Like the title says. Installing a used set of Kooks in my garage. Jeep is jacked up and doing it flat on my back. Sure wish the cement was warmer. Oh well, it's Canada eh? Just taking a break. Got the old exhaust out. Had to cut the hanger. No room to move it forward to take out the pipes. Just undoing the right manifold right now. SURE IS TIGHT!

Anyway, to those that have installed their own; any hints you found that made it easier? Don't have the original Kooks instruction and am using SW's.

Mike

Like the title says. Installing a used set of Kooks in my garage. Jeep is jacked up and doing it flat on my back. Sure wish the cement was warmer. Oh well, it's Canada eh? Just taking a break. Got the old exhaust out. Had to cut the hanger. No room to move it forward to take out the pipes. Just undoing the right manifold right now. SURE IS TIGHT!

Anyway, to those that have installed their own; any hints you found that made it easier? Don't have the original Kooks instruction and am using SW's.

Mike

Do a search. I know somebody on here has a real nice write up..

Because I'm nice. http://www.cherokeesrt8.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23278&highlight=kooks+install

Thanks Chad. I followed that thread when it was current. Just looking for that magic little tidbit of info that will make the job go a bit easier.

MIke

I got nothing. Somebody else installed mine.

Oh, I only wish. Just got the right manifold off. In all the posts I have read, nobody mentions anything about the stock manifold gaskets not being slit in the bottom 4 holes. You are suppose to leave the 4 bottom bolts in place and the manifold slides up and out of place. I had to take out the 4 bottom bolts cause the gasket was stuck on the manifold. Going to slit the new gaskets (Mopar) so they slip into place with the headers.

so r they on yet

Good luck with the install. I've always wanted to do my own install on headers

Well, right one is in. Figure on a 53 year old truck driver, getting up and down from a cold garage floor. This is going to take me forever.

WHERE'S MY MOTRIN?

Well i hope u get it done soon and get video.

No video except my Palm Treo. Guess that'll do.

Gave up for the night. One shortcut that wasn't in the instructions that I did was take off the inner fender liners. Makes access much easier. They say to undo and lift out of the way the fuse box in the fender to allow more room to get at the bolts. I did but not sure if it made any difference.

The saga contunues tomorrow. Lucky I'm laid off for a week!

Mike

Good luck,im starting my header install on the 1st of april,so any thoughts or ideas you might have im open to!!!!!!!I see you had a 2005 Pwagon,i had a 2006 and loved it,i sold mine for the jeep,i still wonder if that was the right move, Mine was inferno red.

Newfie.

Do you have access to scan your Kooks instructions? I do not have any and am using the SW's and just want to compare them.

The one thing I did find I had to do was cut off the exhaust hanger to remove it. No room to slide it forward. I didn't have to lift the motor on the right side.

My PW was red also. I originally ordered a 6 speed on Jan 5 when they opened up ordering for Canada, but they kept on pushing back the production date on me. Finally, changed my order to the auto in the end of March. The joys of ordering a brand new vehicle. They never did produce a 6 speed for 2005.

I'll leave any tidbits I find for the install here.

Mike

GL with install, pics/vid when done for all us whoressss please ;)
One trick I may suggest, have a few brews handy during install, makes it goes much smoother I'd guess, I mean I dont really know, im not of age yet ;)

No brews for me. Can't stand the taste or smell of that putrid yellow swill.

My drink of choice is Kahula. Mixed with Vodka, of course!

I keep checking back here for someone to drop that special little tidbit of info onto me that will make the job go easier. Stuck with trying to get the left manifold out. Have to get the motor mount undone so I can lift the motor a bit to get the starter out of the way so I can get my fat mits in there to undo the bolts that I can't see. Designers sure never had to do any work on these.

Unfortunately there are really no magic tricks to help:p It is just a tedious job that takes lots of patience, concrete agony and cuts:D Some of the bolts you just can't see so you have to reach up in there and feel around. I would suggest leaving your stock exhaust gaskets on there unless you rip them taking off the stock manifolds. The job will be so much easier if you leave the bottom manifold bolts in there and slide the headers up onto them so it will hold them in place. It also helped me when I removed the knock sensor on the drivers side behind the starter to gain some wrench turning clearance. Also make sure to mark your O2 sensors so they go back in the right spot or you will be fighting the check engine light trying to figure out whats wrong.

