Well, I'm on day 2 of installing my Kooks LT's. I've got the headers on now, along with with everything else reattached to the car (motor mount brackets, steering shaft, starter, and new prothane motor mounts). All I have to do tomorrow is hook up the O2 sensors and attach the H-pipe and cats to the headers. I will have pictures and my review as soon as I get done with them tomorrow.

I have one question for the seasoned guys who have done this before: did you need extensions for all of your O2 sensors? Kooks only gave me one and I thought that would suffice but after looking at it today, it seems like it might not. Thanks!

 

Funny that all I have is one total post (now 2)...**** hacking left me record-less.

 

I only used the one O2 extender. The others worked just fine. I think the extender went on that one that comes from above the bell housing that's only viewable with the battery tray out. I wouldn't swear to that, but I know for certain I only used the one extender.

What did you end up using for gaskets? Watch the alignment of over axle pipes and h-pipe and don't tighten anything up until everything clears well and lines up. My passenger side over axle pipe was rubbing against the spare tire well under load. Drove my crazy till I found it.

 

I know... weren't you the one posting about this ahead of time? Did you change k members too? Thanx for posting your progress.

 

You only need one O2 extender. I don't remember which side needs it but the other will reach.

 

I didn't use any... I just pulled the clips from the back of the motor and the wires reached on their own. I think the Passenger-Front was the one the extension is for.

 

Any pictures yet?

 

You shouldn't need the extenders. One point of caution before you tighten everything down. Make sure the bungs on your cats are at the same degree of down turn. They should mirror one another. May also be a good time to push the pipes around to ensure the O2's aren't too high to touch the tin on the heat shields, other wise after a 50 miles you may be kicking yourself at the rattles. Good luck. Great product.

 

I used the gaskets Kooks provided for me...I'm not sure what kind they were. They felt like some sort of carbon felt on the outside of an inner metal gasket. I used your advice and checked the over-axle pipes, thanks! I also used the one O2 extension on the forward passenger-side O2 sensor. The others all reached fine.

I didn't change K-members, just motor mounts and headers.

Thanks for the advice, hopefully I won't have any rattles!



So, here is my take after a long install. First of all, let me just be upfront with the bad news: this was a BIG pain. You really do have to jack up the engine and take out the motor mount brackets, the starter, the steering shaft, and some crossbar on the frame.

The biggest pain I had was removing the studs from the original exhaust manifold. I literally couldn't get one (I wasted 2 hours trying though ) off so I had to reuse it on the Kooks headers. Other than that, it all went pretty well; it was just very time consuming (took me about 12 hours total, by myself, on a lift).

My advice for anyone who wants to do it: Once you get the car started, get underneath it to check for exhaust leaks. I had one leak on the H-pipe connection so I had to readjust and retighten it after shutting the engine down again. It was a pretty straight forward install, however, the directions from Kooks are pretty down right awful for a +$1000 product. They contradict themselves and say the O2 sensor extension should be on the forward driver's side and the forward passenger's side. It definitely is meant for the passenger's side.

Now for the great news: these headers are amazing!! The sound is unbelievable, both under load and not under load. I bought them from Tillman at a great price and Chris Rose hooked me up with his 93 All-Out tune. This car, with his tune, is a beast now! I can't put into words how much torque and horsepower the car seems to generate now (even without a S/C). On take off, the rear end of the car really squats down now from all that torque and then it keeps pulling at the higher RPM's with all that horsepower! Unbelievable! Anyways, thanks to Chris Rose for getting me the parts and tune and thanks to everyone else for the advice!

For some reason I can't upload pictures right now so I will try again later. In case anyone is wondering what else I've got on my car with the headers: I have a C&L Street Intake, Steeda UDP, Steeda Delete Plates, and the factory 3.55 gear.

Also, one last thing for anyone else who has done this. Did any of you have an issue with tightening the steering shaft? I tightened the bolts down as much as I could but, even so, now my steering has a little leeway in it (maybe a 1/2" of the steering wheel turn). It doesn't feel very confidence-inspiring while driving so I think I'm gonna try to fix it soon. Any thoughts?

 

I didn't have any trouble on the steering shaft. But mine also definitely doesn't have any play in it noew either. Somehting is not right there. I marked the shaft to make sure I put it back correctly. Then I turned the steering wheel to lock it in place without the key in the ignition so it would not move. I think I also only undid it at the firewall and left it laying to the side.

I really can't help other than I think in one post from a year or more ago someone said that you could do harm to something inside or on the shaft by undoing it. I guess I got lucky. It was one person in one post and I cannot remember the thread. I know that sounds scary but its something I rememeber.

And yet I had no bad luck at all with mine.

 

I actually managed to get my headers in without ever having to remove the steering shaft, so I'm afraid I can't be of much help here. Good choice on the Kooks headers. They're awesome,

 

Congrats on the install. Even though I used American Racing Headers, I can't be of any help in the install process either as I had them installed by a shop for only $300 (a steal as people tell me). I have a 2-post lift in my dad's garage, but didn't feel like dealing with them. The sound longtubes makes are AMAZING!!! If you haven't yet, find a tunnel and drive through it in 3rd gear and stand on the gas!! The sound is intoxicating, to say the least!! Good luck and enjoy the headers!!! I love mine!!!