🔧 Technical Anyone here know how to install Longtube headers ? Fbody

[Edgarm8933]

Long story short , I got speed engineering headers for my LT1 94 Trans am and took it to a shop who told me they don’t fit they’re the wrong headers ?? So I lost $500 in labor costs just to get the car back how i sent it. But friends are telling me the shop prolly didn’t know crap cuz the headers should be the right ones. I got these

LT1 Camaro & Firebird Longtube Headers (1993-97 F-Body)

(In Stock) Speed Engineering headers are made out of 304 stainless steel and offer great quality, performance, and affordability. Our headers are mandrel bent, tig welded, and feature polished stainless steel construction. All of our headers have been dyno proven. We stand behind our headers in...

speed-engineering.com

Looking at the headers I feel like they didn’t even try. The shop sent me an image of the speed engineering gaskets and told me they’re too short compared to the stock ones ??

Click to read more...

 

[DanJ]

$500 in labor and they didn’t do anything? That sounds fishy for sure.

 

[taws697]

They look like LT1 headers to me. Here’s a photo of a set of Pacesetters I put on my LT1 Trans Am back in the day. The cylinder 1 primary going over the top of the others is the dead giveaway. The shop probably just gave up because it’s kind of a pain.

 

[frank]

speed engineering makes some decent headers, I had them on my ls1’s and no issues with Install at all. My advice is order a set of gm exhaust manifold gaskets as they fit better and won’t leak like the aftermarket ones.

Sounds fishy with the 500 labor charge to have the oe manifolds still on.

 

[IceCreamAssassin]

Call Bob at Next Generation Built Performance. He loves LT motors so I’m sure he could tell you.

 

[Edgarm8933]

They look like LT1 headers to me. Here’s a photo of a set of Pacesetters I put on my LT1 Trans Am back in the day. The cylinder 1 primary going over the top of the others is the dead giveaway. The shop probably just gave up because it’s kind of a pain.
View attachment 126329

Man I’m so pissed off right now ! Like I couldn’t fight it cuz I myself don’t know about this. The issue I have is that idk who can install this for me. Another shop does headers but I’m scared of going through the same thing. So that’s why I’m seeing if anyone here knows someone or a shop .

 

[frank]

Herbst high performance in Glendale heights I’m sure could be a resource for the install.

 

[Edgarm8933]

speed engineering makes some decent headers, I had them on my ls1’s and no issues with Install at all. My advice is order a set of gm exhaust manifold gaskets as they fit better and won’t leak like the aftermarket ones.

Sounds fishy with the 500 labor charge to have the oe manifolds still on.

I’m very annoyed. Oh well you live and you learn .

 

[Edgarm8933]

Herbst high performance in Glendale heights I’m sure could be a resource for the install.

I’ll give them a call Monday . Thank you .

 

[Edgarm8933]

speed engineering makes some decent headers, I had them on my ls1’s and no issues with Install at all. My advice is order a set of gm exhaust manifold gaskets as they fit better and won’t leak like the aftermarket ones.

Sounds fishy with the 500 labor charge to have the oe manifolds still on.

Are these ok

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

shop.advanceautoparts.com

 

[Jon01]

Are these ok

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

shop.advanceautoparts.com

That's them but they're almost 2x the price of rock auto.

1994 CHEVROLET CAMARO 5.7L V8 Exhaust Manifold Gasket | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

 

[Edgarm8933]

That's them but they're almost 2x the price of rock auto.

1994 CHEVROLET CAMARO 5.7L V8 Exhaust Manifold Gasket | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

Thanks so much for the heads up !

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

hopefully you didn’t actually pay them money for not doing shit they said they’d do.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Well I mean. It actually depends.

We've gotten into situations where customers bring us aftermarket garbage parts and ask us to install.

We disclaimer that they may not fit properly or may leak, etc...

If I take your turbo off and I put the chinese turbo on and it doesn't line up.

You bet your ass I'm charging you for any time I have it in.

 

[sktchy]

My advice is order a set of gm exhaust manifold gaskets as they fit better and won’t leak like the aftermarket ones.

