Checklist for manifold job

I'm about to pull the manifold and reweld the headers. I heard that one can upgrade to a 99+ manifold in the process but I don't think I'd gain so much for it to be worth it on my 96.I'm just looking for other upgrades to do while I'm in there. It's currently stock.

So far I'm going to do:
12 hole injectors
Motor mounts
clean intake and replace gaskets/weld headers

anything else I should do while I'm in there? I don't think I'll replace the headers rather i'd weld them, as it could be a problem down the line for smog here in CA, but if anyone has any experience with aftermarket ones smogging in CA let me know.

Be aware that a lot of the injectors marketed are not properly sized.

I'm not sure how much it helped, but I degreased my intake manifold and coated it with some adhesive heat reflective material. I only put it on the bottom to reflect the heat from the exhaust.

When I did my exhaust manifold, I made it a 2 day evolution. I replaced the valve cover gasket, exhaust manifold, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, and the oil filter adapter o-ring. It hasn't leaked in 2 years.

RCP Phx said:

Be aware that a lot of the injectors marketed are not properly sized.

Click to expand...

What are the correct upgrade injectors for a 96?

Word to the wise, if you are going to weld your headers find something flat to "C clamp" them to while welding. I have a large piece of I beam I've used.
The first time I did a header weld I did it minus the clamps and had to stretch and twist it a bit to get the dowels to align. It did seal, but the next time around I clamped everything down to a flat steel surface just in case, which avoided most of the heat flexing and fit issues.

The header material is a blend (I think there is some nickel in there) and not pure steal. Stopping frequently and cleaning (wire brushing) the carbon away helps for a better weld. I do a small section (1/4-3/8 inch) clean and repeat. On the one side it is slow going, on the other, it helps minimize burn throughs or non-flow (cold) welds which saves time in the long term. Piling on the weld and/or multiple passes (with a MIG) can also be helpful. If the header re-cracks it will be on the weld edge or center weld. I've actually had better results with a torch than a MIG, but have used both at one time or another.