2008 Yukon Denali, 135k miles, part 2!!

[tgui]

Defeat. I lost. I dont have the time or the skill to get this ****** out. I went through 5 welded bolts and stacked welds with channel locks. I can't get anything to fit to drill out. I'm not pulling the engine so am using the Dorman manifold braces (which are also a ***** to install).

I can't get it. I damage the head each time I try.

Here is the Dorman piece in place. I had to hammer the ground wire connector flat to fit.

More later. Bummed

 

[tgui]

This experience sucks. I've done trans swaps and this is up there.

To get the DRIVERS header in..

- Remove wheel.

- Remove inner fender well cover.

- Remove spark plugs and wires.

- Remove stock manifold and ypipe. See my other posts. I had to cut all mine out.

- If AWD/4WD drop the front driveshaft.

- Remove heat shield on fender.

- Remove rear O2 sensor completely. Be prepared to tune or get a tune.

- Disconnect the steering shaft. Mine was rusted to all hell, removed the under body shield, used a screw driver to wedge the shaft off and hammered off. I couldn't remove it from closer to the firewall. Lock the steering wheel in place.

- Put the header in from the TOP. Shoe horn and wrangle that ***** in place.

- Not done but in place.

 

[randeez]

holy shit man...you gotta get that steering shaft out completely, 12mm on the bottom where it connects to the rack, after you get it out push the upper part of the shaft back in the cab as far as it'll go and driverside goes in from the top, may need to jack up truck a little iirc to allow the collector a little more room before swinging in place.
same headers, same truck -i dont remove any of that but the steering shaft, i can do it with leaving plugs in but ive gotten careless before and broke one.

 

[tgui]

holy shit man...you gotta get that steering shaft out completely, 12mm on the bottom where it connects to the rack, after you get it out push the upper part of the shaft back in the cab as far as it'll go and driverside goes in from the top, may need to jack up truck a little iirc to allow the collector a little more room before swinging in place.
same headers, same truck -i dont remove any of that but the steering shaft, i can do it with leaving plugs in but ive gotten careless before and broke one.

Dude. I have SOOO much rust. I couldn't get the steering shaft out near the top. Seriously rusted in. :-/

You didnt need to loosen the front driveshaft?

 

[tgui]

I got fasteners that don't need to be re-torqued.

TFOT, not THOT, that flange over there. Nice and thicc.

 

[tgui]

Passenger side in but not firmly. This side is a breeze. Go in from under the car.

 

[tgui]

All bolts and dorman piece in place on the passenger side. Not torqued. C'mon, work only leaves so much time to play :-/ I'm liking the stage 8 bolts. Soon I'll put the tabs on that stop them from backing out.

 

[tgui]

Passenger side about done.

- Oil dipstick

- Spark plugs

- O2 Sensor

- Dorman rear bolt fixer thingy

- First pass on torquing bolts

- New plug wires since I was in there, plugs were replaced 15k ago That rear plug is still a pain. Needed to go from under to get it tight.

.... Nothing special

Look at all the room for the O2 sensor!

What rear O2 sensors?! ....

 

[tgui]

I'll do a final post when done but so far the fitment is pretty damn good for cheap headers. Speed Engineering, good game, good game.

 

[tgui]

I had an hour. Passenger side done. Torqued to 18 ftlbs. Locking bits in place if you look closely.

Drivers side getting close.

Drivers O2 fits well. I was concerned since I saw old posts where this was an issue.

 

[randeez]

looks good man, you going to keep the stock cat back?
kept mine, zero drone... pretty subtle but still barks when you get into it

 

[tgui]

looks good man, you going to keep the stock cat back?
kept mine, zero drone... pretty subtle but still barks when you get into it

I already cut the resonator off but still have the rest of the stock cat back. I'll give it a shot especially since you and others say it might sound good without drone! If not I have my eye on a borla muffler.

I wish I had more than 30 min to an hour free here and there to work.

 

[tgui]

I tried to fit the piping to tie the headers to muffler portion of the exhaust. I need to drop the transmission cross member to do so. Next to the ypipe, the 2nd most hated thing for me is dropping a cross member.

I suppose one could leave the headers unbolted to get it all done without dropping the cross member but that would be even more a pain in the ass to balance all that piping, headers, getting everything in place for gaskets, O2 sensors, and header bolts.

I did however get the passenger side header almost all done.

Slow progress. I have tomorrow night and Sat to get it done "hopefully".

Boring posts. I guess this thread is more of a journal for me.

 

[tgui]

Question: I have 1 spark plug wire that touches the header no matter what I do. What do? Heat shielding? Custom short wire?

Spark plug is fully seated. I tested. 2nd from left.

 

[tgui]

I wrapped some aluminum foil around the touching spark plug wire.

Then I tested the engine with open headers. HOLY SHIT LOUD BATMAN!!

I figured my wife would run down to tell me to cut it out. Turn out she thought it was an explosion and ran out with phone in hand to call 911 and almost in tears. I also scared the shit out of my cats. Mission accomplished?

Quick test:

Full test with revving. Had to put on ear protection. My head was still ringing for an hour or so. My wife out walking a block away said it was so loud I made a kid cry. I also got some really nasty looks from neighbors. Never again, but I had to do it once.

I need to adjust the passenger header as the O2 sensor is hitting the under body. THEN I can drop that ******* cross member.

Is this the longest header install ever? Its been a ***** of a time.

 

[randeez]

"...open headers test"

prob going to have to get a different set of wires, i had the fiberglass sleeves on mine and even with those it burnt through the cable inside them, msd makes a set that the boot can be formed and keeps them away pretty good, i got the set "for trucks" and they're long as shit i actually have the 45 off the coil pointed up on some of them.
driverside o2 sensor - make sure you tyrap the cable going to it up and tight, mine fell and rubbed thru on the front driveshaft

 

[HiHoeSilver]

I wrapped some aluminum foil around the touching spark plug wire.

Then I tested the engine with open headers. HOLY SHIT LOUD BATMAN!!

I figured my wife would run down to tell me to cut it out. Turn out she thought it was an explosion and ran out with phone in hand to call 911 and almost in tears. I also scared the shit out of my cats. Mission accomplished?

Quick test:

Full test with revving. Had to put on ear protection. My head was still ringing for an hour or so. My wife out walking a block away said it was so loud I made a kid cry. I also got some really nasty looks from neighbors. Never again, but I had to do it once.

I need to adjust the passenger header as the O2 sensor is hitting the under body. THEN I can drop that ******* cross member.

Is this the longest header install ever? Its been a ***** of a time.

Lol at "I made a kid cry" nice job. +100 pts.

 

[tgui]

Got this from advance Auto. Hope it works!

 

[tgui]

Aligned the headers and now the O2 sensor doesn't hut the body. It's close though.

Trimmed the wire boot.

Slips on snug

Fits ok. Used a zip tie to keep it from touching the header.

 

[tgui]

Engine side about buttoned up. Now to figure out the damn crossmember.

All gm engines should look like this.... but cleaner of course and with less rust.