Copper rtv >

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Well I mean. It actually depends.

We've gotten imto situations where customers bring us aftermarket garbage parts and ask us to install.

We disclaimer that they may not fit properly or may leak, etc...

If I take your turbo off and I out the chinese turbo on and it doesn't line up.

You bet your ass I'm charging you for any time I have it in.

Sounds like this project was above their skill level. Speed engineering is pretty “high quality” China stuff.

 

[DEEZUZ]

Sounds like this project was above their skill level. Speed engineering is pretty “high quality” China stuff.

You know what I'm saying

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

You know what I'm saying

Yep

 

[Mr_Roboto]

The heads you have are likely D-port. Did they say what didn't fit?

Ask them specifically what they R&Red to merit 6+ shop hours of labor. Ask if they have pics of the car disassembled, or the mismatch of the headers.

I would be looking at the exhaust bolts to see if they look like they've ever been off the car. Quite honestly most of them are a pain in the dick to get off and you'd likely be able to tell if they had ever been removed or been recently removed.

 

[Morepower4me]

If you paid with a credit card, dispute it.
They can prove what they actually did/charged for to the bank (or get their Visa processing abilities suspended) & the bank will refund you. You pay for this service every time you pay a monthly fee or interest rate - may as well use it.

That said, its a SHITTY job. I've done a few (as an owner not a shop) and I'd be shocked a shop would only charge $500. When I've called around for Long tubes on my Hellcat (which is a far easier install) its always been $1100-1400.

It's do-able as a DIY'r if you're up for a challenge, but I'd expect a capable shop to charge closer to $1000.
Also, while you're in there, change your Opti-spark and water pump.

 

[frank]

If you paid with a credit card, dispute it.
They can prove what they actually did/charged for to the bank (or get their Visa processing abilities suspended) & the bank will refund you. You pay for this service every time you pay a monthly fee or interest rate - may as well use it.

That said, its a SHITTY job. I've done a few (as an owner not a shop) and I'd be shocked a shop would only charge $500. When I've called around for Long tubes on my Hellcat (which is a far easier install) its always been $1100-1400.

It's do-able as a DIY'r if you're up for a challenge, but I'd expect a capable shop to charge closer to $1000.
Also, while you're in there, change your Opti-spark and water pump.

Don’t forget motor mounts!

 

[Edgarm8933]

If you paid with a credit card, dispute it.
They can prove what they actually did/charged for to the bank (or get their Visa processing abilities suspended) & the bank will refund you. You pay for this service every time you pay a monthly fee or interest rate - may as well use it.

That said, its a SHITTY job. I've done a few (as an owner not a shop) and I'd be shocked a shop would only charge $500. When I've called around for Long tubes on my Hellcat (which is a far easier install) its always been $1100-1400.

It's do-able as a DIY'r if you're up for a challenge, but I'd expect a capable shop to charge closer to $1000.
Also, while you're in there, change your Opti-spark and water pump.

Yea I’ll contest it with my bank because the headers look super clean as if they didn’t even try. But I mean idk about this so how would I say you’re lying they do fit you know. But so far everyone I’ve spoken too who knows about these cars said based on the pics those are the right headers. I’ve found a guy recommended above who scheduled me for the install. I’m going to call him to tell him if he can add motor mounts while there lol hopefully it’s not a big issue as I here that’s a must.

I already changed the optispark two years ago with a petris opti.

 

[DEEZUZ]

I'll bet they snapped some manifold bolts and said fuck this

 

[SirMarco]

Contest it with your bank and file with the BBB on that. Sounds like you got took. Put the shop on blast.

 

[IceCreamAssassin]

Yea I’ll contest it with my bank because the headers look super clean as if they didn’t even try. But I mean idk about this so how would I say you’re lying they do fit you know. But so far everyone I’ve spoken too who knows about these cars said based on the pics those are the right headers. I’ve found a guy recommended above who scheduled me for the install. I’m going to call him to tell him if he can add motor mounts while there lol hopefully it’s not a big issue as I here that’s a must.

I already changed the optispark two years ago with a petris opti.

I want some sound clips when done. Love the sound of LT’s