Q on installing equal length shorties

[Voice of Reason]

I have accumulated a bunch of upgrades for my engine and will be starting the swap this weekend. I have a question about installing the BBK equal length shorty headers that I have. I am also doing a head swap at the same time of the header install, so I'm wondering if I can bolt the heads and headers together first outside of the car and then install them together? Everyone always says installing shorties is a PITA, but I'm thinking that because I'll be putting new heads on I may as well install the shorties to the heads first and then drop the heads onto the block. Has anyone ever tried this? If you have installed equal lengths on a car when the heads were already attached are there any hangups that you think would prevent my way of installation from working? I know I would need to make sure the H pipe doesn't bind against the headers while I'm torquing the heads down, but other than that is there anything else? Thanks!

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

I don't see any reason it wouldn't work, just so long as they don't block you from getting to the head bolts. You could always attach them to the h pipe before putting the heads on, too. Shorty headers actually aren't as much of a PITA as their equal length cousins are.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Hmm, I didn't even fully think about the bottom head bolts. I bet the headers will easily be in the way of those...

I do have equal length shorties though. It's the unequal length shorties that are the easy ones

 

[1TallMF]

The only real tough part of installing EL headers is sliding them into place. The best thing I think would be to slide the headers into place and sit them on the h-pipe while there are no heads on the engine. You don't really have to bolt them to the h-pipe at that stage, just as long as they are in their place and won't get caught-up on anything else. Then you should be able to install the heads and torque them down, then finish-up by bolting-on the headers before replacing any of the accessory brackets on the engine. You should have plenty of room to access the header bolts without valve covers or a intake or any accessory brackets in the way. Oh, and make sure you install the spark plugs in the heads before you install them, it'll save you at least an hour.

 

[Voice of Reason]

The only real tough part of installing EL headers is sliding them into place. The best thing I think would be to slide the headers into place and sit them on the h-pipe while there are no heads on the engine. You don't really have to bolt them to the h-pipe at that stage, just as long as they are in their place and won't get caught-up on anything else. Then you should be able to install the heads and torque them down, then finish-up by bolting-on the headers before replacing any of the accessory brackets on the engine. You should have plenty of room to access the header bolts without valve covers or a intake or any accessory brackets in the way. Oh, and make sure you install the spark plugs in the heads before you install them, it'll save you at least an hour.

Thanks for the reply. Your method sounds like it should make the install much better!

 

[94greenvert]

go ahead an disconnect the steering shaft now and save yourself the trouble later

 

[mo_dingo]

Whatever type of bolts you use, whether they be hex head or alan, you need some good tools to get them to bolt up. A wobble extension, swivel, ratcheting wrench (stubby and long), regular wrench straight and maybe an "S" box-end wrench.

I did my brothers 4.6L with all of the above and I still could have used more tools.
Scott