So my experience with putting headers on my 4.6 was to say the least challenging, I still need to heat and re-bend the EGR tube so it will connect with the left header. and I am experiencing some slight leaking around the flanges with engine heat and re-torquing being my prime suspects. Here's my main question. In order to get to the flange bolts on the right header I had to drop the starter (3 bolt starter) and the angle of the collector on the header prevents re-installing the third (top) bolt. How structural is ths bolt and will not having this bolt in screw up my starter angle and damage my flywheel??? Any input would be appreciated!

 

you cant loosen up the bolts on collector to give it some movement and reinstall the starter bolts?

 

no, where the collector runs into the y pipe, right at the flange is directly over that third starter bolt..... the only way to get to it is to completely remove the header, but you cant get to the last two flange bolts on the bottom with the starter in place, so thats the problem, either sacrifice the starter bolt or those two flange bolts.... but the way that mother fracker sounds and runs now is well worth the busted knuckles and possible chewed up flywheel

 

Have you tried taking the wheel off and working through there?