Header upgrade advice

FORGIVEN06 · June 28, 2019

I’m going be installing some headers this week on my 14 6.2. Looking for some advice on what else is needed with this upgrade. I was told that I would need different plug wires/ shields. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help

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1SLOW1500 · June 28, 2019

Shouldn't NEED new plugs but I recommend them and look on Amazon you can get good titanium boots cheap.
You didnt say long tube or short. Or a brand.
I have my bolts welded in so it is simple to install and uninstall. Also helps keep them from coming lose.
Careful some kits come with what they think the donut gasket is and the size is all wrong. Make sure to line everything up good and then tighten bolts in tight order and to spec. Again gm says the bolts are one time use but you can reuse if done right.

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FORGIVEN06 · June 28, 2019

Shouldn't NEED new plugs but I recommend them and look on Amazon you can get good titanium boots cheap.
You didnt say long tube or short. Or a brand.
I have my bolts welded in so it is simple to install and uninstall. Also helps keep them from coming lose.
Careful some kits come with what they think the donut gasket is and the size is all wrong. Make sure to line everything up good and then tighten bolts in tight order and to spec. Again gm says the bolts are one time use but you can reuse if done right.

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Sorry should have gave more info. They are long. And educate me some here? Weld them in make it easy to uninstall?? And I don’t think there is a gasket with it, should I get some?

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1SLOW1500 · June 28, 2019

Well the header to head gaskets are MLS and one time use. Now that you said long that changes things there shouldn't be a donut gasket like in the shorts. But when I say weld them I me the bolt into the header. All it needs is a a good spot weld or two on the head of the bolt it, turns it into a stud. This allows one hand or one person install. Believe me it is hard to line up the mid pipe and hold 2 tools and tighten up the bot/nut. And they do come lose.
What mid pipe or cat system are you running? Are you tuned for this or having that done?

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VdellaV · June 28, 2019

I have Speed Engineering Headers and they are great for the price

Get New Bolts and OEM Manifold multilayer gaskets:

1SLOW1500 · June 28, 2019

I have Speed Engineering Headers and they are great for the price

Get New Bolts and OEM Manifold multilayer gaskets:

I have there short headers. Just because I am turbo. Very good product. Stainless is good and welds are nice.

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FORGIVEN06 · June 28, 2019

Well the header to head gaskets are MLS and one time use. Now that you said long that changes things there shouldn't be a donut gasket like in the shorts. But when I say weld them I me the bolt into the header. All it needs is a a good spot weld or two on the head of the bolt it, turns it into a stud. This allows one hand or one person install. Believe me it is hard to line up the mid pipe and hold 2 tools and tighten up the bot/nut. And they do come lose.
What mid pipe or cat system are you running? Are you tuned for this or having that done?

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No mid pipe selected yet. To be honest I was going to see about doing that after I get headers installed. You think this is not a good idea? As far as tuning. I only have a superchips flaspak now. Wasn’t sure if I need custom tune yet? So no new gasket or yes I will need to replace the one time use one?

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1SLOW1500 · June 28, 2019

I would not advise open headers without a tune. At least pipe it far enough that the o2 sensors can read what they see. You dont have to but in my option I like to mount the down stream o2 sensors int the pipe also. With no cats they throw a code but it is a cleaner install and addresses a few tuning issues as well as keeps that wiring clean and handled. Also when you go to tune it most shops will want a wide band o2 sensor. So if you can plan for a bung for that,they are cheap and just plug it off. Needs to be able to read both banks. So if you build a y mid pipe needs to be after the y.
Mine came with all gaskets. If not I would try to get a set just so it is a one time job.
I would look first if that tuner can handle the exhaust change.

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1SLOW1500 · June 28, 2019

You will want cat warm up off if there are no cats. And rear sensor codes disabled.
Then it should run but the fuel tables are going to be off.

