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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

mac shorty headers

  • Thread starter Thread starter udlooz
  • Start date Start date May 6, 2004
U

udlooz

New Member
Apr 5, 2004
24
0
0
May 6, 2004
#1
  • May 6, 2004
  • #1
is there anything i should know about installing mac unequals any special tricks or anything
 

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end
15 Year Member
Nov 11, 2003
6,945
1,597
223
Northern KY
May 6, 2004
#2
  • May 6, 2004
  • #2
well if you bought them new, they should come with a set of copper gaskets. If you know the trick with installing gaskets then you're fine, but since you didnt mention, i'll explain.

Drop the H pipe and remove the stock headers. I'd also recommend pulling the spark plugs too (this is a good time for a tune up as well) When you bolt the new headers on, put in the first and last bolts on each end first. The header gasket should be made so that each end has a "hook" instead of just a hole where the bolt goes through. This is so you can just drop the gasket into place, so that all the rest of the holes are lined up. Then continue with the rest of the bolts.

One thing i'd surely recommend if you've got a little extra cash, is buy a set of allen key style bolts instead of the crappy 7/16s bolts they come with. The wrench style bolts are GOING to strip, one way or another, no matter how careful you are or what tools you use to tighten them with. Since you're going to have to retighten them after about 10-20 miles of driving, the bolts are going to see a lot of wrenching. You wont be able to fit a socket onto them either, so your only hope is a small open ended wrech, which means no matter how high quality the wrench is, it's going to spread open under torque and strip your bolts.

Get the allen key bolts, which arent going to strip as long as you're using the right size allen key.

Make sure you use a flat scraper or something to clean off the heads around the exhaust ports before you put the new ones back on, and MAKE SURE you dont get anything into the spark plug holes. If you're going to do a tune up, you can leave your old plugs in to prevent this from happening, the only problem is they're going to get in your way and you might break them, but that's not a problem if you're putting new one in.

Hope this helps...welcome to the forums!
 

cjman15

Banned
Apr 15, 2004
1,009
0
0
Fairfield, PA
May 6, 2004
#3
  • May 6, 2004
  • #3
I have the MAC Un-equal Shorties and they are great... you made a good choice
 

BlueDevil95

New Member
Apr 20, 2004
184
0
0
Elkton, MD.
May 6, 2004
#4
  • May 6, 2004
  • #4
i liked the ones i had. the only problem is that they did not line up for s$%t.
 

87TTopGT

New Member
Dec 21, 2003
173
1
0
May 6, 2004
#5
  • May 6, 2004
  • #5
BlueDevil95 said:
i liked the ones i had. the only problem is that they did not line up for s$%t.
Click to expand...
AMEN. Increased my vocabulary of less-than-five-letter words tremendously putting mine on a couple months ago.

P.S.- Helps a lot if the smog crap is gone on passenger side.
 

BlownStangGT

REPEAT
Founding Member
Jan 22, 2002
3,860
6
58
Lancaster, PA
May 6, 2004
#6
  • May 6, 2004
  • #6
if they are not new,a nd used....you might have to pry the tubes a little ot ge them to line up to the head....but other then that, its not to bad
 
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