Kook's Longtube Header pics and a few questions

[RobZ71LM7]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Kook's finally arrived. They are 1-3/4 and will be hooked up to an ORY. They came with what appear to be ARP header bolts made specifically for Kook's and Cometic header gaskets. I thought the bolts old school SBC LT1, but the part number is specific to Kook's. The bolts for the collector connection are zinc plated grade 5 bolts with distorted thread lock nuts.

 

I'm very pleased to see spikes in the merge area of the collectors. I heard somewhere that these headers didn't have that after I ordered-so this was a relief.

 

Question: I already bought GM factory exhaust manifold gaskets (4, in fact) and they are pictured next to the Cometics. Which gaskets should I use? I'm used to the old school, proud tradition of header manufacturer's sending the cheapest gaskets, made from rejected cardboard in an effort to seemingly make their product fail. But Cometic isn't exactly junk.

 

Question: What should the header bolts be torqued to? On my '90's LT1 it was good and snug.

[07Softail]

Not sure about the bolt torque but you better use some anti-seize on those stainless bolts. BTW thanks for the pics you lucky devil!

 

RT

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

I torqued to 35lbs ( tighten from center out of course)

I have yet to have one loosen and like said before, anti-seize is your friend.

Who's tuning for your setup w/no-cats? Have the tune handy because driving without will probably foul plugs.

 

Edit-use Cometics!

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

[RobZ71LM7]

I torqued to 35lbs ( tighten from center out of course)

I have yet to have one loosen and like said before, anti-seize is your friend.

Who's tuning for your setup w/no-cats? Have the tune handy because driving without will probably foul plugs.

 

Edit-use Cometics!

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

 

 

Lewis Eaton / Diablew. I contacted him and asked for an updated initial tune, but he suggested to get two heat cycles on it first, make sure everything is tight and drive 50+ miles then send him a steady driving datalog and he would go from there. Personally I think it's a little odd to not do an initial retune to at least turn off the rear O2's, but that's what he suggested. I plan to install the headers Sunday or Monday and then get to sending him datalogs. My truck is currently custom tuned by him for 93 octane.

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

Turning off the Cat Over temp Protection is what I would want done. If you install rear O2sensors you should be ok just have check engine lights but if you pull them like I did and plug the locations you will want them shut off or you will get lean conditions.

 

Let me rephrase that, you will get a lean condition in that the truck will "think" it's lean and run real rich to compensate for it. He's gonna have to give you an initial tune with certain parameters shut off in order for you to give him an accurate data log.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

Your gonna love them... I'm not sure what u have for catback so not sure about noise but power will be impressive w/out tune and even more so with tune. Keep us up to date.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

[RobZ71LM7]

Turning off the Cat Over temp Protection is what I would want done. If you install rear O2sensors you should be ok just have check engine lights but if you pull them like I did and plug the locations you will want them shut off or you will get lean conditions.

 

Let me rephrase that, you will get a lean condition in that the truck will "think" it's lean and run real rich to compensate for it. He's gonna have to give you an initial tune with certain parameters shut off in order for you to give him an accurate data log.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

 

 

I planned to put the rear O2's in the ORY bungs. It should only be a problem if they are pulled, correct? The kit didn't come with O2 extensions.

 

I just installed a large Magnaflow 12589 (22" long body 5" x 11") in place of the Dynomax VT muffler in my 3" catback to compensate for the added noise.

 

I did buy a stainless O2 bung I plan to add to the ORY just after the merge for a future wideband O2.

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

 

 

I planned to put the rear O2's in the ORY bungs. It should only be a problem if they are pulled, correct? The kit didn't come with O2 extensions.

 

I just installed a large Magnaflow 12589 (22" long body 5" x 11") in place of the Dynomax VT muffler in my 3" catback to compensate for the added noise.

 

I did buy a stainless O2 bung I plan to add to the ORY just after the merge for a future wideband O2.

If you run rear O2s before tuned you should be ok, Cat Over Temp Protection would be my only other concern and will cause a change in fuel trims to help cool the cat that it "thinks" is hot. I wonder if he knows you removed cats? (Max enrichment in your tune is 10.5 AFR for COT)

 

That's the magnaflow size I was thinking of adding, pretty anxious to hear yours actually.

