FiveO
08-13-2004, 05:50 PM
Well gang.....I just walked in the door about a 1/2 hour ago. I'm absolutely beat. Worked (and watched) in the shop all day with the mechanic.
The shop I went has like 7-8 mechanics and they do general work....but they also do work on my departments squad cars so they're cutting me a break on labor and let me watch and even help out.
The guy working on my car is a self taught mechanic...26 years old...and he's a surgeon with his tools.
He is meticulous and complete.
He put in the PI Torque Converter in the morning....went in without any problems. Book says 4.8 hours and he had it done in like 3.
The headers were a pain...!!!! But we finally did get them both in.
Couple minor problems overcome with patience and expertise along with printouts from other threads on the Kooks install.
First off....let me say that these headers are tight....both in looks and fit.
They fit perfectly. They're isn't much room for anything else!
He did not take the battery out but did pull both leads and tape them off to make sure no connections were made (dealing with the starter, etc.).
We decided to start with the right side....as it looked much more difficult. It seemingly was until the left side showed its ugly head with the dipstick problem...and one tough nut to tighten.
Couple things....
He took the starter out altogether. Also both front wheels were taken off. The right for a bolt or two and the left for the EGR bolt. Mine was a bit tight and he needed more room...worked out well.
The engine was loosened from the motor mounts and was jacked up here and there to make the fit....much easier.
We re-used the gaskets...on both sides. He even put a Permatex Copper gasket high temp sealant on each gasket to assure the fit. Came out perfectly.
The right bolts were a PITA...but he got at them all....no major problems. We did end up shaving the end off of one stud on the right side.
The left was much easier except the damn dipstick tube. He ended up cutting about 1/4 inch off the bottom of the dipstick tube (not the dipstick) and it fit...with a little bending. Took about 1/2 hour total to get it back into the OEM bolt slots.
The only thing on the left side we didn't use thats OEM is a bracket for a wire that goes from the engine bay to the transmission...(shifting cable???). The cable is tight and went right around the headers.
The mechanic took out the top of the airbox and the tube, right up to the intake, and it really helped.
There was one nasty bolt that was I believe the 2nd from the front and on the bottom....(left side still)...that was again....a PITA!
The mechanic took the oil filter off and actually took a wrench and bent it! Much easier...took a couple minutes but it was tightened. The bent wrench was a Craftsman...not a Snap On :D
Two studs on the left side needed to be shaved off. Both the 2nd from the back I believe...top and bottom. Again...not a major problem as we learned from the right side where 1 that needed to be cut off.
The steering shaft does NOT need to be shaved...just moved for the install and replaced when done.
Once the headers were one things got easier.
The cat tubes went on no problem with and the X-pipe was ok...but only one minor concern. We could not get the X-pipe perfectly measured on each side of the driveshaft. The left side has about 1/4 inch more room than the right. Not a huge deal as neither is that close to the driveshaft...and the only way anyone would notice is by actually being under the car and measuring.
The mechanic ended up taking about 1/4 inch off of the X-pipe (both sides) by the mufflers for a better fit. Worked well.
The only other thing he did was open up or "stretch" the pipes at the end of the X-pipe and mufflers so they would fit. I watched him do it...just stretched a mm or so. Worked perfectly.
At the end of the day we set up the tailpipes and he welded everything in place to include the muffler brackets and the tailpipes.
Tomorrow morning its the O2 sensors reinstalled, airbox reinstall and fluid check....then we'll be starting her up :)
A long day...but hopefully well worth it.
Labor, with their break, should come out to about $350....not bad for a PI TC install and full Kooks setup. I never could have done either myself at home.
Pics to follow....gotta upload some.
The shop I went has like 7-8 mechanics and they do general work....but they also do work on my departments squad cars so they're cutting me a break on labor and let me watch and even help out.
The guy working on my car is a self taught mechanic...26 years old...and he's a surgeon with his tools.
He is meticulous and complete.
He put in the PI Torque Converter in the morning....went in without any problems. Book says 4.8 hours and he had it done in like 3.
The headers were a pain...!!!! But we finally did get them both in.
Couple minor problems overcome with patience and expertise along with printouts from other threads on the Kooks install.
First off....let me say that these headers are tight....both in looks and fit.
They fit perfectly. They're isn't much room for anything else!
He did not take the battery out but did pull both leads and tape them off to make sure no connections were made (dealing with the starter, etc.).
We decided to start with the right side....as it looked much more difficult. It seemingly was until the left side showed its ugly head with the dipstick problem...and one tough nut to tighten.
Couple things....
He took the starter out altogether. Also both front wheels were taken off. The right for a bolt or two and the left for the EGR bolt. Mine was a bit tight and he needed more room...worked out well.
The engine was loosened from the motor mounts and was jacked up here and there to make the fit....much easier.
We re-used the gaskets...on both sides. He even put a Permatex Copper gasket high temp sealant on each gasket to assure the fit. Came out perfectly.
The right bolts were a PITA...but he got at them all....no major problems. We did end up shaving the end off of one stud on the right side.
The left was much easier except the damn dipstick tube. He ended up cutting about 1/4 inch off the bottom of the dipstick tube (not the dipstick) and it fit...with a little bending. Took about 1/2 hour total to get it back into the OEM bolt slots.
The only thing on the left side we didn't use thats OEM is a bracket for a wire that goes from the engine bay to the transmission...(shifting cable???). The cable is tight and went right around the headers.
The mechanic took out the top of the airbox and the tube, right up to the intake, and it really helped.
There was one nasty bolt that was I believe the 2nd from the front and on the bottom....(left side still)...that was again....a PITA!
The mechanic took the oil filter off and actually took a wrench and bent it! Much easier...took a couple minutes but it was tightened. The bent wrench was a Craftsman...not a Snap On :D
Two studs on the left side needed to be shaved off. Both the 2nd from the back I believe...top and bottom. Again...not a major problem as we learned from the right side where 1 that needed to be cut off.
The steering shaft does NOT need to be shaved...just moved for the install and replaced when done.
Once the headers were one things got easier.
The cat tubes went on no problem with and the X-pipe was ok...but only one minor concern. We could not get the X-pipe perfectly measured on each side of the driveshaft. The left side has about 1/4 inch more room than the right. Not a huge deal as neither is that close to the driveshaft...and the only way anyone would notice is by actually being under the car and measuring.
The mechanic ended up taking about 1/4 inch off of the X-pipe (both sides) by the mufflers for a better fit. Worked well.
The only other thing he did was open up or "stretch" the pipes at the end of the X-pipe and mufflers so they would fit. I watched him do it...just stretched a mm or so. Worked perfectly.
At the end of the day we set up the tailpipes and he welded everything in place to include the muffler brackets and the tailpipes.
Tomorrow morning its the O2 sensors reinstalled, airbox reinstall and fluid check....then we'll be starting her up :)
A long day...but hopefully well worth it.
Labor, with their break, should come out to about $350....not bad for a PI TC install and full Kooks setup. I never could have done either myself at home.
Pics to follow....gotta upload some.