Well today, after 9 hrs, and using a lift I still couldn't complete my BBK shorty header install. I can't get one top bolt in on the drivers side in and so now i have a leak.Ihad to cut a stud short to get another one on, and i had to use a SS bolt for yet another one, but this last one is just aweful. I tried cutting the bolt shorter to fit it but there just isn't enough room to get it into the block let alone turn it with your fingers. I swear i wish I never tried this, my Saleen install was much easier. I'm about to put the stockers back on. I'm going to home depot tomorrow and look for a shorter bolt and give it anothert try tomorrow night but it doesn't look good

Nothing like wasting an entire day with nothing to show for it.[:@]

Thankfully, Adam and his crew at ST Motorsports will be installing the ARH LT's. I've read some horror stories about how difficult they can be.

Good luck

are you putting in shorties? I have a set and I can tell you it was a MAJOR PITA!!! For the driver's side, after about an hour of fumbling with those bolts I just said screw it and disconnected the steer column, unbolted the engine and used the engine hoist on the lift w/a tranny jack to lift the motor and give a little more room.

Sure do wish you well on getting it done. That was one of the reasons I chose to go with the Kooks LT. They were hard enough to get in but complete install only took me 5-1/2 hours so thats not to bad. Good luck.

sorry to hear about how things are going so far...good luck with getting them installed tomorrow

ORIGINAL: 07BOSSGT_S197

are you putting in shorties? I have a set and I can tell you it was a MAJOR PITA!!! For the driver's side, after about an hour of fumbling with those bolts I just said screw it and disconnected the steer column, unbolted the engine and used the engine hoist on the lift w/a tranny jack to lift the motor and give a little more room.


thats what my mechanic did as well to make the install easier. We read so many people having issues with it so we just didn't even try to fumble with it and just unbloted every thing and the install took about 8 hours with no issues.

Let us know how this ultimately turns out. I've got a new set of BBK shorties waiting to be installed.

If you undo the steering shaft and slide the steering rack forward, you get more room. That along with undoing the motor mounts and pulling the motor up gives you tons of room. Well, not tons but alot more.

Thanks, I'll will lift the engine again. That last bolt is on the drivers side, It's on the top and it is the third from the front. You just can't get your fingers in there and you can't get the bolt in. I did this job with my brother in law who has been a mechanic for 30 years and he was just as frustrated as i was. I had the steering column out and the engine up when i did the bottom bolts, and they seemed easy enough.

One of the studs had to be cut so it would fit so even if I wanted to get it out I don't know if I can. If it doesn't go well tonight i will either go back to stock or have the car towed to either Kooks in Bayshore or ARH in Deer park and say "just put your headers on, I don't care how long it takes, let me know when it's done". Either that or I'll just pour gas on it and call it a day.[:@]

Your not going to want to hear what I am about to tell you... but to get that bolt in, it has to be the first one you start with, and it has to be shorter than the ones that come with the headers. I messed with that bolt for nearly 3 hours and that was the only way I could get it on. Two sets of hands are a nessesacity for that too.. Also, when doing the passenger side, you'll find it helpful to use a mixture of the stock studs and the short bolts provided by BBK. Any place that its tight to get the bolt in place, what I did was use the stud, and leave the header out from the head just enough so that I could start the nuts on each stud, and then slide the header the rest of the way in.

Two other tips:

1. If you disconnected your stearing shaft, DO NOT turn your steering wheel from lock to lock to find the center. You will break the clock spring that makes the electrical connections in the steering column.

2. When you put the bolts back into the steering shaft... Loc-tite is your friend.

Would lowering the engine help any? I must have lowered mine a good 4 inches to get my transmission out just by unbolting the engine crossmember from the frame.

+1 on starting with that bolt first. And dont tighten any of the bolts til they are all started. Motor mounts, steering column and starter have to be removed or disconnected. Raise motor. You can do this! Dont give up!

As much as I would love putting in long tubes, I know I don't have the expertise, nor tools to complete the task.

Thanks guys. Once I was able to raise the engine and get that last bolt in, found out there was one loose too. So I tightened everything up and thought i had it all fixed, it sounded good at start up and rev, but once I started driving, Istill heard a mild leak on the drivers side.[:@][:@][:@]

So this morning I will get the car up on ramps and try to retighten all the bolts on the drivers side one last time. If it doesn't work out I'm driving the car straight to Kooks in Bayshore. I guess it's really nothing money can't solve.:(

OK I was able to tighten 3 of the 4 top bolts on the drivers side about 1/2- 1 full turn. I also used my impact gun on the collector bolts and so far I don't hear any leaks! As far as sound goes, it doesn't seem any louder or softer just alittle deeper and the note now has a beat to it.

I don't know about power improvement b/c i haven't gone WOT throttle yet, but my next trip to the dyno should be revealing, as well as, my next track day on the 20th. Maybe now I can get the car out and finally take new sig pic.

Damn! I must have gotten lucky. I have a few lifts and another set of hands at my shop. But I still didnt have to get colorful with verbal frustration. For me, the passenger side required lifting the engine to get the header in place. Took maybe 5 hrs. And most of that time was on the pass side.

I'm sure if more than one poster is bitching about it, there must be some issues though. I just didnt have them.

To me, these headers seemed to have slightly lowered the decibels, and added a "pulse" to the exhaust. "Beat" is another good description.

ORIGINAL: drbobvs

Thanks guys. Once I was able to raise the engine and get that last bolt in, found out there was one loose too. So I tightened everything up and thought i had it all fixed, it sounded good at start up and rev, but once I started driving, Istill heard a mild leak on the drivers side.[:@][:@][:@]

So this morning I will get the car up on ramps and try to retighten all the bolts on the drivers side one last time. If it doesn't work out I'm driving the car straight to Kooks in Bayshore. I guess it's really nothing money can't solve.:(


What does an exhaust leak sound like when your driving?

When it comes from the one of the primaries it sounds like a classic ticking sound. If you've ever been next to an old beater Chevy, like a Caprice Classic, and as it pulls away it goes puft,puft,puft,puft...., or tick tick tick tick, that's it.

The tick isn't a leak... alot of headers do that, especially on aluminum heads.. It's the sound of the valves closing, and the aluminum transmits the sound easier than iron does.

Well since I tightened the bolts, no more puft/tick.SO I know it was a leak.

Ahh Ok. Sometimes guys mistake Header tick for a leak and go nuts trying to fix it. Just trying to save ya some hair just in case ;)

I'm still getting that ticking sound from my headers and I went through an ordeal after I snapped one of the collector studs off in the flange itself attatched to the header.[:@] that was fixed but still have the leak. Would there be any difference, sound wise, if it were coming from the collector vice the header itself? I know that exhaust ticking all too well and I can see what looks like burnt exhaust residue around where the most rear part of the header and collector are.

If it sounds like it's under the car it's likely the collector but those are not known to leak. If it only happens when on the throttle it's likely the exhaust header gasket. Also if the sound seems like it's on the left of the car.

Glad to hear you got it knocked out! I knew you would get it done!

Rob, congrats for getting it worked out. You and me heads up on the 20th!! ;)