installing headers....

JTGrant · Apr 13, 2006

where to jack up the engine?

Mydnyghte · Apr 13, 2006

I had my vehicle on a lift and used a transmission jack on the transmission to do all the lifting. Although I am unaware if you are planning on using a lift, but after the time I had doing it, I have no freaking clue how anyone could do this otherwise Though I have read threads where people did do it with just jack stands....

Pro Mod · Apr 14, 2006

I placed a block of wood on my jack, and put it under the very front of my bellhousing where it bolts to the block.

JTGrant · Apr 14, 2006

yeah i was thinking that too

JTGrant · Apr 14, 2006

Mydnyghte said:
I had my vehicle on a lift and used a transmission jack on the transmission to do all the lifting. Although I am unaware if you are planning on using a lift, but after the time I had doing it, I have no freaking clue how anyone could do this otherwise Though I have read threads where people did do it with just jack stands....

well I tried today. There is no way to install this things by myself, in the driveway, on my back. The ramps that I have don't get the car high enough. I will have to figure out another way to install them.

Pro Mod · Apr 14, 2006

yeah its definitely gonna be hard to do it by yourself.... get a buddy to help ya. That one extra hand at the top will help get that header aligned up onto the stud(s) while you push & wiggle from underneath.

We had my car on jackstands, so it's easily possible if you just have someone to help you for a few minutes.

Mydnyghte · Apr 14, 2006

I managed to get the headers themselves bolted up on my own, but I was able to stand under my car. The one major hurdle, well not so much a hurdle but difficult, was getting the x pipe bolted to the headers. They were about 1/4" too far apart, and we had to take a ratchet strap to pull the headers together enough to then take a block of wood and a hammer to force the pieces together. But I have no leaks!

WarriorBlaZe · Apr 20, 2006

LT's on a 3v are cake compared to an LS1 or 2v/4v car. We done Pro Mods in about 5 1/2 hours. Working off jackstands, in a cramped garage and put the new motor mounts in as well.

We did have any and every tool imaginable to work with tho........

NorthwestGT · Apr 20, 2006

Might be worth some dealing with your local muffler shop. Or better yet, a mechanic that has experience installing headers. I'm getting too old to do stuff like this. When I had FRPP shorty headers put in on my '96, I took it to a mechanic with experience. Cost a few bucks (about $150-170 if I remember right), but I never had any leaks.

The other part of the problem is, once you get at the factory headers off you need to work in a cramped space to try to get the new headers on there correctly and permanently. Better to save up and pay to have this job done by somebody who does have a lift and has done it before, in my opinion.

JTGrant · Apr 20, 2006

well on the JBA headers they want you to remove the studs and us their bolts instead. I was thinking of getting the header up on the studs and then removing each stud and replacing it with the supplied bolts. At time same time I figured that if they want you to remove the studs, I figured that the headers will not fit up there with the studs on. Will this approach work? Using the studs to hold the header up there and then replacing the studs one by one with the bolts?

Pro Mod · Apr 21, 2006

JBA wants you to remove most of the studs, but not all of them. Alot of the studs (mainly the rearward studs) just keep the header from wiggling up in the engine bay, just like you are thinking. I was able to keep 2 or 3 studs on each side, mostly on the front. Keeping at least 2 studs anywhere on there will aid in getting everything lined up.

JTGrant · Apr 25, 2006

where can you put a jack stand? Can you put one on the K-member? I figured I could jack the car up of the center of the K-member then put the teo jack stands on either side of the k-member. Then get a block of wood and jack the engine up by the bellhousing with jack. Any suggestions?

Pro Mod · Apr 25, 2006

I put my jackstands behind the front wheels where the K-member bolts onto the subframe.

JTGrant · Apr 25, 2006

Yeah that is where I was going to put them. Just checking to see what yall did. I going to try agian tomorrow. Thanks :SNSign:

JTGrant · Apr 25, 2006

What is the deal with the spacer for the dipstick and where does it go? Does the spacer throw off the reading on the dipstick? Pro Mod did you remove all you studs? Or did you just replace a few of them?

Pro Mod · Apr 26, 2006

I don't recall having a dipstick spacer??? I dunno what that's all about.

I think I kept 2 studs (maybe 3) on the passenger side and 3 studs on the driver side. I didn't keep many. Some came out themselves when I was removing the nut, and I had to take some out just to be able to wiggle the header up in there.

JTGrant · Apr 26, 2006

thanks I guess I will call JBA later today.

JTGrant · Apr 26, 2006

How tight should the bolts on the header to the head be? I figure 30ft lb but you can't get a torque wrench in there. I just tighten them with med force until they snugged up. What did you guys do? I hope they are not too tight though.

Pro Mod · Apr 27, 2006

the proper torque on those header bolts = TIGHT AS ****. They will never be tight enough

JTGrant · Apr 30, 2006

Finally finished the install last Thursday. I did the install by myself and in my garge. It took me around 12 hours to install the whole system. I would have finished sooner but I had to make 4 separate trips to the parts store for tools. I broke 5 sockets. The car is definitly faster. People that claim "Longtube headers are pointless on N/A cars" are completely wrong the car picked up power all across the rpm range. Mid range is awesome. I have not dynoed it yet and it will be a while until I do get to a dyno. This mod is worth the money and the time to install yourself. I was able to do this with two jacks and four jack stands. Some of the nuts on the passenger side were hard to get to becasue of the motor mount assembly. Do not combine these header and o/r h-pipw with Flowmaster axleback. It does sound good but it is a bit raspy. I think that I may install the stock mufflers to check and see if it would sound any better. I wonder if I would loose some hp if I did this, I don't think that it would though. Axlebacks are only for sound. JBA Headers are awesome. I recommend having at least two people to do this install. I also bought a separate A/F ratio tool. This tool made by innovate http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lm1.php I calibrated and installed the sensor and drove the car the A/F was 13.2:1 so richened it up 2% so the A/F ratio ended up at 12.7:1. I also turned the rear o2 off. I had to cut the taps off the o2 sensor extensions because they were for the 99-04 Mustangs(BBK), but everything worked out. I cut the wires off the post cat o2s to install in the bungs on the H-pipe.

installing headers....

New Member

Member

Member

New Member

New Member

Member

Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Member

New Member

New Member

Member

New Member

New Member

Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency