Header install?

[James72]

I just got a set of headers and full dual exhaust from a wreck, I'm wondering what has to come off to get them in there, like inner fenders, or lifting the engine. I'm hopeing they will just slide in but it's good to know in advance, it's an FE powered 72 highboy.

Thanks James

[flatblack]

they arent that bad, ive definately installed worse applications, the only thing thats gets to be a pita is the starter and steering linkages. itll take a while to wiggle it all in but itll go in with a little patience.

[James72]

That's what I like to hear, thanks man

[fomocoguy]

I'm about to go through the same thing; if you're not going to do it for a week or so I may have mine in by then and I can let you know what I had problems with. I think the first thing I'm going to do is remove the starter and unbolt the engine so I can lift it up some. I want it to be as easy as possible!!! I'm also going to replace the starter and wrap it in insulation to protect it from heat because you have to take the header loose on that side to change it and I'd rather do that as little as possible.

[flatblack]

i should also recomend wd-40 on the bolts for about a week, it may help so you dont break any.... but everytime i do a job like this on FE heads its almost garanteed ill break 1 or 2. if you have an angle drill you could drill them out, the best sugrestion is to drill all the threads out and put stainless steel bolts and nuts in. if i had a picture i would show you what i mean but i dont, has anyone else done this?

[James72]

Mine already has broken bolts, I was going to try to save the threads but if not I'll use the nut idea
I like your thought process fomocoguy, I like to do as little as possible too

[rubiranch]

I unbolted one motor mount at a time on the side the hedder was going in, Hedman fit very nicely.

I also replaced the started with a new one because on the FEs you need to remove the heddder to remove the starter.

Installing Hedman Hedders was a piece of cake..

[fomocoguy]

I unbolted one motor mount at a time on the side the hedder was going in, Hedman fit very nicely.

I also replaced the started with a new one because on the FEs you need to remove the heddder to remove the starter.

Installing Hedman Hedders was a piece of cake..

Hopefully that's the case with mine too. They are hedmans, but my truck is a 4x4 so who knows if that makes it more difficult. I'll probably find out wednesday. I'm just gonna heat each ear till they're real good and red before I try to take the top ones out and see how that does.

[fomocoguy]

Well, I installed my Hedmans today and thought I'd share. Let me start off by saying if I had a swear jar in the house it would have had about $100 in it by the end of the day. What a PITA! Getting the manifolds off wasn't too bad. The impact took care of the flange nuts and heating each ear till it was red made getting the upper manifold bolts off easy enough. The lowers came right out with an air ratchet. After the manifolds were off I removed the starter and began trying to put the headers in place.

After scraping the head surface clean and running a thread chaser through all the holes (I definetly recommend this step), I began to try installing the passenger side. After unbolting the motor mount on that side and jacking it up it still wouldn't go so I had to unbolt both mounts and try again. I fought with it for about 20 more minutes and it finally hit the right spot and went in. Mind you I began at 9:30 am and it was now about 12:00. So then I started on the drivers side, which ended up being much worse than the passenger side. I ended up with the motor pushed up and completely off it's mounts and the clutch pivot disassembled, along with the truck itself jacked up to droop the pumpkin for more clearance. I finally had both of them in place by 2:00.

When installing the starter I had a lot of difficulty and finally got it by dropping the header down, then raising the starter and header in small increments together untill things finally went. I honestly didn't think it was going to go.

THEN the bottom bolts were darn near impossible to tighten, with no way to put a torque wrench on them. More than half of them I had to do with an open end wrench by feel, gauging them to the uppers.

The real kick in the groin is that the $35 copper header gaskets I bought leak all over the place. I think the openings are too big. I just ordered a set of felpro header gaskets that are .060 thick with smaller openings and will try them in a few days.

The only upside is that my Spintech mufflers sound awsome! I can't wait to get it all finished out with tips.

So, here are my tips to you:
Heat the upper bolts for extraction and chase the threads.
Jack the truck up, remove both front tires, and let the suspension droop.
Disassemble the clutch pivot and get it out of the way.
Unbolt both motor mounts and jack the engine up as high as you can without damaging anything.
Buy a good starter because changing it later will be a nightmare.
Get some THICK quality gaskets and make sure they match your ports.
Give yourself plenty of time. I started at 9:30 and finished at 5:30, including about 30 minutes of travel time to and from the parts store.

Most of all, GOOD LUCK! Hopefully yours go in a little easier. Honestly, if I had to do it again I would have waited untill my future build is done and installed them when I swap engines.

[James72]

Hmmm, wanna install mine for me? That didn't sound too fun
Thanks for the info, I was going to get copper gaskets but not now

[fomocoguy]

Hmmm, wanna install mine for me? That didn't sound too fun
Thanks for the info, I was going to get copper gaskets but not now

If your headers are the type (like mine) where they have a bead welded on the mating surface that is ground flat and that it what makes contact with the head, you may want some of these: http://catalog.remflex.com/FORD_Header_ ... rf3050.htm I ordered a set today, so I'll have them mid week and I can let you know how they do. If your headers have a smooth mating surface with no raised weld then the copper ones may work just fine. The remflex gaskets have a 6 month garauntee so I'm pretty optimistic that they'll do the trick. I wish I had found them a week ago because I probably would have just bought them in the first place.

[BigBlueF250]

Use some anti-seize on the bolts too. And DON"T get rid of your manifolds. You just might want to put them back on. Just my

[DuckRyder]

Summit sells some copper gaskets for the "truck" heads.

Also (not sure about 4x4) on a 2wd atleast you can remove the engine stand to make more room.

[fomocoguy]

Summit sells some copper gaskets for the "truck" heads.

Also (not sure about 4x4) on a 2wd atleast you can remove the engine stand to make more room.

Yep, on mine I considered this on the drivers side but voted to remove the clutch linkage instead, just because it was two bolts instead of four. That made just enough room for me. If I ever have to replace the starter I'll probably remove the stand in that side.

[fomocoguy]

Use some anti-seize on the bolts too. And DON"T get rid of your manifolds. You just might want to put them back on. Just my

I installed stainless bolts but I'm kicking myself because I was so frustrated I forgot to use anti seize. When I install the new gaskets this week I'm gonna pull all the bolts and apply it then.