Header gaskets?

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

Well.. I ordered up my pacesetters today!!

I have heard bad things about most after market gaskets.. so.. I am thinking about going with a new pair of GM stocker header gaskets?? that a good idea?? do i need to do anything to them before I install them?

any special tricks to prevent leaks??

I also have a 2000 car.. so.. i got the EGR sim from ZZP so i can get rid of all that crap.. then I splurged and got a new cat..

so.. i think i have it all covered less of a new S-pipe.. which i may jsut get someone to fab up real quick..

any other advice for the install on the newer cars??

[ReodDai]

I just did it.. use the gaskets that come with the headers untill you have problems with those.

Very easy install just be patient. Hardest part is those damn spark plug heat shields.

Any benefits to an EGR sim?

[ January 05, 2004: Message edited by: ReodDai ]</p>

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

hmm.. I think i am gunna go with the stocker gaskets.. we will see.. I pretty much only want to do this one time..

anyway.. well.. I got the EGR sim for a few reasons.. in the future with a turbo or SC its not great to have it.. and.. its jsut annoying.. i allways find myself taking it apart..

plus.. i am not sure how you got the egr pipe to line up but i have heard of people having problems with it..

any other experiences you want to share??
you are one of the few 2000+ owners with the headers on... i need a little feadback before i get at it.. how long did it take you??

[FloydSummerOf68]

I put mine on recently...I have a 2002 firebird...it's a lot of work...but I enjoyed doing it. I also havent had any problems with the gaskets that came with it. Just make sure to take care of them when putting them on and they should be fine. It took my dad and I about 10 hours to put them on...but we ran into a few problems...nothings ever as easy as it should be right? None of it is really hard...it just gets frustrating at times and will definatley take you a while.

[AllTheGoodNamesAreGone]

wow.. 10 hours..thats alot..

but there will be two of us working on my car atleast..

what dident go so smooth for you?

[firebird1]

where the hell is kesington?
mine should be here today, [img]graemlins/fluffy.gif[/img]

[ellik]

i ordered a set of fel-pros. opened them up and matched them up to the headers and then called a dealership to get a set of stocker gaskets. anybody thinks they want the fel-pros, ive got them for sale.
what do you use use for gaskets between the headers and y-pipe at the ball and socket joint? do you need to get any kind of gasket for that or is it just metal to metal? nothing came with my headers.

[jonny985]

Hey guys, If you aren't using the pacesetter gaskets, I sure could use them, I could give you a few bucks for them. I have a leak that I can't fix due to porting to the wrong gasket. Don't get Fel-Pro gaskets, they didn't work for me at all.

It took me about 6-10 hours to put them on too. It only takes about 30 minutes to install the new ones and about 8 hours to get the old peices of crap off.

Most of the time went to getting those dam heat shields off with their rusted bolts. I had to grind them off any way I could.

I can pull mine off and back on in an hour or so now.

[jonny985]

I used ultra copper for the ball and cup flanges but you don't really need anything, they seal up real nice.

[FloydSummerOf68]

I dont understand why everyone complains about the heat shields....that took me like 10 minutes top to get off....theirs only like 2 bolts you have to get off.
A problem was that one of my spark plug wires would not fit at all...so i had a to get a 90-90degree angle one. And getting the O2sensors hooked up again is a pain in the *** . Cutting the old pipe is a pain because their isnt much room. And just getting the old manifolds off all together is a pain....but well worth it in the end.
And I used an extra spacer between the header and y-pipe...they didn't tighten up as much as i wanted....but it was no big deal...just get an extra bolt or something.

[Tyler]

well other than felpro and stock 3ply steel gaskets.. what are other gaskets that are good..

and whats so wrong with felpros?

[ January 06, 2004: Message edited by: Tyler ]</p>

[ellik]

jonny-
after i get mine installed in the next couple of weeks I'll send you my pacesetter gaskets. just dont want to send them away too early just in case i have problems w/ the gm gaskets.
Shoot me an email w/ your address @ ellik@comcast.net
and then remind me again in like a week or two.

[jonny985]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by FloydSummerOf68:
I dont understand why everyone complains about the heat shields....that took me like 10 minutes top to get off....theirs only like 2 bolts you have to get off.
.<hr></blockquote>

Thats because you have a car that has 6 years less rust and tubular manifolds. I think mine had something like 4-6 rusted bolts.

[FloydSummerOf68]

Ah yeah....that makes sense...my bad :D
I'm gonna be helping my buddy put some headers on his 99 camaro...so that will probably prove to be a little more difficult.

[hawgs]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by FloydSummerOf68:
Ah yeah....that makes sense...my bad :D
I'm gonna be helping my buddy put some headers on his 99 camaro...so that will probably prove to be a little more difficult.<hr></blockquote>

Glad to see youre getting some practice in before you do mine [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ January 07, 2004: Message edited by: hawgs ]</p>