2010-15 Camaro 6.2L Header Installation - Texas Speed

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2010-15 Camaro 6.2L Header Installation

Tools

▪ WD40 for exhaust bolts ▪ 10mm, 13mm, 15mm Combination wrenches

▪ 3/8” Ratchet ▪ Optional: 3/8” air ratchet and impact gun

▪ 5/8” Spark plug set ▪ 4” Long 3/8” extension

▪ 6” Long 3/8” extension ▪ 12” Long 3/8” extension

▪ 10mm, 11mm, 13mm, 15mm 3/8” Drive sockets and ratchet (deep and standard length)


Bolt Sizes

Disassembly

Ignition Coil bracket bolts: 10mm (5 ea.)

Dipstick Tube: 15mm (1)

Header/Manifold Bolts: 13mm (6 ea.)

Catalytic Converter: 15mm (2 ea.)

OEM Cat-back Band Clamp: 15mm (2 ea.)

OEM Tunnel Brace: 13mm (4 total)

O2 Sensors 7/8” (2 Pre, 2 Post)

Steering Shaft Bolt 11mm (1)

New Accu-Seal Band Clamps 15mm (1 per ea. clamp)

1. Make negative battery cable loose. (Battery is in trunk)

2. Open engine compartment. (Hood)

3. Remove engine cover.

4. Lift vehicle using jack stands or by using a two or four-post lift. (Preferred)

5. Spray WD-40 on exhaust bolts located at front and rear of catalytic converters. Let soak.

6. Spray WD-40 on O2 sensor threads and let soak to alleviate thread galling when removed.

7. Loosen 15mm band clamp bolts.

8. Remove spark plug wires.

9. Remove coil packs by removing bolts (5 ea.) on each side.

10. Remove all (8) spark plugs using 5/8” spark plug socket.

11. Remove oil dipstick tube and set aside by removing the single 15mm mounting bolt.

Sometimes clearance modifications need to be made to the bracket.

12. Remove ground wires on passenger side cylinder head with the (2) 15mm bolts, and note

ground bolt position.


Disassembly (cont.)

13. Unclip front O2 sensor connectors, (Black) located at the rear of each cylinder

head. A small, pocket screwdriver is useful in this step.

14. Unclip rear O2 sensor connections. (White) These are located on the left and right

of the transmission. If not using the tear O2’s, make sure to zip tie the unused

harness connectors securely.

a. You can optionally use electrical tape to seal the connector from

and moisture.

15. Loosen the flange nuts on the front catalytic converter, but leave a few threads

hand-tight for easier removal once back under the hood of the car.

16. Remove the six (Per side) exhaust manifold to cylinder head bolts and set aside

to be reused unless you have new header bolts.

17. The exhaust manifold will be loose at this point but not removable. Set the OEM

exhaust gasket aside. It is reusable if the rivets holding the MLS layers are not

rusted apart.

18. Go under the car and loosen the front cat pipe flange nuts while supporting the

manifold.

19. Once the manifold is loose, remove the cat pipe assembly by sliding it forward off

the cat-back assembly. Then remove the exhaust manifolds from under the

vehicle.

20. Remove O2 sensors if not performed previously.

21. Remove the lower steering shaft bolt and slide the steering shaft upwards

towards the steering column. Some headers need the steering removed and

some do not. This makes a small difference for all headers. Do not turn the

steering wheel or the lowering steering shaft with the steering shaft disconnected.


Catback Removal (For full exhaust install only)

If a full exhaust is being installed, the catback can be removed at any time before

or after manifold removal or header installation.

1. Loosen the band clamps using a 15mm socket.

2. Loosen only two of the tunnel brace bolts. This will be used to balance and

support the exhaust as a 3rd hand until it is ready to be fully removed.

3. Loosen the rear bumper valance where the exhaust tips are residing. If you have

a lift you do not need to do this, but with jackstands it is best to just remove the

valance.

