Well, it looks like my long-awaited, heavily researched, and sometimes over-****yzed (nods to MGDfan ) journey towards a completely revamped exhaust system is nearing its end.

And I saved the best (and, at the same time, WORST) for last. The PaceSetter ceramic coated long tubes arrived yesterday, and they look I can't wait to get them on!

As excited as I am to hear the finished product, I'm just as excited to be on the 'finished' end of the header install. I started spraying down the manifold studs/nuts with AeroKroil yesterday afternoon. Since then, I've sprayed them two more times.

While doing this, I noticed that some of them little fellers are hard to even see! Thankfully, my exhaust guy (good ol' Clifford) is going to be tackling this project. I sure hope he knows what he's getting himself into because I wouldn't have turned the first wrench on this project for the price he quoted me.

Anyway, I won't be able to just let him have it and not help. Since that's the case, I'm now graciously taking any tips you guys that have done it before or know what you're doing can offer!

Special thanks to those of you who have helped me with any part of this process so far. I don't want to leave anyone out or list in any particular order, so I won't mention names here. You guys know who you are, and I'm extremely grateful!

Wish me luck, and tips and suggestions are quite welcome.



The DewserB

 

Congrats!

Pics or it didn't happen!

Relay my condolences to ol' Clifford!


MGD

 

Thanks, my friend!

Oh yes...there will be pics....and blood....

At some point, I'm gonna sneak a pic of ol' Clifford. Something tells me he's not the type of feller that's wild about havin' his pitcher taken. But you guys have GOT to see this guy! Grizzly Adams ain't got nuthin on him!

 

Pictures and blood. haha

 

Nice!

 

I agree, pics plz. There will be tools, piping, beer cans/bottles, destroyed towels, and absolutely the foul-ist language coming from that garage
Do yourself a favor. Once you install the headers and converters and re-connect the upstream o2s crack open another cold one, start it up, sit back, and listen to the gloriousness GL

 

You watch, as bad as those manifold studs look, once you crack them loose, they will spin out by hand. Mine were so bad, I needed to bump up a size just to get on them lol. -



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TIP's! I have a few,

Don't use ANYTHING brass on a EGR connect. Metal distortion is to great for temps at this location. Brass will leak. This one did.



Always leak test cold, w/15 lbs of compressed air regulated up the tailpipe. Use water/dish soap/ mixed in squirt bottle. This is the best way and will show EVERY leak in the system.
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Use this type fitting for the EGR only, -





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If you run into a problem with 3" slip fit collectors and High Flows that don't match up. Trim back the heat shield/ cut behind the weld/ - You can now weld in a a proper slip fit flange. It's really the way to go as the converter opening begin at that exact size. Reduce to 2.5" at the rear flange to match system.

This is a pic before the the mod, - unable to locate the during and afters. -



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Just a pic of the kit out of the boxes, -



BTW -, that part in the middle is a new transmission mount, - they're very cheap and are installed with a new kit to prevent vibration, header bolt stress, breakage , etc... The factory mounts for the 4x4's do not last all that long. They ware, break down, fall apart and you are then metal on metal creating vibration and stressing the Y.

There's a little for yuh, good luck -

 

Wow - great info 'Brew.

I think ol' Clifford is gonna be pluggin' that EGR connection, since 3V's don't have an EGR system to worry about.

What about the gasket set? Are the Pacesetter supplied items okay, or should he source the OEM gaskets?

Good tip on the mount as well - I had to change that on my old truck - same issue.


MGD

 

Thanks! Crap, that's right, he has the 3 valve. Well, I'll leave the EGR stuff alone, it may help someone.

You can use the Pacesetter gaskets. I didn't think they would last, so I purchased new OEM triples shortly after. I haven't had a problem using the PS's to date. We did a 99 as well and didn't like the way the OEM's fit against the header flange, -so used the supplied PS gaskets for that one to. No problems/leaks.

Use that Permatex HH Red w/copper for those though.

 

Yea, those mounts go to hell, - they crack the damper plate eventually, - I welded up a few lol, They won't break it completely, -just enough to make it worthless if you let it go. Here's a bad one mount, -no rubber left, just a flap lol -

 

Wow, 'Brewshkabob! Thanks a million!

All very wise words that I will definitely keep in mind. Well, except for the EGR portion. As MGDfan pointed out, I ain't got narry'n. Y'all must've missed that somehow.

Thanks for the wishes for good luck, fellers. Ol' Clifford and I will take all of that we can get!

Here's a pic of the headers:

 

Nice!

I like the color. Mine were a good shade of black, - now they're shlitz bingle brown.

 

Thankee, sir!

I bet the black wasn't black fer long, huh? I ALMOST just got the black ones because we see almost no real bad weather in the winter anymore. But I found these at a very good price so I couldn't pass it up.

 

Mmmmmm....Schlitz....

 

Personal problem ?