Blue2002SS

iTrader: (13)

The new headers are up but the header bolts will not go back into the engine. they will go smoothly about halfway in and then just get very difficult to turn. they stop with about 1/8th to 1/4 inch before they get tight to the header.

We need help fast! thanks

ACCELR8

DON"T force them in!
Are they the original bolts? (just want to make sure you didn't buy new bolts that are too long)
I had a problem like this with one of my header bolts. It turned out that the threads in the head were cross-threaded. I just cleaned up the threads with a tap. after that the bolt went in with no problem.
Just a thought.

Good Luck,

Jim

Blue2002SS

iTrader: (13)

yes, they are the original bolts. they are not cross threaded and it is happening on about 4 or 5 of the bolts! it makes no sense whatsoever!!! does anyone have any ideas?

The header kit actually came with some other bolts they are a little bit shorter, so we tried them and still would not go in far enough. Could it have anything to do with the engine being hot when we started pulling the manifolds off?

DARK AGE 53

As mentioned above you might want to run a tap into those problem holes, there could be some built up corrosion inside there.

Al

evil02z

Clean the threads in the head and on the bolts. As dark age mentioned there could be corrosion, dirt, a nicked thread. Any of these could cause this problem. MAKE SURE YOU START ALL THE BOLTS WELL BEFORE YOU BEGIN TIGHTENING.

elderon

Man we worked on this for 11 hours yesterday. We were making such good progress and then this. We tried for about 4 hours just trying to get these header bolts in right. What a freaking pain! How in the world are we supposed to rethread the holes? There is barely enough room to even get a wrech in such a small cramped space. No way that tap n die will fit in there. Well maybe a couple of the easier ones, but no way on the back ones. It's only like 3 of the bolts being really stubborn. Should we have used the bolts that Flowtech sent us? They were shorter. We thought that maybe we were running into the end of the hole. Perhaps maybe me could use shorter bolts than the included ones? How deep into the block does the threaded part of the bolt have to be to be sufficient? Any more thoughts would be greatly appreciated. We gotta finish this damn thing today......

ACCELR8

I always heard that you should not remove the exhaust manifolds on aluminum heads when the engine is still warm. The heat makes the aluminum more pliable and you could mess up the threads. This appears to be what happened to you. I definitely think you should run a tap in the holes you have access to. As for the other hole, I really don't have any good suggestions. But as for a TEMPORARY fix you could use some washers. Is there any way you can modify the tap set to make it work?

Good luck,

Jim

elderon

The engine was warm when we started pulling the bolts, but it had sat for about 3 hours by that time. Wouldn't that have been enough time?

Anyways I think we are just going to get some slighltly shorter bolts. We checked to see how deep the holes are and they are deep enough to accept the stock bolts no problem - with the headers or the manifolds so we aren't going too deep. We still are able to thread plenty deep before we run into problems, and its sure alot easier then trying to tap the bolt holes in the block. We will let you guys know how it goes. After that we got the Ypipe which should be easier and then I'd like to put my X brace back on too - but I'll leave it off if it gives me hell. I'm not sure how much structural integrity i'm going to lose by taking that off.

foff667

iTrader: (2)

who needs a tap & die do what youd do for a head swap...grind down 2 sides of one bolt. Id drop the headers down and just make sure all of them can be threaded in easily and go back at it...i know i had a set of edelbrocks for my truck that i bought used and a couple bolt holes werent completely lined up...ended up taking a die grinder to the holes on the flange. Have fun, sounds like you already are