. Kooks instructions says to remove the starter, but in all the videos I watch no one does. Am I missing something? I also cant find any videos on how to remove the starter. It's a pain raising and lowering the car so much in jack stands, so trying not to keep doing that.

I was gonna lower it to get access to the engine, the car is up there. Anyways, I got the starter completely off, and this header just wont fit. I've been trying for over 2 hours now. It hits on the back firewall where there are some metal black lines covered in heat tape. Bottom of the car is at 19", and I wont go any higher as I feel I'm on the edge of having safe working environment. I'm working solo, and have no one to call for help. Honestly, about to quit and try to hire a mobile mechanic, this job is way way more complex than my older frs, and a bit frustrated atm.

I guess injust needed to complain about it more lol, I went in for one last attempt and wiggled it in, SUCESS, omg, if I had that much trouble, how hard is this dipstick gonna be hah 5 1/2 hours to pull everything apart, 3 hours to place the headers in the right spot. Definitely not a small job

Nice. Get the dip stick back in now. Before bolting up the header

The starter is quite challenging to fit back in. I'm gonna try to pull the header as far up as I can to see of I can get the clearance. Thankyou
Sir, good looking out

Got the starter and heat shield back in, but I dropped a bolt and it is gone. Like gone gone, dipstick was cake. Where can I order kooks header bolts besides kooks? I don't want to wait a week for 1 bolt

Auto part store with a hot rod section or a hot rod shop.

Get a Home Depot grade 8 and put it in a spot that’s easy to get to while you wait

Perfect thankyou so much guys! After scrambling around and buying a bolt, when I was putting the cats on, I kept hearing a rattle when I was tapping it for well rattling lol. And upon further inspection, I found the bolt! It slid down the headers like a slide right into the space between the 4 tubes and the merge spike, hah. I appreciate all of the help and forgive my frustrations. I'm stopping for the night, and getting a ride for work tomorrow. Should finish up tomorrow assuming there is no leaks are cracked plugs. /fingers crossed Headers are done and plumbed in, and car is in the ground, just gotta do the plug wires and start reassembling. I left the bottom pieces off untill I verify it's all good and tight. Driver side was interesting to cut the borla secondary cat delete, that's my only concern with leaks really.

I'm hoping my Kooks come in soon, should be sometime this week. I purchased it from DynoSteve, and it was sent out to get coated.


I plan on installing mine during the TG weekend since I'll be off from Thursday - Sunday. More time for these frustrating moments!


Glad you finally got it in and I hope I don't have to remove the starter too!
I'll be using my QJ instead of stands, hoping it'll be easier.


Thanks for posting your problems, others like me need to know what to expect!

Make sure you move the wiring harness on the passenger side to behind the coolant reservoir. Heat tape and zip tie everything away from your headers. Wiggle things around a little after bolting headers up to make sure you don't hit anything (your motor moves some on the mounts) - this will avoid rattles in the future. Spend some time making sure the steering shaft doesn't hit the header on your driver's side. You need a good bit of clearance on this because, again, the motor moves a bit while driving.

May be too late, but tighten header bolts from inside out. I went hand tight first, 15 ft-lbs on the first pass, 22 ft-lbs on second pass. Do your best here, its tough to get a toque wrench on some of those. It's generally good to recheck tightness after a few heat cycles. Also, the exhaust gaskets are directional. Don't get it backwards.

I've had issues with the ball clamps on the back end of the header (to the connection pipes). Make 100% sure these are straight and even. Again, recheck tightness after a few heat cycles.

It helps to vent out in frustration every now and then. I'll have mine professionally installed. Too old and out of shape to be climbing under the car. And I don't have a place to work in either.

I must have been damn lucky or else American Racing Headers are just so much easier to install. I started with trying to drop my passenger side in from the top and it was sooooo close to going in but then I tried from the bottom and it slipped up in there on the first try and I did NOT even have to remove the starter. I just removed the starter heat shield temporarily. Drivers side went in from the top without an ounce of issue.

Are these 2in Headers or 1-7/8s? They look pretty big. IF 2in that might be the difference right there.

Good job on winning the battle though!.

I'm gonna try and button it up today after work. I forgot about the wiring harness, thankyou! The starter honestly wasnt as bad as I thought, 2 bolts a nut, and an electrical connector. Getting it back it, I had to lower the header just a little and put a jack stand under the collector to hold in place, oh also, there are two tranny fluid lines maybe, that are in the way. One bolt near the bottom to move then it become much easier. This weekend is the im flex fuel kit, and big mouth intake. Hopefully will be much easier haha