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99 cobra header install??'s

  • Thread starter Thread starter 89gtstalker
  • Start date Start date Apr 28, 2005
8

89gtstalker

New Member
Jun 5, 2003
23
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2
Omaha, NE
Apr 28, 2005
#1
  • Apr 28, 2005
  • #1
How difficult is the header install on a 99 cobra? Any tips or special things that you need to do, like loosen motor bolts, anything like that?
 
I

injectedracing

New Member
Sep 9, 2004
60
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springfield, mo
Apr 28, 2005
#2
  • Apr 28, 2005
  • #2
drop the k-member and support the motor is the easiest
 

missouri_guy197

New Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,441
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0
St. Louis, MO
Apr 28, 2005
#3
  • Apr 28, 2005
  • #3
Yep, don't even try it with the K-member in the car...
BTW, what headers are you looking at purchasing?
 
8

89gtstalker

New Member
Jun 5, 2003
23
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2
Omaha, NE
Apr 28, 2005
#4
  • Apr 28, 2005
  • #4
Well from what Ive read, Im staying away from MAC due to oil consumption issues. What are the better choices? Was looking at the ford motorsport shorty ceramics.
 

missouri_guy197

New Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,441
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0
St. Louis, MO
Apr 28, 2005
#5
  • Apr 28, 2005
  • #5
Ahhh good...no MACs...

My choices in headers would go in this order

1) Hookers
2) BBK
3) Bassani
4) Kooks

1) Hookers are middle of the line in price, allow for the tranny to be dropped with the headers in place and give good power. They don't have an available catted midpipe that mates up with them though so if you need cats they'd need a pipe fabbed up. They also have one of the better ground clearances of any of the long tubes

2) BBK are the cheapest good header, they can be had with an o/r mid pipe or catted one, and the also make good power for the price...They do not allow for the tranny to be removed without undoing the passenger side header, and the ground clearance is not as good as the Hookers.

3) Bassani mids are a good compromise between LT's and shorties, sort of pricey, but they are compatible with the newer Bassani mid pipes and can have cats or o/r pipes...They probably have the best ground clearance for obvious reasons and they do allow the tranny to be dropped.

4) Kooks, probably the most expensive header out of the bunch, but the quality is top notch. Installation is a lot easier with these since the primary tubes are all separate and install one at a time and then slip fit into the collector. I've known people to have exhaust leak problems around that slip fit but that can be fixed. They have good ground clearance and they also allow for the tranny to be dropped. I believe that they can be had with a catted pipe also...

Hope that helps
 

SVT98Snake

New Member
Apr 15, 2005
258
0
0
OK, USA
Apr 29, 2005
#6
  • Apr 29, 2005
  • #6
missouri_guy197 said:
Ahhh good...no MACs...

My choices in headers would go in this order

1) Hookers
2) BBK
3) Bassani
4) Kooks

1) Hookers are middle of the line in price, allow for the tranny to be dropped with the headers in place and give good power. They don't have an available catted midpipe that mates up with them though so if you need cats they'd need a pipe fabbed up. They also have one of the better ground clearances of any of the long tubes

2) BBK are the cheapest good header, they can be had with an o/r mid pipe or catted one, and the also make good power for the price...They do not allow for the tranny to be removed without undoing the passenger side header, and the ground clearance is not as good as the Hookers.

3) Bassani mids are a good compromise between LT's and shorties, sort of pricey, but they are compatible with the newer Bassani mid pipes and can have cats or o/r pipes...They probably have the best ground clearance for obvious reasons and they do allow the tranny to be dropped.

4) Kooks, probably the most expensive header out of the bunch, but the quality is top notch. Installation is a lot easier with these since the primary tubes are all separate and install one at a time and then slip fit into the collector. I've known people to have exhaust leak problems around that slip fit but that can be fixed. They have good ground clearance and they also allow for the tranny to be dropped. I believe that they can be had with a catted pipe also...

Hope that helps
Click to expand...

Your piece about the BBK's....does that apply to the 98's with a T-45 as well?

I am actually installing some BBK LT's tomorrow and was wondering.
 

budguy1967

New Member
Sep 18, 2002
43
0
0
Wichita, Kansas
Apr 29, 2005
#7
  • Apr 29, 2005
  • #7
SVT98Snake said:
Your piece about the BBK's....does that apply to the 98's with a T-45 as well?

I am actually installing some BBK LT's tomorrow and was wondering.
Click to expand...


Just did mine, they dont hang down very low on my car...I can drop my car 2 inches and not worry.
 

SVT98Snake

New Member
Apr 15, 2005
258
0
0
OK, USA
Apr 29, 2005
#8
  • Apr 29, 2005
  • #8
budguy1967 said:
Just did mine, they dont hang down very low on my car...I can drop my car 2 inches and not worry.
Click to expand...


I wasn't clear...I am sorry. I was referring to dropping the tranny to change the clutch. Does that apply to 98's?
 

missouri_guy197

New Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,441
1
0
St. Louis, MO
Apr 29, 2005
#9
  • Apr 29, 2005
  • #9
SVT98Snake said:
I wasn't clear...I am sorry. I was referring to dropping the tranny to change the clutch. Does that apply to 98's?
Click to expand...
Yes...they don't allow the tranny to drop because of the way the primaries bend...they get in the way of the starter box...plus the collectors are too close together to let the tranny drop down...

budguy1967 said:
Just did mine, they dont hang down very low on my car...I can drop my car 2 inches and not worry.
Click to expand...
And I'm just going by what I've seen on people's cars that I know that have BBK's...when we go over the same speed bumps, theirs scrape, mine don't...and their car's aren't lowered either...
 
