jamesbob02

I contacted Jet-Hot about getting a set of Hooker 2055's with the y-pipe coated but without AIR tubes. They offered me an outstanding price but said that nothing can be done about the AIR tubes. What are you guys doing about this, because I dont want/need them, I took out my smog stuff ages ago. The last thing I want to do is put in those crappy brass plugs like I did with my stock manifolds, thats one of the reasons I'm getting headers. What to do? Thanks.

25THRSS

If you don't mind me asking, how much did they quote you? If I were you I would just buy them uncoated, cut off the air tubes, weld them shut, then have them coated and you wont ever notice they were even there.

jamesbob02

Well part of the cheapness is getting them straight from Jet-Hot. This better not ruin my bargain, but I listed Thirdgen.org message boards as how I found out about Jet-Hot, and they cut the price from $620 to $545 SHIPPED!! I'm getting them TOMORROW and just dealing with the tubes somehow, but I still want to know what everybody else did, I'm willing to bet a lot of them don't have the smog system either.

25THRSS

you could just cap them I guess.

jamesbob02

Well I guess I'll have to resort to that, but I really don't want to weld up 8 spots that will turn up crappy on these nice shiny headers, you know? I'm probably gonna have to cut apart the AIR tubes and use them to weld up the spots. Ugh, I just hate it, cuz you know its not gonna look right.

25THRSS

yeah, it really sucks that hooker doesn't make non emmisions 2055's.

MikeT 88IROC350

I am in the same boat as you. I got the same quote from Jet-Hot, but don't want the air tubes. They said the headers come to them "as-is" emmision compliant, and that is what they coat. I did see some photos here of someone who cut the tubes off.

I am real curious as to how they did it, and how they look.

I would like to order them real soon. They look real good!

jamesbob02

Isnt that an awesome price? I'm SOOO glad I mentioned the boards. I'm gonna go ahead and order them and cut the tubes off, then weld them shut. I would still like to hear any suggestions from those who've done something similar. Thanks.

Grimaldo

I have 2055's and I have the airtubes. If you cut the tubes off, that will void the warranty through jet-hot. I capped myn off with the brass pipe plug. I painted the plugs chrome though. You never know when all areas in the states will come to emissions.

jamesbob02

I see you're in SD - I would have thought you'd have to deal with emissions already. Anyways, this may seem like a weird question, but do you have any weird/annoying exhaust sounds, like untraceable rattles or something? I've had a rattle for a long time at a certain RPM that drives me nuts and I can't track it down. I have the brass plugs in my manifolds right now and I was trying to avoid having anything unconventional in my exhaust system as to increase my chances of getting rid of the rattle. What I'm saying is, I don't know if the plugs contribute to the rattle or not, but I'd rather not mess with them, so I'd just like to know what yours sounds like.

Also, what chrome paint did you use and does it seem to burn off at all? Seems like it would...

Grimaldo

I have Colorado plates on my car. These smog natizeees are not getting me. I am in the military so I will only be here for a little while longer. I have a rattle but its down by the muffler. I will get that fixed soon. The plugs are fine, I JUst used a brass pipe plug from Home Depot. Sprayed it with some high heat chrome paint. Its still on there. I scraped it a little when I was tightening them on with a wrench.

jamesbob02

Are you SURE its down by the muffler? Does the rattle only appear at a certain RPM or is it throughout?

Grimaldo

It rattles when I let off the gas, after I am done reving it.

jamesbob02

Thats strange. Sounds like a backfire to me. I think I'll go ahead with your suggestion. Which paint did you use, like where did you buy it and do you remember what it was called? Thanks.

Grimaldo

its not a backfire, its my muffler brackets vibrating against the frame. I got the paint at pepboys. Cant remember the name. I mean chrome rustoleum will even work. Even if the paint only holds up a few months they are not hard to unscrew and repaint them every so often. Mine are still fine. Its better than bright brass.

jamesbob02

K thanks.

MikeT 88IROC350

How did you get the brass pipe plugs into the headers? Did you have to drill out and tap the headers for the 1/4 pipe thread? I have those plugs on my manifolds, wasn't too big of a deal. Hardest part was finding a hardware store that had 8 of them in stock!

Another question on the 2055s. Since they come emission compliant, is the O2 sensor bung on the drivers side, like the stock one is? I would like one on both sides, so I could install a WB sensor down the road. Or maybe that should be near the OEM sensor?

It would be wise to set that up now before the headers go in.

Grim, how did the install of the 2055s go on your car?