 

Good call on the Wideband, you will need one to tune WOT in MAF calibration accurately. If you can record it's data and sent to Lew he should be able to get you close, he's making an educated guess otherwise and will favor it on the safe (rich) side but you will be satisfied I'm sure. I have the luxury of tuning my own so I get a little obsessed sometimes.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

[TJay74]

Turning off the Cat Over temp Protection is what I would want done. If you install rear O2sensors you should be ok just have check engine lights but if you pull them like I did and plug the locations you will want them shut off or you will get lean conditions.

 

Let me rephrase that, you will get a lean condition in that the truck will "think" it's lean and run real rich to compensate for it. He's gonna have to give you an initial tune with certain parameters shut off in order for you to give him an accurate data log.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

 

 

This is not correct. The rear O2 sensors have no bearing or impact on the fueling changes the ECM makes. The pre-cat O2 sensors are the ones that tell the ECM what fueling changes to make, the post-cat O2 sensors only tell the ECM if the catalytic converters are working or not. Almost all headers change the position and locations of the pre-cat O2 sensors, this impacts the warm up time and causes the issues with fueling. Headers that try and keep them as close to the exhaust ports as possible will reduce the likelihood of O2 errors from the pre-cat sensors.

 

The post-cat O2 sensors need to be turned off if you run a ORY since they will report a catalytic converter failure.

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

 

 

This is not correct. The rear O2 sensors have no bearing or impact on the fueling changes the ECM makes. The pre-cat O2 sensors are the ones that tell the ECM what fueling changes to make, the post-cat O2 sensors only tell the ECM if the catalytic converters are working or not. Almost all headers change the position and locations of the pre-cat O2 sensors, this impacts the warm up time and causes the issues with fueling. Headers that try and keep them as close to the exhaust ports as possible will reduce the likelihood of O2 errors from the pre-cat sensors.

 

The post-cat O2 sensors need to be turned off if you run a ORY since they will report a catalytic converter failure.

Correct, no bearing on calibration, at least thats what I thought.

 

Here's how it went down for me.

I didn't have laptop on me when I picked truck up from exhaust shop and I pulled the rear o2s while it was on the lift. After second key cycle on the way home I threw all my rear O2 codes which I expected then fouled 2 plugs within 2 miles. I wasn't expecting it it to foul plugs and it may not have been related but it sure was coincidental so I guess my statements are based off of 1 experience and assumption. My codes were, po137, 157, 300(random misfire) and a few more rear sensor codes. Removed DTC rear O2 checks, replaced plugs, and all was well.

 

 

Sent from Off Driller Side

[TJay74]

If you remove the rear O2 without killing them in the tune it prob pushed the vehicle into an open loop mode which will richer until the issue is corrected.

[Bvonscott]

My question is how much did you pay for all that, and where did you buy it from?

[RobZ71LM7]

My question is how much did you pay for all that, and where did you buy it from?

 

 

Originally I ordered from a small place online that didn't have them in stock-ended up cancelling. I ended up ordering from Amazon-it wasn't the best deal but I had $250 in Amazon gift cards from my employer's wellness incentives. Lewis Eaton is a dealer for Kook's and gave me this pricing which is the best I've seen:

 

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Kooks headers - http://www.kooksheaders.com/2014-2015-gm-1500-series-truck-1-7-8-x-3-header.html - I can get these for $1,080.

Kooks y-pipe with high-flow cats - http://www.kooksheaders.com/2014-2015-gm-1500-series-truck-5-3-3-x-oem-catted-y-pipe.html - I can get this for $520.

Kooks off-road y-pipe - http://www.kooksheaders.com/2014-2015-gm-1500-series-truck-5-3-3-x-oem-off-road-y-pipe.html - I can get this for $420.

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Not cheap, but I don't have time to mess with junk and my Pacesetter LT's on my Camaro made good power but weren't the best quality nor would they hold up to daily driver around here. My Pacesetters were on a garage queen that almost never saw rain, but they had a decent amount of corrosion after 2 years. Salt? I don't even want to think about it.

Anyways I spoke with Lewis and he said as long as the rear O2's are installed I'll throw codes, but it won't mess up the initial datalogs for the first round of tuning.

[Bvonscott]

Awesome thank you.

[Bvonscott]

Well when I do decide to get headers, I will have to figure out a way to get them to CA.

 

 

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