8

89gtstalker

New Member
Jun 5, 2003
23
0
2
Omaha, NE
May 2, 2005
#10
  • May 2, 2005
  • #10
Well these are going in this weekend. Ford Motorsport shorties. If you can, can you go into detail a little as far as procedure, to save me time. Is the idea to drop the k member and raise the body, essentially lowering the engine from the body, installing the headers from the underside, or are you seperating the engine from the k member and supporting the engine seperately and just droping the K member? I just want to be clear on this before I start, Its not on my car.

I guess the way I see it, un bolt the cats from the stock headers, unbolt the K member, raise the body, while K member/engin remains on the ground, remove headers, install new, lower body back onto K member and bolt everything back up. I know its not that easy, just trying to figure out anything I may be missing before getting into it too deep as far as wires/hoses that may need to be removed, steering column seperation from the rack/pinion, heater core hoses, etc. I have dropped K members, but only on foxes so far. Thanks in advance for any help.
 

SVT98Snake

New Member
Apr 15, 2005
258
0
0
OK, USA
May 2, 2005
#11
  • May 2, 2005
  • #11
89gtstalker said:
Well these are going in this weekend. Ford Motorsport shorties. If you can, can you go into detail a little as far as procedure, to save me time. Is the idea to drop the k member and raise the body, essentially lowering the engine from the body, installing the headers from the underside, or are you seperating the engine from the k member and supporting the engine seperately and just droping the K member? I just want to be clear on this before I start, Its not on my car.

I guess the way I see it, un bolt the cats from the stock headers, unbolt the K member, raise the body, while K member/engin remains on the ground, remove headers, install new, lower body back onto K member and bolt everything back up. I know its not that easy, just trying to figure out anything I may be missing before getting into it too deep as far as wires/hoses that may need to be removed, steering column seperation from the rack/pinion, heater core hoses, etc. I have dropped K members, but only on foxes so far. Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...

I just did mine this weekend....long tubes are a beotch.

I did it the long way. You will need a hoist. Unhook the alternator and on the bottom bolts, hook up the hoist to support the motor because the k, sway bar and all that stuff underneath will be gone....this is fairly easy, just time consuming.

I did it by supporting the springs with a jack, disconnecting the brakes and struts, then lowering the jack slowly to relieve the pressure from the spring. Then I unhooked the steering shaft and sway bar and steering rack. Make sure you tie the sterring rack to something.

then undo the motot mounts from the K, undo the K. (4 bolts on each side) then you are home free.

Took me about 10 hours on LT's...shorties will be a breeze. I had problems with getting all the bolts tightened and had to bend the dipstick....spent about 4 hours running to the herdware store and trying to fanagle things into place....now my clutch is going out...
 

missouri_guy197

New Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,441
1
0
St. Louis, MO
May 2, 2005
#12
  • May 2, 2005
  • #12
Yeah, you don't want to lower the engine any, you want to take the K-member down off the engine while supporting the engine from above with a hoist or brace or from below using a floor jack and a piece of 2x4 under the oil pan...

Here's the best write up I've seen on how to do headers on a modular:

http://www.fnsweet.com/garage/lt_install/index.shtml
 
9

99blkcobravert

New Member
Apr 25, 2005
30
0
0
Vancouver, WA
May 3, 2005
#13
  • May 3, 2005
  • #13
Header Install

This would be a great time to ditch the stock K member and make life easier from now on.
I used 2 6 ton jack stands to support the engine, 1 on each side of the oil pan where it mates to the block. I installed JBA shorties and love them.
 
B

BlakeGT

New Member
Jul 8, 2004
99
0
0
Missouri
May 5, 2005
#14
  • May 5, 2005
  • #14
Were did you get your JBS headers from, how much and did you feel a power increase when you installed them?
 
B

BlakeGT

New Member
Jul 8, 2004
99
0
0
Missouri
May 5, 2005
#15
  • May 5, 2005
  • #15
Anyone try the FRP Shorty headers for the 2001 CObra? if so were they hard to install and was it worth the horsepower gain????
 

SVT98Snake

New Member
Apr 15, 2005
258
0
0
OK, USA
May 5, 2005
#16
  • May 5, 2005
  • #16
BlakeGT said:
Anyone try the FRP Shorty headers for the 2001 CObra? if so were they hard to install and was it worth the horsepower gain????
Click to expand...


I had shorties on mine...LT's were a good improvment. IMO, don't wast the time on shorties.
 
B

BlakeGT

New Member
Jul 8, 2004
99
0
0
Missouri
May 5, 2005
#17
  • May 5, 2005
  • #17
Anybody Know Where To Buy Good Hooker Headers On A 2001 Mustang Cobra??? Thanks
 

missouri_guy197

New Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,441
1
0
St. Louis, MO
May 5, 2005
#18
  • May 5, 2005
  • #18
BlakeGT said:
Anybody Know Where To Buy Good Hooker Headers On A 2001 Mustang Cobra??? Thanks
Click to expand...
Call jet hot for Hookers...they probably have the best price on the ceramic coated ones...

http://www.jethot.com
 
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