<Project> 1998 Trans Am Upgrades

[Schuby87]

Forgot to post some pics of the old knock sensors, these may have been giving some false readings...





So I finally got the oil dipstick tube out today. It took a couple good soakings of PB Blaster, a slide hammer, and some vice grips.

After that I tried to get the passenger side header in, but soon realized that the car wasn't nearly high enough off the ground. Everything I have read about header install said you had to have the car up high, but I guess I didn't realize how high it really has to be. So I jacked up the rear as well as got the front higher.





I got the new plugs gapped and installed. Then I got the header slid up in to place, gasket in place, and all the bolts started. While tightening down the bolts, it became apparent that one of the primaries was resting on a tab on the block.





I was going to just cut it off, but the starter is right behind it. I'm guessing this is the tab that people have to cut/grind off? Will it be OK to get rid of this tab?

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Hmm I'm pretty sure that is a common tab most people grind down, but you may want to wwait until someone else chimes in. You just can't catch a break can you Brett?

[Schuby87]

No, no I can't...

It seems like everyday I go work on it, more stupid problems like this come up.

[meissen]

Mike or Vince will know more for sure - Mike was JUST telling me on Sunday about how they had to grind a tab on one car down and the same headers didn't need the tab ground down on another car.

[Schuby87]

Well today was a pretty decent day work wise.

I ground down the tab that was in the way of the primary. It has a little more than a 1/4 in of clearance now.

I got the passenger side header up in to place and started to bolt it down, but if felt like on of the bolts was bottoming out. The old bolts had a tapered end, but the new ones didn't. I ended up using one old bolt on that side and it fit good and torqued down to the desired spec.

The drivers side went in pretty easy compared to the passenger side. One primary on that side is a little close to the motor mount, but I'm still not sure about what to do about that yet.

I got the O2 sensors and extensions put in. Plugs and wires are in too.

I would have had the y pipe installed too, but the catback pipe that it slides in to is a bit deformed. I had to wiggle and bend it like crazy to get the rusted y pipe out, so the catback pipe isn't perfectly round.

[MP81]

Looking good, Brett!!!

[meissen]

Looks great! LPP Stainless headers?

[c0ncEpT]

Looks good Brett.

Did you skip the poly motor mounts? I didn't see anything their about them

[Schuby87]

Thanks guys!

Yeah, they are the LPP Stainless longtubes.

As much as I wanted to do the motor mounts, with the amount of stuff that I have had problems with, I just didn't think I would have time to do it.


Is the easiest way to get the y pipe into the catback to disconnect the catback from the exhaust hangers? There is about 3 in of the y pipe that needs to slide into the catback and I really dont see it happening any other way.

[DETROITMUSCLE]

yeah you pretty much have to drop it all and work from front to back.

[Schuby87]

Well I got the exhaust finished up last night. The y pipe didn't slid into the catback as much as I wanted it to so I have to get a bandclamp on there instead the dumb muffler u shaped clamp.

I didn't get any pics or vids of it yet because I finished around 9 and couldn't wait to drive it around, so they will be up soon.

[c0ncEpT]

Which catback do you have again Brett? I had to cut about an inch off the snout of my ypipe to get my Hooker catback to fit right.

[Phantom409]

Good looking progress

[Schuby87]

Which catback do you have again Brett? I had to cut about an inch off the snout of my ypipe to get my Hooker catback to fit right.

It has a flowmaster muffler, so I would assume that it is a whole flowmaster catback since it's 3 in. The catback needs to be longer, not shorter.

[Schuby87]

I still need to get under the car and get some pics. I have a new exhaust clamp coming in the next few days, so I will do it then.

Here is a quick comparison -

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