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FORGIVEN06 · June 29, 2019

I would not advise open headers without a tune. At least pipe it far enough that the o2 sensors can read what they see. You dont have to but in my option I like to mount the down stream o2 sensors int the pipe also. With no cats they throw a code but it is a cleaner install and addresses a few tuning issues as well as keeps that wiring clean and handled. Also when you go to tune it most shops will want a wide band o2 sensor. So if you can plan for a bung for that,they are cheap and just plug it off. Needs to be able to read both banks. So if you build a y mid pipe needs to be after the y.
Mine came with all gaskets. If not I would try to get a set just so it is a one time job.
I would look first if that tuner can handle the exhaust change.

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I guess I should have been more clear. Going to use stock everything after the y pipe. With exception on the magnaflow for some sound. I pretty new to this so a lot of what your talking about sounds Chinese to me. [emoji30] my Hope was that I could just bolt these up and use the rest of my stock stuff. Is that a bad idea? I’ll send a link of what I’ve bought

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FORGIVEN06 · June 29, 2019

https://www.lmperformance.com/736203/gm62-14178300lswc-american-racing-headers-gm-truck-62l-long-system-with-cats-1-7-8in-x-3in-headers-3in-y-pipe-with-cats.html

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1SLOW1500 · June 29, 2019

51 minutes ago, FORGIVEN06 said:

I guess I should have been more clear. Going to use stock everything after the y pipe. With exception on the magnaflow for some sound. I pretty new to this so a lot of what your talking about sounds Chinese to me. my Hope was that I could just bolt these up and use the rest of my stock stuff. Is that a bad idea? I’ll send a link of what I’ve bought

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Ok well this is a little hard to answer the y pipe will not line up at all not even close. best would be to buy or have maded a y pipe that meets up to the stock cat back as they call it. then when ever you wish to upgrade the cat back you just unbolt and add.

You are really reinventing the wheel, best option is to buy a y that bolts to the header you want. all bolt in goes quick

You didn't say if you are going to or have to run cats or not. No catalytic converters is cheaper and more power but then you need to at least disable the code.

FORGIVEN06 · June 29, 2019

Ok well this is a little hard to answer the y pipe will not line up at all not even close. best would be to buy or have maded a y pipe that meets up to the stock cat back as they call it. then when ever you wish to upgrade the cat back you just unbolt and add.
You are really reinventing the wheel, best option is to buy a y that bolts to the header you want. all bolt in goes quick
You didn't say if you are going to or have to run cats or not. No catalytic converters is cheaper and more power but then you need to at least disable the code.

I don’t know should I run cats? And I’m have no idea how to disable??

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CamGTP · June 29, 2019

If you don't want ear bleeding rasp and drone, keep the cats.

A tuner is required to delete codes and disable anything cat test related an or rear o2 sensor related.

The vehicle will want a tune regardless to optimize the tune and re-calibrated the airflow model and torque model so everything is squared.

Just my 2 cent here but I've reused MLS header gaskets more times than I can count, they always seal up if they aren't damaged. And the wideband doesn't "have" to read both banks. I've been using widebands in single banks for years, never had a problem. It's easy to switch the sensor to other side if you think it's running lean, or richer. But your data logs would tell you anyway. Things like injector pulse width, o2 sensor data, fuel trims and the like already give a good ball park if both side are very similar.

Besides we can't just add fuel or remove fuel per bank or per cylinder, so what's the point.

FORGIVEN06 · June 29, 2019

Ok well this is a little hard to answer the y pipe will not line up at all not even close. best would be to buy or have maded a y pipe that meets up to the stock cat back as they call it. then when ever you wish to upgrade the cat back you just unbolt and add.
You are really reinventing the wheel, best option is to buy a y that bolts to the header you want. all bolt in goes quick
You didn't say if you are going to or have to run cats or not. No catalytic converters is cheaper and more power but then you need to at least disable the code.

How do I find a cat back that will line up with this y pipe?

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