Hooker headers!!!! Help Please

[georgia2thaheart]

What's up guys, i am having some major problems with my hooker shorty headers, i know now after doing some reasearch that i should have went with clear image long tubes, and i am really thinking about selling these and doing just that if i can't fix my problem. But here is my question. the headers work fine it's just getting them torqued down. My local performance shop is doing a half ass job of torquing the header bolts down. They put the headers on and it ran well for about 3 weeks or so and then now they are coming loose again, the first time it blew out the gaskets because the bolts are coming loose. I really don't have the extra money but i am willing to do what i have to do to get my car right. I want to know what should i do just take it to another performance shop and have them give them a good torque and see what happens first or just forget even messing with them and save and get some clear image headers which i have never heard anything bad about. The left side header is fine because it's not that difficult to get to but the passenget side is a real headace. And to get to the bolts to torque them down is just a pain. I tried to do it myself but no luck, plus i don't have a lift. And if i do go with a long tube over the short tubes what kind of gains can i expect and will i have to do another tune. My current mods are 306 comp cam and head swap, intake,eaton posi 373 gears,CAI,58mm throttle body, ported intake,hooker exaust. It just seems that they are being lazy and dosen't want to take the time to do it right bacause it is a pain. Thanks a lot

[Transamman25]

Welcome to the world of headers my freind .. After the initial install you must re-torque every 500 miles until they properly mate to the head .. its a pain i know but it is neccesary -
#2. Use a quality fastener like ARP - They are less likely to back out
#3. A little dab of thread lock goes a long way
#4. Quality copper or layered aluminum gaskets help insure if they do back out they wont burn

Good luck !

[georgia2thaheart]

Where can i get some thread lock from and do you mean arp bolts, and where can i get those type of gaskets from. I am really thinking about just going with long tubes but i don't want to spend the money, but what power gains will i recieve over the short tubes if i go long tubes. Plus i will be able to torqe the bolts down myself. i am thinking of going with the Gen 2 clear image header that they make for my 95 impala ss. I just can't travel back and fourth to my local performance shop every 500 miles to have them torqued down. I live about 2hrs from it anyway, by the time i get home i will have to drive it back to torque them down. Any suggestions thanks

[Transamman25]

Thread lock can be purchased at any auto parts store ussually in the Permatex aisle
ARP Fastener's can be purchased through any HIPO shop and even through a couple of our site sponsors .. plus that will save the trip
Torque wrench'sare also available through your local auto parts store and "click models" ussually set ya back only 20-25 dollars.


Second part of your question .. Long tubes offer 20ish more HP over shorties but unfortunately the bring a mess of problems to the table
1. Ground clearance
2. Re-routing all your present exhaust .. and cats if ya have em
3. Added cost of not only purchasing the headers but fabbing up the exhaust to meet your present cat-back

[georgia2thaheart]

All in all as far as maintance and torquing the bolts myself and they also are proven to run alot cooler and as far as power do you think it's worth the trouble. I mean i can't reach the bolts based on the design of the hooker shorty header at all. Plus i know the impala does sit low. Check these out and tell me what you think. All the impala guys went with these.
http://www.clearimageautomotive.com/Products/Exhaust/Gen%20II%20TriY.htm Tell me what you think