I'd recommend anyone wanting a set of these to stay away, this has been by far the biggest pia i've ever done trying to install these on my own. Theres two bolts on the bottom of the driverside header that i cannot even get to with my fingers let alone a wrench or socket. Seriously considering taking them off and putting my manifolds back on this is ridiculous..Anyone else had problems putting these on?

 

Short headers = no performance gain. Waste of money and effort. Been my experiance though that putting headers on is ALWAYS a PITA. I've put them on 3 cars (chevy & ford) and it was a major b1tch every time.

 

Best way to install headers is to physically lift the engine so you have more room.

 

Yea, their fun lol. I've done LT's on my 98, - you should of asked us how to. - What makes it much much easier is to run the new header bolts in once about half way/ then back them out. Otherwise their a PITA just to get started.

One member here has a write up on shorties (Matt-same guy that has the spark plug change write-up here), - he made custom wrenches for his install which was a good idea. I had a set of skinny wrenches that fit the tight spots were the thicker wrench wouldn't and also ran the bolts in once first. I used the PaceSetter header bolts and know they are a PITA to start- even without the header lol.

I didn't have to lift the motor, but I've heard of some 4six guys having to do so.

I did my fair share of cursing tho - think I even kicked the dog...twice!

I don't have a good pic of those bottom bolts, but yea, -the LT's are real tight right their as well -




Another member here (Jackal) installed his onto the heads before installing the heads on the engine lol. That sounds like fun, but he said it went pretty easy. He was doing head gaskets at the same time.

 

i had pacesetter shortys on my 97 4.6 i know just what your talking about i had to cut the bolt down to get it behide one of those primarys...you would think pacesetter would send a shorter bolt for that one. but we trimed it up and got it nice and tight no leak there. had them on my truck for 2 years...2 michigan winters ya they rusted but never leaked i sold them and another member from this site has them on his F-150.

ive got a set of longtubes like Jbrew now that frist bolt on the driver side was the biggest PITA for me.

you wanna have lots of fun? try putting longtubes on a 98 camaro with a 5.7

 

buncha noobs

 

haha i worked for four straight days on it, gonna try another day of working on it then its going in the shop was only able to get the bottom bolt back in on my starter as well. I put a set of long tubes on my 86' F150 4x4 and it was nowhere near as hard as this one has been

 

yeah thats the bolt on cyl number 2 or 3 the primary comes so close you cant get it in i rember that one that was fun. ull get it.

ya i helped my buddy put longtubes on his 77 F-150 took us 20 mins. i dont understand why craps all cramped in there.