Taking on an engine swap in your high-performance Chevy doesnt need to be overly complex if you have the right components to handle the job. Sure, it was far easier back in the day when you wanted to up the ante from a small-block to big-block power, however, in todays world there are far more options available to bring the punch to your engine bay. With the most common swap being the upgrade to LS power, the gain in horsepower right out of the gate is significant enough before you even start to entertain the thought of turbos or superchargers. Regardless of whether you choose to run an automatic transmission or pull your own gears with three pedals, youll need to have a solid plan before getting started to make sure the installation is flawless.
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When taking on an LS conversion in a second-gen Camaro, Dougs Headers has you covered with their engineered-to-fit silver ceramic-coated mid-length headers (PN D3358) fashioned from mild steel. Also pictured are their header gaskets, installation hardware (both included in the kit), and 3-inch stainless mid-pipe (PN DMP104)
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Recently, we visited Procision Industries in Taunton, Massachusetts, and met with shop owner Pat OBrien whose 71 Camaro will be easily recognized by regular readers of All Chevy Performance, having appeared in numerous tech articles through its buildup. Packing a high-performance 5.3L LC9 LS linked to a T-56 manual transmission it was a perfect candidate to showcase specifically designed components engineered to make your LS swap a breeze. Working with Dougs Headers, their LS engine swap products are engineered to work together with LS-specific components into a number of vehicles, including engine mounts, transmission crossmembers, oil pans, headers, and full exhaust systems.
Getting started, Pat OBrien of Procision Industries removed all spark plugs, plug wires, and dipstick tube from the engine for installation access. He then test-fitted each header and followed by loosely installing the rearmost lock washer and header bolt to secure the unit in place. Be sure to always use a dab of antiseize on your bolt threads prior to installation
If youre making major horsepower increases in your engine bay, one of the most important parts of the formula is moving hot exhaust gases. The team at Dougs Headers has crafted both long- and mid-length headers for the second-gen Camaro offered in either black coated or silver ceramic finish. Fashioned from mandrel-bent 1 7/8-inch primary tubes merging to 3-inch collectors, they also include 3/8-inch flanges and ports for O2 sensors. Moving rearward, their complete 3-inch stainless exhaust systems are fully compatible with their headers, engineered for a perfect fit and great tone.
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In the engine bay, he continued by installing the supplied header gaskets and remaining header bolts and lock washers.
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Starting with mandrel-bent 3-inch tubing for maximum airflow and long-lasting durability, the kit includes everything needed to make the installation easy, including their exclusive X-pipe, stainless mufflers, mounting brackets, Accu-Seal, and V-band clamps and hardware. Theres nothing better than the sound of a hopped-up engine roaring through its exhaust as it pulls gears accelerating hard down the street, and were here to tell you this system brings the thunder.
With perfect fitment secured, OBrien then tightened the header in place evenly, starting from the center and working his way out to the farthest points.
Dougs Headers also helped nail the T-56 transmission in place with their CAD-CAMdesigned LS swap transmission crossmember. Engineered to accommodate up to a 3-inch exhaust with no loss of ground clearance, it also features the ability to incorporate a number of the most popular manual and automatic transmission combinations through various mounting brackets and spacers included in the kit.
Here you can see just how perfectly designed the headers are for the application.The Dougs 3-inch stainless mid-pipe (PN DMP104) features ports for your O2 sensors already welded in place. The slip-connection to Dougs exhaust systems makes installation a snap.Using the provided Accu-Seal clamps, OBrien set the angle and secured them in place.Using the provided Accu-Seal clamps, OBrien set the angle and secured them in place.To properly anchor the transmission in your LS swap, Dougs Headers offers a universal crossmember that accommodates a multitude of late-model manual and automatic transmission combinations for your project (PN SKC104). As pictured, it arrives complete with all necessary installation hardware and instructions.With the T-56 transmission supported by a jack to ensure proper alignment, slip the crossmember over the top of the front subframe pockets with the top side wings toward the rear of the car and then center the crossmember.Since our subframe has factory pre-drilled mounting holes, a 9/16-inch socket with ratchet and wrench combination was used to secure the crossmember in place with the provided hardware.Next, the transmission mount was bolted to the crossmember. Follow by lowering the weight of the transmission and crossmember onto the subframe to ensure transmission is centered in the car and the crossmember is square to the subframe.We determine the angle support brackets best position to the bottom of the crossmember and secure in place using the supplied 3/8-inch flange bolts, making sure the brackets fit tight to the side of the subframe.With the brackets in place, next mark the subframe to set the drill marking points.With the brackets removed, start with a pilot hole and gradually drill the mounting holes to the final 7/16-inch hole required.Reinstall brackets to the crossmember and follow with the included 7/16-inch bolts, flat washers, lock washers, and nuts. Install the bolts and lock washers from inside the subframe, note that this step can take some time to complete.Here you can see the completed installation of the transmission crossmember with its perfectly engineered design and support for your LS conversion.Fabricated from 3-inch mandrel-bent 304 stainless, Dougs complete exhaust system for the LS swapped, second-gen Camaro (PN DES104) comes packed with everything pictured, including stainless mufflers, mounting hardware, and installation instructions.The kit arrives with everything youll need to complete the installation including over-axle and tailpipe hanger brackets, 3-inch Accu-Seal clamps, V-band clamps, rubber isolators, and all hardware.Start the exhaust install by laying out the front of the system on the shop floor to prepare it for fitment. With the X-pipe short end facing the front, OBrien first slipped a pair of 3-inch Accu-Seal clamps onto each inlet side and followed by loosely installing the mid-pipes.Using an auxiliary stand to support the exhaust, the mid-pipes were fastened to the header mid-pipes using a V-band clamp on each side.A pair of 3-inch Accu-Seal clamps were then used to loosely fasten the mid-pipes to the X-pipe. Its easy to see the nice tight fit of the system to the Dougs transmission crossmember.
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With a 3-inch Accu-Seal clamp on each of the offset ends of the stainless steel mufflers, the mufflers were then slid onto the outlet side of the X-pipe. Do not fully tighten any clamps at this time.Here you can see the progression of the installation and how nicely its fitment is to the bottom of the car. The mufflers will receive a final adjustment of 15 degrees higher nearest the driveshaft to allow the over-axle pipes and tailpipes into their final position.The over-axle pipes were then moved into position from the front side of the axle assembly, slid into the mufflers, and loosely secured in place by a pair of 3-inch Accu-Seal clamps.To properly anchor the over-axle pipes, the kit includes a pair of over-axle brackets to mount and stabilize them in place. For ease of installation, its recommended to use a lubricant such as WD-40 to aid in mounting the rubber isolators in place.The completed installation of the brackets and isolators are tidy and secure to the system.The final support brackets were then installed for the tailpipes to the factory frame mounting locations.The tailpipes were then slipped into place to meet the over-axle pipes and loosely held in place with a pair of 3-inch Accu-Seal clamps.Here you can see the completed tailpipe installation along with the support brackets and isolators in place.Once the system has been carefully aligned for fitment, tighten all clamps moving from the front of the car to the rear. Note that the V-band clamps need to be hand-tightened while the Accu-Seal clamps need to be tightened to 60 lb-ft. The completed system looks great and will give your LS plenty of performance for years to come.
