How to install Speed Engineering Headers C5 Corvette

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

I want to make sure I'm not misleading anyone. These headers do NOT come with v-bands for the collectors. I put those on. They are normally slip fits which isn't the end of the world. Just take extra care to get them sealed up.

[@masontarter]

How much did you have to cut off the slip joint to make the v bands work or did you not have to cut any off the pipe

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

@@masontarter Nothing off the headers themselves. The midpipe elbows I may have cut to fit however needed. My midpipe is completely custom though.

[@BadLuckGarage]

Your engine bay is so clean I almost felt shame. Then I remembered who I was. 😂 Seriously though its clean as hell in there brother.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Sometimes I get mad at myself for tearing apart a car with 30k miles on it lol.

[@jeffb243]

Clean installation. I’ll be getting these same headers and X pipe for my 2001 soon. Nice video

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Thank you Jeff. I have no regrets with the Speed Engineering headers at all.

[@jeffb243]

Looking forward to putting them in, and ripping the entire AIR system out of it!!!

[@av8r49a]

When you installed the Texas speed headers a few years earlier, you went through the top. And you did it by yourself. With these you’re going from the bottom. Can I ask why? I was very impressed with your Texas speed installation.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Thank you sir. The shapes between the two brands are radically different and the SE headers are 1 7/8s which is also quite a bit bulkier. I knew from others experiences that the SE headers went in easy from the bottom from Forum experience so I didn't even bother trying from the top. It may be possible to do the SE headers from the top if the coil packs, plugs and maybe even the valve covers are removed but I just don't know. I've been very happy with the SE headers.

[@302vettelife2]

Man that car is clean. Nice install. They sure are pretty!

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

One start and they are already getting rainbows on them. Starting to turn that golden header of goodness color. :) The car only has 32k miles on it and 22 years old now.

[@joem1224]

I cannot find that dipstick tube for the later cars. Where did you get that one on your car post header install? Great video. Thanks for hosting.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

I got that one from Texas Speed back in 2018. Unfortunately those dipstick assemblies have been out of production for a while now and it appears that every last remaining new one has been sold off. I would check with contemporary corvette or Vettenutts.

[@Toys4Life]

Nice video, SUBBED. - Thanks for tanking the time to Make and Post. Questions. 1. approx how many miles have you put on you C5 since header install? 2. Did bend the AC pipe that is down low on the pass side so it is closer to the chassis to gain more clearance between the AC pipe and the header... mine seems a bit closer to the engine on my 2003? 3. How much extra under hood heat are you noticing now? 4. Do you feel like anything is going to get melted/burnt on either side by the hot header tubes? 5. did you ditch the Tex Sp Headers for these - if so, why? Thank you!!

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Hey Toys. First off thanks for that man. For some reason I thought I was subbed to your channel already all the way back to your supercharger install days. I will fix that. Man it's tough to keep track of it all. I am subbed to almost 300 channels haha. To answer your questions in a row. 1, about 750 miles is all. We have 5 cars around here so the miles get spread around. The C5 is on NCM insurance so I don't errands with it or anything. No problems so far and very happy with them. 2, AC pipe I wouldn't say got bent at all for clearance. If it did it was just from shoving the headers through to install. 3, I personally haven't ever noticed a difference between stock manifolds, TSPs longtubes, or the Speed Engineering headers for heat. Traffic sucks around here so if you get stuck in it, all 3 combos will make the car very hot inside. 4, Based on what I've seen so far with the wiring and the amount of traffic I've been stuck in I think the wiring will be fine. The closest thing that would ever be a problem would be the convoluted tubing on the O2 extension passenger side near the AC pipe. So far nothing though. 5, Yes these replaced the TSP headers. The main reason was this car is lowered all the way down on stock bolts in the front and the TSP headers hung very low. Especially the passenger side. It drug across even the tiniest of speed bumps. I thought I could live with it but in the end I felt bad and didn't want to tear them up. So with full disclosure I decided to sell them to someone else on the Forum. The SE headers definitely tuck up higher. With slip fits there would be even more room. I cost my self a smidge of clearance with the V-Bands. The other thing was I wanted to step up to the 1 7/8s inch for the future belt driven intake manifold install. Hopefully this winter. I hope this helped. If you have any other questions or concerns fire away. :)

