The header installation thread

I have a set of headers and midpipes I had Keith make. I'm thinking of trying to do the install over the coming Holiday weekend. I was wondering if anyone had any advise or suggestions that weren't listed in Keiths install post on his website. Maybe some additional motivation as well. I also figured documenting stuff would help some DIYers in the future.

 

Thank you!

 

Few of us have done headers, you patience, patience and more patience.

If I was to do it again, I'd remove uca to make life easier, and definitely ratchet wrench.

 

I spoke with Keith earlier this afternoon (thank you for your time @dirtydeeds). I will be doing my motor mounts at the same time as well as an AIP bypass. He said that may make my life easier and I wouldn't have to bang on the firewall with a 6 lb persuader since the motor mount will be out. I will do my best to document everything and take some pictures too. I have 3 sets of metric ratcheting wrenches. Straight, angled, and straight stubbies. I do plan to space this out over the weekend starting tomorrow. I look forward to any advise I can get and also helping the community out if I can.

 

Maybe this will help - https://www.tundras.com/threads/just-another-arh-lt-review-pic-heavy.72677/

 

Thank you for that. I have no idea how I missed that thread. That's basically what I was planning to document. Good idea on the valve cleaner. I'll go pick some up today when I get Sawzall blades (stuck O2 sensor is going to require me to cut part of the midpipe). How long did it take you start to finish?

Also, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

Took me right around 6hrs on my 2WD

Pre soak all bolts in WD40 for a day or more, that will help allot.

 

WOW!!! Good On Ya!!!! From what I have read it’s a job fo sure. I reckon, take your time, have a fan on you, and all the bestest luck sent your way for a fast, clean, and easy install. Good luck and can’t wait to see or hear the end result.!!!.

 

So I tackled the job over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday). I apologize for not taking any pictures, but the install looked identical to @TX210Tundra, and I just wanted to get it done.



Here is what I started with. (I took this picture after I removed the O2 sensors)




The steps I took were:

Remove O2 sensors

Remove driver side mid pipe

Remove front driveshaft

Remove driver side motor mount

Remove driver side manifold

Clean head ports with a spritz of brake cleaner

Smoke break

Install JBA gasket

Stuff driver side header in

Start second from front bottom nut as per Keith’s’ instructions (it’s supposed to be the second from the front top nut BTW. Keith should be updating this or have already done so. Thanks for answering my call on a weekend @dirtydeeds!)

Install AIP blockoff plate

Torque all nuts in sequence.

Re-install drivers side motor mount.

Smoke break

Remove passenger mid pipe with a sawzall because I have a stuck O2 sensor that happens to be in the way of one of the manifold nuts

Remove passenger side motor mount

Remove passenger side manifold

Brake cleaner again

Install JBA gasket

Try and shoehorn the passenger header in

Realize I have to clearance the cab even though motor mount is out

Clearance cab and smash middle finger in the process

Bend some heat shields out of the way

Finally get header in its hole

Struggle to get header onto all studs because the AIP hose in back got kinked

Install AIP block off plate

Thread on all nuts and torque in sequence

Smoke break

Install mid pipes with generous amounts of copper RTV as per Keith's instructions

Install O2 sensors with Anti-seize

Fire up truck at 830 PM to annoy the neighbors and discover I have leaks (I expected the leaks)

Order Pizza

Go to bed after popping some Aleve because goddamn was I sore after that



Next Day:

Tighten manifold bolts again to eliminate leaks (leaks were gone until the next day when the passenger gasket blew out. Have another set on order.)

Tighten motor mount through bolts

Re-install front drive shaft

Throw wheels back on

Test drive



In summary this job took me 10.5 hours solo. I only had help tightening down the motor mount through bolts. First day was 9 hours.


Holy hell do these headers make a noticeable difference. As @TX210Tundra noted, its not like a supercharger for sure, but certainly an “it did NOT do THAT before!”. I won’t lie, I did them mostly for the sound. The torque bump is a VERY nice bonus. I only went with a 2.5” exhaust from Keith because I already had the TRD tailpipes and those a 2.5”.



Overall, I’d say I was dreading this job more than I should have. It was tedious at times, and required patience as others have mentioned, but it was not too bad of a job at all. I am pretty mechanically inclined and have a good assortment of tools at my disposal. Ratcheting wrenches and swivel adapters are your friends on this. Also, power tools wherever you can use one will make your life easier. My hands are very scarred up and I smashed my middle finger trying to swing my small sledge in that tight engine bay. I’d still say it was well worth the effort and swearing (there was an awful lot of swearing).

Again guys, sorry I didn’t take a lot of pics but if anyone has any questions, I’d be happy to answer.

 

Well done ! Yeah OEM gaskets are the best. Sucks you have to re-install them.

 

Actually, I used the JBA per Keiths recommendation. I have a set of OEM type gaskets, but Keith said they would most definitely leak with the JBA headers.

 

When you say the passenger gasket blew out do you mean the JBA header gasket? Also, did you notice some smells following the install after running your truck. This may be just burn-off and may go away after a few hundred miles. I wanted to make sure I don't have an exhaust leak but performance seems fine and there have not been any noises as far as I can tell.

 

header install is honestly a hell of a time. I enjoy mine too but hated the time I spent installing them. Especially since I had to loosen the passenger side body mount and jack the engine up an inch to get the passenger side header in, otherwise there was no way to get it on. Looks like you didn’t have to do that but supposedly it’s a 50/50 chance of having to do it.
Great job on the install, gonna be awhile before you take it easy on the gas pedal just to hear the sweet v8

 

Damn is that why my mpgs are down haha

 

By blew out I mean there is a slightly less than 1/4" gab between runners 3 and 4 on the top passenger side of the gasket that exhaust is dumping out of. On Keith's advice, I am not driving the truck until I can replace the gasket. I'm hoping USPS shows up by this Saturday with the new pair. Otherwise, I won't be able to fix it until next Thursday at the earliest.

What Keith and I think happened was that the gasket got installed backwards. When I was doing the passenger header, I was doing it solo and I had one hand under the truck on the collector side of the header while my other hand was trying to finagle the other side onto the studs of the head. The gasket slipped off a few times and I was getting frustrated since it was getting dark out at this point and I think I may have reversed the orientation of the gasket. Frustrating to say the least.

 

Yes, It is quite the PITA, but IMO worth it. I had Keith make me a custom system using my cats to emulate a regular 7" muffler. I had the 8" on my last truck and loved it (it lives on on my friends 2013) I sometimes found myself wishing I had a bit more growl. The headers definitely made it sound burlier for lack of a better term. If the replacement gaskets don't show up on Saturday, I may install the resonators as well as to spark plugs and a serpentine belt since I'm unsure of this trucks maintenance history.

 

So, my gaskets showed up yesterday and I was able to leave work early to get them done. Here is a picture of the gasket that was blown out.



This was between the third and fourth cylinders on the passenger side. I swapped the gasket, double checked that it was on correctly, and torqued it down per the steps Keith had in his write up. After torquing, I started it and it leaked from the same spot. I let it cool down and torqued everything again as tight as I could get it with the open end of my 12mm. Started it again. Still leaked but a lot less. Took a smoke break and decided to try and get my thin walled medium length 12mm socket on the problematic 2 nuts. Holy hell, I was able to! Cranked the ever loving shit out of them and now no leaks.

Moral of the story is that there is no such thing as too tight on the header to head nuts. The AIP to header connections I wouldn't go too crazy on though.