headers- What I learned today......

I found out that the Poston's headers I have on the car will not even come out the top with the heads off.

They will have to come out the bottom.

 

That's no fun! You are going to have to jack it way up, and make sure you use jackstands!

Unless you have a lift available. ray:

 

I use 5-ton jack stands on the front and 3 ton on the rear when I put my headers in from underneath. It took some serious patience but I got it done. If I remember right I also unbolted one of the motor mounts and raised the engine with a 2-1/2 ton jack with a piece of 6x6 lumber underneath.



-Phil

 

Use a lift. It is amazing the difference. I was ready to jump off a builiding while trying laying on my back.

 

No lift :ball:

I will have to raise the car up and if I need to use the shop crain to lift the motor up. :blast:

 

Um, Mike. Seriously, don't get under the car or put your hands up there anywhere near the engine if it is supported only by the shop crane/hoist. Think about how many extra joints your hands will have if the ram lets go, the chain breaks, the bolts break strip or otherwise fail, etc. There are too many places that could fail with no warning. Believe it when I say you haven't experienced pain until you slam 500+ lbs on a finger, hand, wrist or arm.ou:

Defintely have someone there to help you, even if it's one of the kids chattering away. If nothing else, they can run for help, cold beer, etc.

 

I am taking it slow. I am extra careful now.

Pain. I know pain. I had three fingers cut off by metal shear cutter (got them put back on).

Something else after braking both of my six-point 9/16 inch sockets a 14mm socket fits the APR bolts with a little tap from a hammer.

 

SON! Let me say I thought I knew what pain was. You got it on me. By the way, how did you break TWO sockets? Get some impact sockets. Good ones are all but impossible to break.

 

Make that three six-point sockets broken now.Glad they were all Craftsman.

I wiil invest in a set of impact sockets.

Cutting off the fingers hurt,but not that bad. The best I can descibe is if you paid someone $20.00 to hit your hand with a heavy sledge hammer while it's laying on the driveway. Do it while watching the whole time.

Something you never forget.

It hurts being around large presses and when out in the cold.

 

Braking loose the head bolts (torqed to 110 and 100 foot pounds). The ARP bolts have 9/16" heads on them.

 

Ive heard the MT headers are much worse to install compared to the postons.
My Postons went on(from the bottom) without lifting the motor

 

Do they make stainless head bolts? I'm not sure but if they do get some. I know the ARP stainless HEADER (not head) bolts are a lifesaver. They came out like they were put in yesterday instead of 20 years ago when I put them in.

That sucks losing your fingers... but I know what it feels like to have a heavy object dropped on you. M1 Abrahms track blocks fell on my foot once off a pile that structurally destabilized. The most painful part was getting my boot off before my foot swelled. (I didn't want them to cut off my Herman Survivors!!)

My right big toe has a floating bone.

Worse than that though was the Halon fire system releasing on me one day with my back taking the full brunt of the charge. 2nd degree burns on 65% of my back.

I think losing the fingers definitely trumps either though.

-Phil

 

Today I pulled the older Postons' out (1 and 7/8" tube) off and put the newer TAs' (2" tubes) on and noted that they (the TAs) are about 3 inches shorter.

I thought I was going to have to drop the starter to get the new headers on but they went on easier then the Postons were to remove.

Now I am going to need to get new head pipes for the exhaust.

Where can I get them? They are three inch.

 

Are the collectors 3 1/2 and pipes 3inch have a new set have to dig them out if intrested Gene

 

Yes.

Let me know what you have.

 

Mike i dug them out today will try to get you some pics tomorrow they are the TA ones new in box Gene:TU: