This was the most intensive yet most gratifying modification I have done.
What you'll need: Good set of metric tools, various extensions, universal extension, good torque wrench, some air tools, a Haynes or Chilton's Manual, Ziploc bags for storing stuff in and labeling it, harmonic pulley tool, carb cleaner, rtv sealant, good floor jack, jack stands, and a few small things. Make sure your kit comes with timing cover gaskets because mine didn't and I had to reuse my old ones. Safety first! Never go under the car by yourself at all. Make sure jackstands are there under the car just in case!
This is the passenger side PI head. It is a 2001 model. The 2001 models allow you to reuse your 96-98 valvecovers.
Jose and I removing the front accessories. The oil and radiator have drained. If at all possible drain the block before you pull the heads. There is a block drain plug on the drivers side above the oil dipstick hole in the block.
With the front accessories removed the real work can begin.
This is what it looks like after the intake comes off.
This is the heater return hose. It wont clear with the 99 and later intakes so a new one is included in the kit. Next I would suggest pulling the valvecovers. Once you get those off the front timing cover can come off. Then it is time to pull the heads from the block. Take your time!
This is how much coolant came out when I lifted the head. That is why it is better to drain the block before!
After a full day we had it down to the shortblock. Use a scraper to clean any gasket material off the block surface but be very careful. You dont want to damage the surface of the block or the headgaskets may not seal good.
With the old and new heads side by side now is a good time to swap the headers, cam gears, and oil galley plugs. The 99 heads will already have the cam gear on them. The 01 heads use your old one but come two new bolts that fasten the gear to the cam.
This is where you put the oils galley plugs in the new heads. You must not forget or a huge oil leak will occur when you start you car. Like I said before take your time and set the old head right next to the new head. Any hole that is plugged in the old head needs to be plugged in the new head. So just take the plug out of the old one and put it in the new one.
Now the reassembly begins. Don't those new heads look much better! The heads have to be torqued in sequence in order for the bolts to properly stretch. I think it is 30ft-lbs, loosen one full turn, 30ft-lbs, and then an additional 90 degree turn.
Now comes the hardest part of the whole headswap! The oil dipstick tube is a pain in the butt. It takes three people to do this. One person under the car guiding the dipstick into the block. One person up top holding the head about 3-5 inches above the block. One person working the dipstick in from the top.
Once the heads are torqued down you can begin to time the cams. Notice the dimple on the gear at about 6:00. That dimple will need to be at about 11:00 so turn the cam until you get it around 11:00. When you get done timing the cams, turn the crank a few times by hand. just put the pulley on and push clockwise really hard. Turn it to make sure that you are not getting piston to valve contact.
It looks like and engine again! Notice where I tapped the intake to install the 2nd water temp sensor. Before putting the valvecovers on make sure to put some oil on the cams and valvetrain. So the car won't sound like a diesel when you start it up.
From here on out just install the stuff in the reverse order in which you took it off.
Done! the only way to tell that it has the newer heads on it is the intake manifold. So when you bet that guy with a 99GT $50 he wont know what happened when you smoke him! After the headswap you can run with 96-98 Cobras and LT1 Z28s or Trans Ams.
Pics of my ported heads : The heads were ported by SD Wheeler of DTA Performance.
They flow roughly 220cfm intake and 200cfm exhaust.
intake port
another intake shot
exhaust shot
Here are my dyno numbers before the headswap.
And here are the numbers after the headswap.