How is it going almost done yet..

BlownWJ. Many thanks. Just knowing that it is in fact such a tedious job, gives me a bit of encouragement. One thing is for certain though; original exhaust is NEVER going back on! Got the right side on last night and after getting the old manifold off, I took the bottom bolts out and replaced the gasket with a new Mopar unit, put the bottom bolts back through the gasket and then mounted the header. Probably going to do the same on the left. Finally got the motor mount bolt loosened enough and lifted the motor ever so slightly to get the starter out of the way. Down to the last 2 bolts on the bottom: the front 2. I see that I'll have to take off the knock sensor to get at that one bolt but still haven't figured out how to get the first one out.

Vinny. Patience my friend!

Gave up for the night. Time for the hot tub.

Got the top row of bolts out and the bottom loose. Had to remove the knock sensor just like Chris said. (Thanks for the heads up Chris) Can't get the manifold to release from the gasket so it won't slide up over the bottom bolts. Gasket isn't slit. Looks like I'm going to take out all the bottom ones too to get it out.

The saga continues........

Hang in there! I Love mine! It will be well worth it. Does it make you feel better that it cost me 300.00 to have them installed? Well my guy forgot to use stock gaskets, so I'm running around with the Kooks gaskets. It's on my mind all the time.
Wait till you first start it, and you get that sweet header ping. Nothing else like it! Definetly my favorite mod. Are yours ceramic coated?

T

Thanks T-Time. If I could have had someone do mine for $300.00, I would have sprung for it. I got the trick about the stock gaskets from someone on the forum. I bought them used and no coating. I wish they were though.

Mike

Working 2 hours and finally have the left manifold off. Had to take all 4 bottom bolts out. Gasket stuck on the manifold.

You get em all the way on? I'd say you're probably out cruising right now hehe, bet it sounds mean, or is going to very shortly ;) Mopar CatBack w/ the kooks headers are amazing, my favorite sound, add a B&G tune and you get : voila - sex for your ears!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2K3NhlHTxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBySX7Vy48o&feature=related

I bet scoutermike is under his rig as we speak. May the force be with you, Young Skywalker!

T

Hey how thing coming along so is it done yet.

Had to quit early yesterday. My son came by and wife and I had to do the parenting game again for a crisis. Small, but a crisis just the same.

Anyway, got the left header up into place with some creative engine jacking. Now comes the chore of tightening all the bolts. Some of them (most) have better access to the bolts with the header than the stock manifold. Having a VERY tough time with the second bolt on the bottom just above the motor mount. Can't get up in there. That's the only one I'm having a battle with. Gotta get an early start today. Want to be driving it tonight.

She's done. Had a CEL, P0052 as soon as I started the engine. Didn't think it should throw it this soon so I cleared it with my Predator. Started again and all clear. Took it for a ride and took it easy to warm it up. Definately louder but not bad. Then, I lit er up. Holy **** she barks like a pony car fron the 60's.

Got home and shut her off and proceeded to start to clean the garage. You could hear that distinctive snap and crackle of the headers cooling off.

It was a big job and took much longer than I thought. Instructions say 8 - 9 hours. I am by no means an inexperienced wrench, but I probably have 20 hours into it. Mind you I did it by myself, on my back with the Jeep jacked up and getting up n down every 10 minutes to get another tool that I didn't already have out can make any job harder than it needs to be.

Mike
The hot tub is calling me!

...Then, I lit er up. Holy ****e she barks like a pony car fron the 60's.
Great news indeed. I admire your tenacity in getting the project done, and taking your time to get it done right. Now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor!

This reminds me of the time I did them on my 79 Trans Am. Everything had to come out, (starter, frame braces, manual tranny and clutch linkage, oil filter, etc.). The engine had to be jacked up. I did it all with ramps and a creeper though. I'd say 20 hours was about right.

Someday I will do the Jeep, when I want to have all that fun!

It was a big job and took much longer than I thought. Instructions say 8 - 9 hours. I am by no means an inexperienced wrench, but I probably have 20 hours into it. Mind you I did it by myself, on my back with the Jeep jacked up and getting up n down every 10 minutes to get another tool that I didn't already have out can make any job harder than it needs to be.

Same here, but once you hear those headers come to life for the first time its all worth it:D Glad to hear you got them done and are enjoying the sound/power.