LS1vazquez

And I need to learn how to swing my pimp wrench hard enough to knock them back into line.

Seriously though, I am having issues. I'm trying to put my passenger side header back into place and I'm having problems working the header bolts back in. I'm using the stock manifold bolts and so far I have gotten 4 out of the six in. I have the first three and the last one, (the PITA one) already in and hand tight. However, the 4th and 5th bolt do not want to go in. I can get them both about 3/4ths of the way in and then they want to seize up. I am doing this with a 10mm ratchet wrench and when they lock up I don't try to force them.

I already have a lift under the header and a cherry picker on top and I have already loosened and retightened the other various bolts in no particular order, but these last two just don't want to be nice. Im thinking the header must have warped a little bit to cause these problems.

Would I have any issues if I just used a smaller header bolt or just ommited those two bolts altogethor?

BLACK2001SS

loosen all the bolts then put them all in and bring them all up so your header is still a little loose then start from the middle and go to the outside while you tighten them.

motoo344

iTrader: (19)

I had that happen. Eventually they lined up and went in, but I broke the head off of one. Really annoying, so I guess it isn't coming out unless the header or heads come off. Nice thread title also lol.

WS6_00

iTrader: (10)

yeah mine did that too. It's best to get the bolts in there but not tighten anything down at all until their all in

LS1vazquez

Yeah, thats what Im doing right now. So far I got them all loose except for the last one, so I'm thinking I might loosen that one up as well.

Just good to see I'm not the only one having issues.

99mongooSS

iTrader: (4)

all in and hand tight then torque down but not any more than 25ft. lbs. I torqued mine to 22lbs.

WS6_00

iTrader: (10)

ya the bolts were the hardest thing to do when I did my headers lol

Bad Blue WS6

iTrader: (41)

bolt ho's,,,,

LS1vazquez

So why is it like that? If I have the first one in and tight and I have the last one in and tight, shouldn't they all just go in easily?

BLACK2001SS

Its just a rule of thumb in mechanics you dont tighten anything all the way down if you have more than one bolt.
What happend is you tightend one or 2 bolts down but you couldent see that while doing that it off set the other hole/holes.

WS6_00

iTrader: (10)

^ exactly

Yun Gunz

Murphy, I wish I could kick his ****, but if I tried it would come around and bite me.

LS1vazquez

Well this is impossible. **** should not be this difficult.

I just got done working on it for about 5 hours, trying various combinations and increments of fit. Its just damn hard without help, because I keep having to hop down and minutely adjust either the lift underneath or the picker on top to relieve stress off of the bolts. I think the header is a little warped because I had to apply lateral stress to the collector to get the last one in, and had to do it again to get it out.

Either way, I still have 4 in, and two that will only go in 3/4's of the way. I think I kinda fucked something up also because the #8 primary is only a few millimeters from the AC condenser. As soon as I fire up the engine it will torque over and hit it. I don't understand because when I took this header off I probably had about a good half of inch of clearance from the AC condenser itself.

If I have four in though, then why shouldn't two in the middle line up?

Damnit.

ScrapinBye

Like another guy just stated, I also wrung the head off of one of my header bolts (damn cheap pacesetter bolts!) What I SHOULD of done, and am suggesting to you is to chase the holes out with a tap and blow them out with compressed air, then retry your bolts. Hope this helps.

sixvi6-camaro

iTrader: (9)

I had problems with 2 of mine as well. I used a bottom tap and chased the bolt holes and sprayed them out with WD40 and a computer duster can (cold not get a compressor blow gun in there). After that the bolts went right in.

Soul TKR

iTrader: (4)

what headers are they?

Boodyrider

iTrader: (2)

1) gasket is in the wrong way OR
2) take the freaking jack and picker OFF, pull the Y-pipe, and it'll go gracefully, UNLESS
3) you've done jacked up the threads, so you're gonna have to take them all out, lose the Ypipe and cherry picker/jack, remove the header entirely, tap the threads, and blow them out, then start over.

You do NOT need to force the header at ALL, just float it free, and get ALL the bolts started at least 3 or 4 threads before you tighten down.

omit ANY of the bolts and you WILL have a gasket blow out, or at least a bad header leak.

will350wax

iTrader: (21)

I had the same problem. I sprayed those holes with some lube (pb antiseze or whatever it is called) then they just slid on in.

The Alchemist

iTrader: (19)

The question is can you put in the 4th and 5th bolts fully without the other bolts in? If so, it's the header flange that is causing the headache. If you still can't thread those botls in all the way it's the threads in the head that are causing the problem. Put in the first and last, get #4 and #5 started, then unbolt the first and last ones and see if you can get 4 and 5 to tighten down.

Also, bribe one of your friends to come over and give a helping hand holding the header. Nothing makes a header swap go easier than a second set of hands.

z28voodoo

iTrader: (2)

yeah tighten from the middle out.. and if you can remember which bolt went in which hole itd help. oh an i just tightened mine to 18ft/lbs torque... not sure about 25... could break. 18 is not alot so dont over torque them...


steel bolts + aluminum head + over torque =