4. Using a prybar, remove the rubber exhaust hangers holding the factory exhaust to

the rear subframe, and the ones near the exhaust tips.

Some lubricant may be required if the rubber hangers are stubborn.

The rubber hangers are going to be reused so try not to tear them

up too much.

5. Once the exhaust is loose, get one buddy at the front of the exhaust, and yourself

at the muffler area and then have the guy covering the front section take loose

one tunnel brace bolt and swing the tunnel brake out of the way. It will not be

reused so once the exhaust is lowered you can ditch the brace and install the

bolts back in place to hold the heat shields from rattling.

6. At this point you can simply just remove the exhaust by sliding the system

rearward to slide off the catalytic converter pipes and then lowered.

*If you kept the rear valance in place, move the angle the exhaust down at

an approximate 45° angle before the mufflers and tailpipes can be removed

from the valance panel. This is almost impossible with one person and on

jackstands. If using jackstands, you may want to cut the old exhaust using a

reciprocating saw at a half-way point if you do not plan on reusing it, this

would facilitate easier removal.


Header Installation

The first components to be installed in an exhaust system are the headers. These

will be fully installed and in place before installing the remaining exhaust system

components. The longtube headers will install from the bottom of the car, and

before installation you will need to install the front O2 sensor extensions – these

are much easier to route before the headers are in place.

1. Install each header from under the car and into place on each side of the engine.

You may want some help supporting the header while going back to the

topside of the engine bay to install the header bolts and gasket, or use

bungee straps to temporarily support the headers if you are working alone.

2. Once the headers are near the cylinder head exhaust flange, you can install the

gasket and start the bolts. The stock gasket is marked “down” on the header side

– this writing is the bottom of the gasket and this obviously goes towards the

ground. If it isn't obvious enough or you are using an unmarked replacement

gasket, make sure the bolt holes match the pattern on the cylinder head.

3. It takes some finesse to install the first header bolt through the header gasket

while also supporting the weight of the header. Typically, it’s best to install a rear-

ward bolt first so that the header is more balanced to align the remaining bolts,

but any bolt you can install first to help support the weight is good enough. Some

people like using anti-seize on the header bolt threads, but this is optional step.

4. Once the first bolt is started, start aligning and threading the remaining (5) header

bolts. Make sure they are not cross threading as this is easy to do if the header

isn't perfectly aligned. Use a small alignment punch if needed, or you can also

lightly use a prybar and shop rag against a mostly threaded header bolt and

header tube to help align the header.


Header Installation (cont.)

5. After all (6) header bolts are installed, evenly tighten down the bolts using a

13mm socket until snug then torque from the center out to 22 lb feet.

You can also use a closed-end 13mm wrench if torque wrench/socket

access is minimal.

6. Repeat the same process (steps 3-5) for the opposite bank exhaust header.

7. While in the engine compartment, now is a good time to finish the upper portion of

the installation. Start with reinstalling or replacing the spark plugs. You can use a

minimal amount of anti-seize on the spark plug threads if desired. Torque to 11 lb

feet. You can also tighten them snug without the use of a torque wrench if you

have a feel for spark plug torque.

8. Reinstall the coil packs if removed torqueing the (5 ea) bolts to 89 inch lbs.

9. Reinstall the dipstick tube, you will need a flashlight to see the proper orientation

in the block. This sometimes is easiest by having a friend align the lower portion

of the dipstick tube while you install it from the engine bay side.

Some headers require a spacer and longer bolt for the dipstick tube due to

the larger header flange.

10. Reinstall the passenger side ground wires – if removed.

11. Reinstall or Replace the Spark Plug wires.

12. Reinstall the engine cover.

13. Going back to the bottom side of the car, install the O2 sensors. The O2 torque

specification is 31 lb feet, but if using an open-ended wrench just try to get close

to that value by feel it will likely be good enough.


