Header install checklist.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 108
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From: Amarillo, Texas
Header install checklist. Finally getting my headers on. They're pacesetter coated longtubes. I think I've got all the necessary parts that need to be included but worry I might be missing something.
I have:
Prothane motor mounts and tranny mount.
NGK plugs with MSD wires.
O2 Extensions.
Header bolts.
And actual headers.
I still need some good gaskets cuz I don't want to use the paper ones, any good suggestions? Metal crush gaskets?
Any tips that would help this go extremely smooth would be helpful. My bud has a five foot deep pit in his garage that were gonna use so we wont need to lift the car up with stands.
Thanks for the input.
I have:
Prothane motor mounts and tranny mount.
NGK plugs with MSD wires.
O2 Extensions.
Header bolts.
And actual headers.
I still need some good gaskets cuz I don't want to use the paper ones, any good suggestions? Metal crush gaskets?
Any tips that would help this go extremely smooth would be helpful. My bud has a five foot deep pit in his garage that were gonna use so we wont need to lift the car up with stands.
Thanks for the input.
take the spark plugs out and there is a boss (tab of aluminum) toward the back of the block on the drivers side that can be sawed almost all the way off to help the header slide in. those are some things that helped me. also, band clamps are always helpful instead of the crappy pacesetter u-clamps.
I'm more than likely going to reuse my original gaskets. Unless of course they get damaged during the teardown. One tip I learned from some people a while back is to clean up those metal gaskets, then take some spray paint to them. Any kind will do. Let them dry or tak up, and install. The paint makes a great seal. Do this on my snowmobile all the time. Works awesome.
Cut 2 8MM bolts to make into studs. cut a slot on the top of the studs. put these in first so you can hang your gasket on them and then put the header on. Once you have done that you can use a screw driver to remove the stud and install the regular bolt.
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Verdad Gallardo Or buy a set of ARP header studs.
NAPA sells a kit of studs that work great for headers. They come in sets of 6 so you need to get 3. I did that when I had problems with my stock bolts backing out and it worked great.
I would also consider changing your oil at the same time, I've installed 7 different sets of headers on f-bodies and each time I ended up having to remove the damn oil filter anyways, so I now just change my oil while I'm at it.
Get some badass drill bits for your clamshells, shitty ones will break and leave you frustrated. I would also recommend you remove the pedestal bolts, and just let them set up there. It makes it WAY easier to get the clamshells in and out, and then you can bolt the mounts to the block loosely, barely thread the pedestals back in, and put the big bolt thru by hand, no prying or putting scissor jacks in the side or any of that kind of bullshit. It sounds like more work but the bolts are not very tight, just gotta feel for them (ratchet wrench helps). It took me about 15 minutes to re-install both my motor mounts using this method and I didn't have to pry on anything.
I would also consider changing your oil at the same time, I've installed 7 different sets of headers on f-bodies and each time I ended up having to remove the damn oil filter anyways, so I now just change my oil while I'm at it.
Get some badass drill bits for your clamshells, shitty ones will break and leave you frustrated. I would also recommend you remove the pedestal bolts, and just let them set up there. It makes it WAY easier to get the clamshells in and out, and then you can bolt the mounts to the block loosely, barely thread the pedestals back in, and put the big bolt thru by hand, no prying or putting scissor jacks in the side or any of that kind of bullshit. It sounds like more work but the bolts are not very tight, just gotta feel for them (ratchet wrench helps). It took me about 15 minutes to re-install both my motor mounts using this method and I didn't have to pry on anything.
Last edited by Arc00TA; Sep 6, 2010 at 03:47 PM.
