How to install CalSpeed long tube headers.

[Da_Rebel]

How to install Calspeed long tube headers.

Parts:
1. Calspeed Long Tube Headers: $386.12
2. 4x Jegs 3” Band Clamps: $48.45
3. New GM exhaust gaskets: $22 (thanks Adjusted!)

Okay, so I ordered the headers Sunday night, they arrived here on Friday afternoon. Jegs clamps got here on Wednesday.

When they arrived, I was worried; the box appeared to be damaged, no packaging material to speak of:

I checked all the parts though, and there was no damage to the parts themselves. I laid all the parts down to make sure I had all I needed.

Assembled the parts real quick to see what it would look like. Install took place a week later.

Jared's install thread here: http://customgm.com/performance/689-cal-speed-lt-install.html

 

[Da_Rebel]

This Saturday, we (my buddy and I) began to do the install. I had begun soaking the header, y-pipe, and exhaust flanges on Friday. I would run the truck real hard, bring it back to the shop, and spray it down. It will smoke a lot, and make sure you spray it outside because the fumes will irritate your eyes. I did this twice, 2 hours in between. It was sprayed last time at night, when the engine was cool.
Getting ready for the setup, we were using our shop forklift for a lift, and a smaller forklift for the transmission lift.

We began by removing the plug wires, and removing the stock header bolts before lifting the truck up. We used a 13mm socket. Not much of a picture, but not much to see either.

Once unplugged and unbolted, we lifted up the truck and removed the two nuts that holds the y-pipe to the stock exhaust.

We then jacked up the transmission off the crossmember, and removed the 4 bolts on either side, they needed a 7/8” socket.

We also needed to remove the 2 bolts that were directly under the transmission. 15mm bolts on these too. Don’t mind the block on the left side of the picture, we were using it to hold up the transmission.

Crossmember removed.

When we unbolted the stock headers from the y-pipe, we needed to make 2 cuts to removed the entire exhaust. It was only needed because the forklift’s fork was in the way, if we had used the standard jack/stand setup, we might have not needed to make the cuts. You will see where we made the cuts in this next picture.

Entire stock system removed, lots of room.

 

[Da_Rebel]

We began re-assembly by starting from the rear. Our plan was to start from the back, and leave it all loose; once we got to the front, we would tighten everything down starting from the headers to the rear. We needed to make a run to O’Reillys to pick up some Grade-8 bolts, the stock y-pipe had the bolts welded on. Here is the flange + y-pipe installed.

Re-installed the crossmember.

Shot from the other side. Passenger side headers just sitting in place, they slid in just fine.

The driver’s side was a PITA. We removed all the spark plugs to make sure they wouldn’t break, and rotated the wheel to have the headers clear the steering shaft; it wasn’t necessary though, during the install it never came close to touching.

Took quite a bit of hammering (rubber hammer) but we finally got it in place. Set the truck back down, and installed the gaskets/rebolted the headers. At this point we began to tighten everything down tightly. We changed out the spark plugs/wires while we were at it. Afterwards, we jacked the truck back up, and put on the jegs band clamps as well.

Drivers side:

Passenger side:

No rubbing, no contact on plug wires, no broken bolts either. We zip-tied the rear O2 sensors, and plugged in the fronts, didn’t really matter either way, I had Justin tune them out a few months ago. Small note however, I had to use a regular pipe clamp for the passenger side exhaust header to y-pipe. The band clamps from Jegs wouldn’t fit due to the sensor nut being too close to the seam. I had bought high-temp gasket sealer on advice, but didn’t use it because when we replaced the gaskets, the old ones didn’t have any on them. Looking at the results of the PB Blaster, I would use it on EVERY install.

First time start video! When I take a drive-by video, I will be posting in the exhaust thread. For the record, it’s LOUD as hell.

Total install time was about 8 hours, we were taking our sweet time due to the both of us not having gotten any sleep the night before; that’s including going to lunch, making a run to O’Reilly’s, changing out the spark plugs, and just messing around as well. Otherwise, it would have taken us about 3-4 hours. If you were to do this by yourself, it would take about a day to do it.

*Edit note* I needed to change the picture host.

 

[Jared]

Nice fucking write up.

 

[09BlueZ71LTZ]

Holy shit good write up. And what kinda boat is that behind the truck, air nautique? Looks fancy.

 

[Bassmaster]

Wow awesome write up! Sticky this shit for sure

Sent from my toilet-ed HTC Rezound

 

[Da_Rebel]

Holy shit good write up. And what kinda boat is that behind the truck, air nautique? Looks fancy.

Thank you. The boat behind my truck is a 2012 Super Air Nautique 230.

 

[09BlueZ71LTZ]

Thank you. The boat behind my truck is a 2012 Super Air Nautique 230.

That's a gorgeous boat. I want one so bad.

 

[CalSpeed]

Excellent write up. I will link people to this post when they email/call regarding installation.

 

[Adjusted]

Nice job Luis, glad I was able to help with those gaskets! I dont recall having any problems installing the driver side or having to do any massaging though, but looks like you guys made easy work of it like Jared, Eddie and I did. Hope ya like em, I do sofar - just installed a 22in magnaflow and it calmed the exhaust note down alot. What mufflers are you running again?

 

[Da_Rebel]

Nice job Luis, glad I was able to help with those gaskets! I dont recall having any problems installing the driver side or having to do any massaging though, but looks like you guys made easy work of it like Jared, Eddie and I did. Hope ya like em, I do sofar - just installed a 22in magnaflow and it calmed the exhaust note down alot. What mufflers are you running again?

Thanks Brandon! I'm loving the headers. I'm currently running dual Flowmaster 10's in line; but I also have an electric cutout. Open exhaust sounds amazing when I launch it. I'll be uploading exhaust videos from both inside cab, and out; this week for sure. Could you PM me with Dirty30's info please? I'd like to get in touch with him sometime for a tune update.

That's a gorgeous boat. I want one so bad.

I'm PM you some pics tomorrow for you to drool over.

 

[Jared]

since there has been a ton of people buying these lately, I am linking my thread to this one via the original post and here so guys can view the "sticky" and use both as an install aid

http://customgm.com/performance/689-cal-speed-lt-install.html

 

[RickLzonai]

did you have any problems with the dipstick thing? I had to unbolt and bend the fk out of mine when I installed my headers to get it to bolt back on cause my headers got in the way