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16K views 51 replies 19 participants last post by  thebigjimsho 
#1 ·
How much have people been charged to have headers installed? I'm guessing it takes 4-6 hours at about $40-80 and hour.

I really want to do it myself but am also feeling really lazy too these days.
 
#2 ·
I got a quote just to see how much it would cost. 400 bucks for both sides. I decided to do it with some help from our mechanics at work and use the money to tune it. We have a 4 post lift at work, so it makes it easier.
 
#3 ·
my local place has just quoted me a maximum of 5 hours...although @ $75/hour that is pretty difficult to swallow!

Even if I knew how to wrench (which I don't), I live in an apartment and I highly doubt they would be too cool with me installing headers outside in our parking lot :shhh:
 
#5 ·
Took me something like nine hours in my garage split between two days. I'm DEFINITELY no mechanic, however. Three hours would be too optimistic, IMHO ... five for a pro would be more like it.

Heck, avoiding the anguish associated with reinserting the dipstick tube would be worth $400 all by itself! :worship:
 
#7 ·
"Heck, avoiding the anguish associated with reinserting the dipstick tube would be worth $400 all by itself! "

I have you all beat.

I almost set the car on fire and slashed the crap out of my hand.

WTF happened?

I was removing the passenger side and the old gasket (which is steel) slipped out and fell right across the starter motor B+.

POOF!

It burst into flames!!!!

It cut through my hand like a hot knife through butter when I reached down to move it.:helpless:

So......

Disconnect the battery before you work on it! :hide:

"The last trip to MOD HELL can be the emergency room"
 
#13 ·
dang heavy I didn't even think of that shorting out.... I bet your heart missed a beat... or two.

You can laugh about it now though right? :)
 
#14 ·
I don't know how hard it is to install other headers, but the B&B was incredibly easy to put on. The hard part was getting around to taking off the stock headers. I took a very long time because I'm incredibly slow and deliberate on first time jobs. About 10 hours. But if I needed to get the headers off for a motor mount or clutch job, I know I could get them off and on in 4 hours.

A mechanic shouldn't need more than 4 if he's got a lift.
 
#17 ·
I was quoted between $200-250 but did it myself.
 
#19 ·
Just do them yourself, i ended up doing them with some shitty hand tools in a parking spot in the street on the only cold night in South FL when i had a cold! decided to finish next day so went out drinking till 6am slept 3hours hungover throwing up i finished working on the car and i pulled the dipstick without looking! ARRRGGGG took a LONG time to find the hole in the dark.
 
#20 ·
BTW i did this Last Sat/Sun TPIS headers, i did not remove steering shaft. I don't feel much maybe i can't tell but its not currently tuned i hope the tune makes a nice change because the only thing that has changed is more noise around the engine bay and higher pitch exhaust note.
 
#23 ·
Get the B&B Headers so you don't have to remove the steering shaft ...
Moving the steering shaft honestly takes 60 seconds if you're hungover, even less if you're not. Remove one bolt, swing it out of the way, place header, rebolt steering shaft ... done. There's oodles of room to get at it, too. Other than that, the install for the B&B and Kooks are nearly identical.

On a related note, I'd have gone B&B all the way back except I couldn't have tolerated the drone several people said they had. If you like to hear your motor and like others to, also, B&B from ports to tips should be tops on your list, IMHO.
 
#24 ·
Headers are for wussies.
 
#28 ·
HOLY CRAP those spark plug wires are on there good. I pulled a couple off, but makin a trip to sears for a set of the pliers. Did you guys gap your plugs at .040 inches? I'm putting the NGK Irridium plugs in.
 
#31 ·
The spark plug boot puller are a must anytime you're messin with those wires.

Stock gap is fine for N/A
 
#29 ·
Yeah I think I pulled some of my plug wires apart when I pulled mine off. I was replacing them with MSD's so I wasn't careful though.
 
#30 ·
Oh yeah. If you pull the engine out, you dont have to remove the steering shaft to install the kooks. Just thought I'd let you guys know. Might save you all some time! lol
 
#34 ·
I'm convinced that Luke at Lindsay is the first person I will call if I need a part. It's like CTS-V is a mythical creature to some parts departments. I'm a little tipsy right now from the vodka, but I know Luke is KICK A$$. I stripped the jacket on one of my plug wires, WHO DO YA CALL LUKE BUTLER!!!!!!!! My dealer tries to sell me an entire set, even though the warehouse in TN has them in stock uggggggghhhhhhh. I did get the UUC mounts in and pretty much the entire header install 75% done. I had problems with a 02 sensor, but it will be taken care of on monday. Oh yeah, one of my motor mounts was crapped out too (leaking crap). ABSOLUT is so GOOOOOOODDDD. The STAGE 8 locking header bolts look like they are going to work out really good. I've got some pics on my phone, but it is just going to take to much time to do it half lite. I'm pretty PISSED cause I missed a 2k maggie kit, but I did pick up the last KARS III kit this week. hehe Try and get one of those T.I. Oh yeah, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!!!! All the threads with the "HEADS UP" advice worked out great. Can't wait to hear my LS6 breathe.
 
#40 ·
I'm so happy with my headers. That is a must. Sounds great when WOT and just right on interstate. Those UUC motor mounts are awesome too!!!!!
 
#42 ·
The only thing I noticed is that the catted pipes pushed the corsa back. I might take a little off so they will fall back towards the front of the car. One tip is higher too. Any ideas?
 
#45 ·
Yeah, a combination of rubber hangar placement and twisting the muffler connections. When I got my car back from gettng a new diff the dealer had one of my mufflers way up and the other way down. A quick loosening of the exhaust bolts, a little twist of the rear muffler section, and I was good to go.
 
#44 ·
I'm about to get rid of my corsa mufflers, they drive me nuts with the pop'n sound. I'm thinking about welding in flowmaster or SLP's
 
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