Grimaldo

My headers needed a pipe plug, I just screwed them over the airtube threadings. And as far as the install, it was cake. I just had to remove the stater as far as squeezing them in. I removed all smog stuff so that made it a little easier. It took some time and patience. A whole sunday. The 02 sensor is on the driver side. Hope this helps. Use stage 8 locking bolts or you will regret it.

MikeT 88IROC350

Thanks Grim, just what I wanted to hear. Got any pictures of your headers? I was at car show sunday, and looked at an IROC with the 2055s installed, with the tubes all hooked up to the pump. Kind of looked like crap, plus the headers weren't coated either. I didn't get to talk to him about them.

I allready have my air pump and tubes yanked, and I was considering those Stage bolts. But at least 3 of the bolts will need something different, like a long stud and a spacer, since there are some brackets bolted up the manifold. How did that work our for ya?

Grimaldo

Are you talking about the bolts for your alternator bracket. Yeah you use those bolts, but the rest use stage 8. If you dont the bolts will always come loose and you will blow gaskets. Putting these headers in were fine doing it one time. I never said I would want to do it again. Its so tight in our engine compartments. Also when you do it grab a friend and one of you work under the car the other one on top. I am getting all the pictures of my car downloaded here soon. Mine are jet-hot coated and I am very pleased with them. Real easy to put in and they are big.

MikeT 88IROC350

Yea on one side there is the alt and power steering bracket bolted to the manifold. On the other side there is the long AC bracket and also a bracket for air pump holder. Do you even need that one? Did you use spacers so the brackets would line up?

I am trying to get my mechanic to take on this job, but he ain't too excited about it. If not I will tackle it over the winter. They WILL be Jet-Hot coated for sure.

Grimaldo

No, I only had the alternator bracket to worry about. I took my air pump and what ever else you are talking about off. No spacers. I would do it yourself for sure. Just out of curiosity, I went and asked around how much mechanics would of charged me. I got quotes anywhere from 400-800$$$$$$$ Me and my uncle did it in 6 hours. The only problem was, the starter. Dont put it on a lift. Just put it on jackstands so you can lay down while you are doint it. Easier on the back and body.

MikeT 88IROC350

You mean no AC or power steering? Or did you just not use those brackets. Prolly could live without the airpump brace, maybe even the AC bracket.

Yea I know labor costs will be high, but he has all the right tools, and if runs into problems is real crafty.

Grimaldo

You should not run into any problems. These days, if you do not do it yourself it does not get done right. The first set of headers I had put on my car, the guy that put them on he put the stage 8 locking bolts on but could not put the extra effort into putting the clips on the end wich made them pointless. But I use my stage 8 for all except one bolt I believe. I would have to go out and look.

MikeT 88IROC350

Yea, everyone at work keeps telling me to install them myself. Prolly could over the winter time, but right now I don't want the car to be parked for a while if I run into problems.

One more question on the air tubes. Did you cut them off after Jet-Hot coating? And how exactly did you get the plugs in there? Did you have to thread the headers? I think I may just cut them almost flush and have them welded shut.

Do you ever notice any leaks with the plugs? The header tubes aren't real thick.

Grimaldo

No, the air tubes have threading on the end of them already. If you cut those off and weld them you will void the warranty from jet-hot. So just cap them off. Did you think I was talking about different plugs. These are the plugs I have been talking about the whole time.

MikeT 88IROC350

Sorry, we must have been talking about different things. So you just had 1 plug on each header (L and R) air tube, that mates up to the air pump tubing? I could see that beeing threaded. But I thought maybe you plugged each indvidual tube (4of them) coming off the header tubes.

I suppose you could just leave the tubes, and plug as is, not connected to anything, just might not be the look I want. If you have any pics that would help.

I am gonna order the headers uncoated, do the work on them, then send them back to Jet-Hot. I also want to put in a second 02 sensor bung for a WB 02. They warranty anything they coat, but if you alter it all bets are off.

$179 to coat the shorty headers, and 15$ per foot for Y pipe.

86TARP

on the headers, Does to come with the AIR tubes or is it the fittings?

iroc-si

Have you looked into ACS (see the site sponsor link above!) They can do the work for removing the air pipes on 2055s and then coat them for you, so they're a one stop shop for getting what you're after.

Si.

davehamilton

Hi, We have done several sets of 2055s lately where I have cut off the air tubes for the customer and TIG welded up the holes. The welds are now flush with the header tubes. I do all the welding mods myself. Our 3rd gen price is $509.00 for the coated headers with plain y pipe. Shipping is $24.00 to $33.00 in the 48 states. Removing the AIR tubes is $30.00. Thanks, Dave at ACS

Raiden

james, or anyone else.....PM me. I can give you some insite on the ACS products...or at least my experiences with them.