darcnytemare

Alright I'm second guessing having my BBK LT's installed at a shop. Basic reason is because its gonna be VERY expensive because its such a long job. How long does it usually take? Also how hard is it to install them yourself? I know you have to lift the motor....how hard is it to lift the motor?

Any help would be appreciated ALOT. let me know how you guys installed your headers if you did it by yourself....Thanx guys

ponysnake99

lifting the motor is only one way, dropping the k-member is another. I chose the later and saved money/headaches by doing so. www.f n sweet.com/garage/lt_install/index.shtml (remove spaces) has a write-up on doing this. It took me a full weekend to finish the install.

RuffCat

It took me about 3 hours for the actual install, but I had the motor out prior and took the manifolds off before the motor got nestled in. I used stage 8 locking header bolts which was a huge PIA. They took forever to get the retainers all on.Use the factory style studs.I only say this because the header bolts are unbelievably hard to get to and get on straight without stripping the threads.

darcnytemare

uuuggghhh....i gotta firgure out what im gonna do. I think i need to buy an engine hoist nowThanx for the link ponysnake. im gonna take a look at it.

RuffCat

A cherry picker is definatley the way to go, although you could get it done with a floor jack and some ratchet straps. I like the BBK firment although I want to change my clutch and am thinking twice because the pass. header will have to come off and that one took forever to bolt in. I would say get Hooker slip ons. They are two pieces and actually make life easy like you are installing shorties.

darcnytemare

im thinking about just getting the whole motor out the car. will i need to take the bellhousing out too?

2000GTBoy

i did the header job myself saved myself the money but ended up doing it twice because of a leak. so w would recomend taking your time read through the instructions and buy copper header gaskets seal better and will not blow out like the ones provided in the kit. i choose droping the k member went pretty smooth

bdog

i dropped the motor along with tranny and bell housing..... it took a weekend to do but the money i saved offset the headache!!!!!

torqjnky

Save some cash and have the motor pulled by a reputable shop. While you have it outdo the clutch, input shaft and LT headers all at the same time.This is also a great time to install the head cooling mod. I had my heads and camsreplaced recently and did it all while the motor was out. Labor and misc. parts/fluids etc.. cost me $2K and I had the car in on Monday andpicked it upon Wednesday night.

bugpack28

since you might already have it half way apart here is what you should do step by step... Go buy some sweet copper gaskets!!! Then go and put your car on some jackstands. Take off your after headder pipes, then take off the large motor mounts the big nuts on the motor mounts. Then take off your starter... Then take off the smaller motor mount bolts they might be hard to get to. Take off the large bolts that hold on your front struts, make sure to use a jack to lower them or the will slam to the floor real hard and your abs lines will have to be taken off their little holders you will see them , After that there should be i think 4 or 6 very large bolts that hold up your k member try to use an impact gun to get them off and the bunch of smaller bolts that hold on the black k member support i guess thats what it is called... but make sure you have a jack under your k member when you do this because it will fall if you don't. After you do all of that there is this dumb undercarrage plastic stuff you will have to take off or bend out of the way. Make sure to have a second jack with a little piece of 2x4 that goes all the way across the oil pan to hold up your engine when your lowering your k member. Lower your k member and jack up your engine about 4 inches and you will have a bunch of room to get in there there might be some smaller things i fergot you might have to remove the dipstick and sometimes its a punk to get back in but you can get it. The only way to find out you can do it is try. sooo try It will take you about a day have beer ready always and have some pizza and prob a buddy it sucks doing it by yourself. If you have ne questions just ask...