Writeup: Installing 5.7 TBI headers on 5.7 Vortec

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Hezsus

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Well, I have about 650-700 miles on this setup now. No real problems.

The only think I would tell someone doing this is DO NOT mount your O2 sensor on the driver's in the TBI location... go ahead and plug that hole and mount it on the collectors. Your PCM is much happier that way.

Also, as expected, the paint burns off these things pretty badly. Mine are already not looking as hott as they did originally, and I never go off road or dirt. I plan to have them ceramic coated this summer when I do my cam install.

But yeah, best mod for your buck you can do to these trucks, imo. Still recommend it!

Yeah my headers are pretty much just a big ol pile of rust now.. I would reccomend stainless or ceramic over these.. buy for the price you cant go wrong.


Also for the 96 and 97 it can all be tuned out, 411 pcm is not necessary for this.
 

big_mike

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My truck does not have the 411 PCM. I do not know if EFI live works on this PCM or not, but I can tell you that his 97 can have all the emissions stuff tuned out the same as my 98 can, because they are identical platforms.

Black Bear Performance tuned out my AIr injection, EGR, and rear O2 sensors along with giving me the performance 89 octane tune. My local exhaust shop which happens to have a snap on scan tool told me he could also tune out the EGR, AIR, and rear 02s by setting the values equal to '0'. He said he would charge $35.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something about your posts. But to my knowledge, 96,97,and 98 are all the same electronics platform.

Thats b/c Blackbear has the tuning software to alter the stock PCM on these trucks. But that wasnt the question I was anwsering. I replied about using EFIlive or HPtuners which is not compatible with the 96-98 PCM in these trucks. It requires a different software. Doin the 411 PCM allows you to use a wider variety of software to tune with.

So for instance if I had EFIlive or HPtuners for my LS1 Trans Am I would need a completely different program to tune my truck, I couldnt just register the truck VIN & use the same program. Just depends on what you got goin on. If your truck is all you need tuned or want to mess with the go Blackbear for sure. If you already have tuning software like EFIlive or HPtuners for another newer PCM style vehicle then the 411 PCM swap is what you want for best $$ ratio spent.
 

flyboy1294

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Thats b/c Blackbear has the tuning software to alter the stock PCM on these trucks. But that wasnt the question I was anwsering. I replied about using EFIlive or HPtuners which is not compatible with the 96-98 PCM in these trucks. It requires a different software. Doin the 411 PCM allows you to use a wider variety of software to tune with.

So for instance if I had EFIlive or HPtuners for my LS1 Trans Am I would need a completely different program to tune my truck, I couldnt just register the truck VIN & use the same program. Just depends on what you got goin on. If your truck is all you need tuned or want to mess with the go Blackbear for sure. If you already have tuning software like EFIlive or HPtuners for another newer PCM style vehicle then the 411 PCM swap is what you want for best $$ ratio spent.

Okay, I figured I just misunderstood what you were saying. The 411 swap seems like it would be great, I just don't know if I am capable of doing it.
 

flyboy1294

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I found this thread in perfect time! I'll move the O2 bung on my Hookers to the collectors on both sides before I install them. Thanks for your help OP and everyone else! I'm looking forward to doing my exhaust next week :D

You will be thrilled at the power difference. It's like a whole different vehicle after the headers and Black Bear tune.
 

flyboy1294

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Yeah my headers are pretty much just a big ol pile of rust now.. I would reccomend stainless or ceramic over these.. buy for the price you cant go wrong.


Also for the 96 and 97 it can all be tuned out, 411 pcm is not necessary for this.

There is a local place that does powder coating that I believe will do ceramic. I will check with them this summer. I didn't want to get ceramic to begin with because A. they're expensive, and B. I had to do a bit of welding to install my 02 sensors. I would hate to destroy that coating from the get go.

This summer I am planning to install new injectors, intake gaskets (as a precaution... mine haven't gone bad yet but at 150K I'm getting nervous), LS6 beehive springs, and a cam. I can easily take the headers off and get them done while that stuff is being completed. Plus the PCM will need to be retuned, so that give me a week + of down time.
 

Talisman

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I do not have EFI Live so blackbear would work for me. I have shorties and a hypertech installed currently, so can I expect much improvement over my current set up with longs and a blackbear?
 

flyboy1294

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I do not have EFI Live so blackbear would work for me. I have shorties and a hypertech installed currently, so can I expect much improvement over my current set up with longs and a blackbear?

I have no experience with Hypertech, so I will let someone else chime in. I do know that shorties don't give nearly as much torque and hp increase and long tubes do though, so you should seem substantial gain there.
 

TLoud

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Are there any options for longtube headers with both 02 sensors in the collectors that are already ceramic or stainless? This sounds like an awesome mod but it seems ****** we'd have to weld the 02 sensor in and then have them re-coated.. oh and any pics of how bad they actually look now?
 
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