[@Toys4Life]

@@PNW_Car_Mods Thanks for taking the time to give detailed answers! I looked these up and the price is right. Sounds like if you had to do it over you would buy these again??? "belt drive intake" that is funny... Are you thinking of a maggie style or a centri? Thanks again and good luck with the channel!!

[@joshuakirkland1596]

What year dipstick did u use? I have a 2000 c5 with same headers and my mechanic says the dipstick wont fit! Plz help 😢

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

You need the late C5 Dipstick tube assembly. I think it's 2001-2004. The one that bolts directly to the head from the factory and not bolts to the exhaust manifold from the factory. They are now discontinued and getting very hard to find.

[@bryantingley3113]

Cheers to a fellow Washingtonian!! Car looks and sounds amazing. Do you have a link to where you bought the headers?

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Thank you very much. She still a work in progress because I can't leave anything alone lol. I will put the link in the description right now. It was Juiced Motorsports BTW.

[@IndependenceCityMotoring]

Are O2 sensor extensions necessary? And did you use paper gaskets or metal ones?

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

I would reuse the stock originals before I used paper. Paper will blow out just like they always did in the old days. I seem to recall that its very difficult to get the passenger side hooked up and routed away from the exhaust header without and extension. I will be revisiting this as I have no extension on the drivers side and an extension added on the passenger side and I think it's messing with my O2 signal. I need to add the extension to the drivers side and see if it evens out.

[@dekesone1]

I notice your car has the fuel return line, which means it's a 97 or 98; but you also have center-bolt valve covers which means later model heads. Did you swap the heads to 243s?

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Deke, the car has CNC ported Texas Speed heads on it now. Good eye.

[@mikebohte5497]

Nice video...subbed. I plan on installing these headers on my '99 in a month or s0. 2 questions for you. First, what exactly did you do to remove the EGR system? Second, is the '01-'04 oil dipstick/tube 100% necessary? I ask because I haven't been able to locate one. Thanks.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Thanks Mike! First and foremost, C5s and newer do not have an EGR system. Only an air pump system. You can remove the whole entire system which I did a couple years ago but you will have to have the AIR system codes turned off your your check engine light will eventually come on. Also if you are not going to run cats you will need some kind of tune for that as well to turn off the rear O2 codes. It looks like the newer C5 Dipstick may be out of production as Texas Speed used to carry them for like 20 bucks and now it's not even on their website. I believe I have read that some people have been able to make the early dipstick tube assembly work with some careful bending and maybe extending the mounting tab. I don't know for sure though. I hope this helps and if you have any more questions by all means, fire away.

[@mikebohte5497]

@@PNW_Car_Mods Thanks for all the info, much appreciated. Not planning on running cats. Did you remove your air pump or just disconnect it? I believe there is a vacuum tube attached to it...I remember seeing one when I was in there replacing the parking light housing a while back. Not sure where it leads to but I assume it would have to be capped or there would be a vacuum leak.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

@@mikebohte5497 Yup I removed the whole entire air system. All that is left is the electrical connector lol. you have to plug off the port on your airbox assembly which is where it gets it's air from. If you check out some of the newer videos on my car you will see it's not very stock at all anymore.

[@samuelcontic9861]

Are these 1 7/8 headers

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

Indeed they are.

[@keithr6827]

Looks very nice, but god, I'd hate to replace a clutch master cylinder after having those damn things installed.

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

That's the price you pay for speed. ;) That being said these headers are super easy to get in and out. I'd say even easier than factory manifolds.

[@PanzerPlatform]

Geez, like building a ship in a bottle. lol

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

That might be the best analogy EVER! I think I am going to start using that line at work hehe.