Header Installation (cont.)

Header Connection Pipes

14. Plug in the O2 sensor connectors to the previously installed O2 sensor harness

extension and route securely using zip ties on the existing wiring harness routing.

Open transmission case holes or other usable non-moving/non-heated items.

Ideally you want to protect the wiring from falling loose and getting melted against

the header, or in a position that promotes wiring chaffing.

15. At this point, the header portion of the installation is complete, now we can move

onto connecting the headers to the existing exhaust, or replacing the entire

exhaust.

1. Installing the headers to stock catback connection pipes is pretty straight-forward.

Due to the slip-fit design, you may have to slightly lower and shift the stock

catback rearward with a prybar to slide the two pipes together, otherwise, it’s a

matter of installing as best as fitment requires.

2. Once the pipes and exhaust are in position and aligned, tighten all band clamps.

If you removed the stock catback then you will need to install it last. However, it

does not need to be removed to utilize full length headers with connection pipes.


Optional Catback Installation

The 3” dual exhaust catback system is one of the easier aspects of the exhaust

installation. The TSP system shown being installed has minimal room for install

error, which directly helps the end users on their own installation. Some things to

keep in mind are that the pre-installed Accu-seal exhaust clamps all face

downwards as shown in the images and that the flimsy and interference-prone

body brace is not to be retained.

1. Install both the left and right catalytic converter extension pipes. These simply

slide into place. You can snug the clamps to prevent the cat pipes from sliding

more forward on the header than required.

2. Next install the X-pipe itself. Note that the Accu-Seal bolts face downwards if the

X-pipe is positioned correctly.

3. Install the left and right X-pipe extensions. These are non-interchangeable but

you can easily see that the differences are obvious, the left side routes near the

differential drain plug, while the right side is angled further out to match the

underside of the rear differential cradle.

4. If the rear fascia is back into place, you must insert the exhaust tip through the

fascia first, then align the exhaust piping.

5. Once the axle-back portion is installed, position all rear exhaust hangers back into

place on the exhaust. These will help support the exhaust system so that you can

align the setup properly.

Alignment

6. Make sure the exhaust is not rubbing any drivetrain components or support

structures.

7. Adjust the front clamps and X-pipe clamps first, then align the exhaust tip location

and work back forward keeping the exhaust tips in check.


Optional Catback Installation (cont.)

Final Inspection and Startup

8. Once the exhaust is positioned where it fits best you can tighten the Accu-Seal

bolts down fully.

You may need to adjust the exhaust tips one last time after an exhaust heat

cycle.

9. Final torque on the clamps should be around 50lb feet. Guesstimating is usually

sufficient as the specified range is 40lb feet to 60lb feet.

10. Give the entire installation a thorough once-over making sure you tightened all

bolts, and most importantly the steering shaft bolt. (If removed) If you utilized an

off-road type X-pipe you will need to have an LS-tuner disable the check engine

light for the rear O2 sensors. This is also recommended for setups with High-Flow

catalytic converters.

11. Once you are satisfied with the installation, you may re-connect the battery

ground in the trunk and give the engine a heat cycle. With a header installation

by itself you will rarely have issues on the initial startup, be prepared for a louder

exhaust note as your first impression. Secondly, as with all new exhaust

components, be prepared for the hot exhaust to burn off the manufacturers

grease, and your fingerprints from the exhaust system. They can smoke and

smell horrible for 20-30 minutes after startup, so make sure your workplace has

adequate outside ventilation. Do not run the car inside a shop or garage, at a

minimum, the rear half of the car should be outside.


More Information & Help

Call: 512.863.0900 Monday – Friday. (9:30 AM – 6:00 PM CST)

E-mail: [email protected]

Address: Texas Speed & Performance

1621 Aviation Dr., Ste 105

Georgetown, TX 78628

mailto:[email protected]

2010-15 Camaro 6.2L Header Installation - Texas Speed

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