Unbolting stock header
 

At the header to overpipe bolts I know I am loosening but I feel like the more I loosen, the tighter it's getting. Is this normal? (Not that good with cars...)

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question lol

Like as in its harder to turn right?? Try a little WD-40 or any other penetrating oil it might help unless they are stripped or something like that.

I'm pretty sure the bolts are attached to the factory header at the overpipe connection, you won't be able to remove it (unless you REALLY try lol). As long as you have the nuts removed though, you can loosen the overpipe or frontpipe and pull it back to give the header enough room to shimmy out. There are various ways of doing it but I found just detaching the rear of the front pipe and moving it back with the over pipe still attached to be the easiest solution for me.

Yes it's harder to turn and not stripped, maybe I'm just weak lol.

So you just unbolted all that were connected to the engine then shimmyd the factory header out?

Click on the Basic Bolt on Mods link below at the end of that their is a pdf document guide to changing header, you will have to unbolt the overpipe connection and o2 sensors as well to get header out

Just take it slow if you strip bolts or studs or damage 02 sensors its going to get expensive

also read the tips on changing headers in the guide text especially re o2 sensors and chasing threads in new header

Myself and a friend did a Tomei UEL header install just last night. What we did was douse the overpipe nuts with WD-40 and just apply force to them with a ratchet. We had a breaker bar just in case but we really didn't want to use it, It was tough because they were surprisingly rusty, but they eventually gave way.

The hardest part was getting the header down, mainly because we didn't touch the front pipe at all. What helped was removing the plastic piece that mounts to the inside of the passenger wheel well next to the header, because one of the 02 sensors was making contact with it. Also, because we didn't loosen the front pipe to overpipe connection it was pretty tough to get the OEM header studs to clear the overpipe holes. Had one stud that just wouldn't clear the hole. Ended up using a flathead screwdriver to carefully pry the header out.

Once the header was off we removed the 02 sensors. We were able to get one of them off with an 02 sensor wrench (cheap one from Harbor Freight), but for some reason the sides of the nut on the other one were really rounded off - before we even got to it. Not sure why. Used a 7/8" box wrench to get it off. Again, WD-40 made life easier.

Putting the new header on was the easiest part.

Overpipe bolts seem very difficult to get off.... Even with wd-40, ah well keep trying congrats on the install

Well atleast you know they only come off one way hahaha!! Worst case is you ruin the bolt or nut and have to head down to the local parts store to pick up a new one (just be sure its grade 8)

Finally got ONE bolt after 2 hours lol squeaked the ENTIRE time I loosened it and was hard the whole time lol GOALS

Nice! Lol I hope the others go well!

So I finished anddddd exhaust leak, sounds like under passenger seat, back on jack stands lol rip....

Oh man that sucks!!! Did you buy all new gaskets?? With exhaust stuff I always buy new gaskets and hardware when possible. I had carbon monoxide poisoning once, never again.

You'll probably have to loosen the overpipe to front pipe connection and then make sure the header is seated properly. Weather should be pretty good on the DMV tomorrow