installed new headers, stearing arm is against tube

[fox-gt]

Just got a pair of BBK unequal shorities installed and the stearing arm is against one of the header tubes. The square that it connects to is not touching, it is missing by about 1/8 of an inch. Is the arm touching the tube ok? Other than wearing off the cermaic coating, will it hurt anything, if so, what do I do?

Thanks

 

[PRO50SC]

Just installed the same but equal length. Take a couple of washers and shim the d/s motor mount just a bit. Problem solved!

I'm surprised the unequals are rubbing though.

 

[fox-gt]

I know, that is why I went with unequal. If it rubs a little until I can get the engine raised is that a big deal, this is my DD.

 

[PRO50SC]

More of an annoyance than anything else. It really bugged me.

 

[Michael Yount]

It's not a good idea to leave it touching any longer than you absolutely have to. Remember, the engine rocks a good bit when it's running. It will twist counterclockwise (down on passenger's side/up on the driver's side) when you're accelerating. It will twist the other way under deceleration. So if it's touching at rest, it should lift off the steering arm under acceleration - good news. Bad news - it's gonna really come down hard on it under deceleration. It won't take long to wear through the coating and then judging by the look of other things under your hood, you're gonna have a corrosion problem with that header. Rust = leak at some point.

I'd mark the interference area with a Sharpie permanent marker, remove that header, and use a large socket (on it's side) hit with a large hammer to dimple that primary tube so that it clears the steering shaft. If it were mine, I wouldn't drive it til I fixed that. Bernie's shimming idea may do the trick as well -- but pay attention to driveline angles if you go shimming the motor mounts. When you raise the front of the engine, you change the driveshaft angle -- which can (not always) cause problems of it's own -- vibration.

 

[PRO50SC]

I'm only talking about shimming an 1/8", 1/4 at most. I figured the motor mounts have sagged that much at least over the years.LOL. I thoght about puttin new mounts in to see if it would cure the problem. On mine, it was just barely touching, The new mounts prolly wouldn't hurt anyway.

 

[fox-gt]

These are bearly touching also, I can see light between the header and arm. I have been working on these since 7:00am this morning, the headers, h-pipe and cat-back, all replaced. I can't imagine taking this off again, it was a bitch to put on. Denting the expensive header also gives me chills. If I don't get it fixed this weekend, I will have to go a week without my car until next weekend. I was thinking of new motor mounts might work, it looks like it needs to be rasied a very little amount.

 

[nmcgrawj]

These are bearly touching also, I can see light between the header and arm. I have been working on these since 7:00am this morning, the headers, h-pipe and cat-back, all replaced. I can't imagine taking this off again, it was a bitch to put on. Denting the expensive header also gives me chills. If I don't get it fixed this weekend, I will have to go a week without my car until next weekend. I was thinking of new motor mounts might work, it looks like it needs to be rasied a very little amount.

But then how long before u have the problem again? Just get up early in the morning...and get that header off. Dent it in and be done.


I dont really see many other options out there...except maybe the shimming option. Cant really send the headers back. Just make it work with what ya got.

 

[1993SSP]

Had the same problem before on another car. Has your car ever been in a collision? If not,
I'd replace the motor mounts if they are high mileage, also you can shim a little as mentioned.
I'd shim equally on both sides though. Most likely if your mounts are old that is the culprit.

 

[Roland69]

Get some solid mounts and if you have to shim them then they wont sag after time.

 

[fox-gt]

Thanks everyone. I am going to take off the header and dent it. The other thing that took so much time last night is one of the flange ends went over the pipe when we were tighting it. We could knock it back on but it would just slip over again. I guess I will have to have the muffler shop fix that (sux to have that happen on a new pipe, but it is my luck).

 

[Michael Yount]

For next time - now you know. I don't ever buy headers that are already ceramic coated. I test fit them so that any adjustments can be made first -- then I send them out to be coated. That way you don't have to take a chance 'denting' your already-coated headers.

Good luck with it. And take a look at the motor mount/shimming idea. Probably only take a couple of washers between the mount and block which will lift the motor straight up. And I suspect that wouldn't take as long as pulling the header off will.

 

[rd]

I had this and put some washers under the driver side motor mount. It worked fine. I have stock 1980 mounts so they surely have sagged. I did have to get longer bolts.

 

[Michael Yount]

Use Grade 8 bolts if you replace them...

 

[fox-gt]

I have a friend coming over that is good with this stuff, he is going to look at it. (I am a major newbie at this) I like the idea of raising the engine with a few washers.

Just for the record, you guys / stangnet rock.

 

[fox-gt]

Done.

I got two new bolts and six washers. I had to grind down one side of the washers so it would not hit the oil filter. I now have about 1/4" gap between the steering arm and the header.

I still have to take it to the local muffler to fix the midpipe flange.

Thanks again to everyone for you help.