4.6 shorty headers...

[MustangChris]

Hey all...

got under my car tonight to change the header gaskets and header bolts (got locking ones... because all the stock ones came right out... lol)

how the *U*&#(*$@J do i do this? am i going to have to jack up the motor a few inches? would that make it easier? or is there a better way to do it?

 

[Tbuck07]

From what I've heard its nearly impossible to do long tubes without jacking up the motor, so I would imagine it would be a lot easier to jack the motor up for shortys..

 

[MustangChris]

son of a b.......

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Man I'd swear in every single thread ever about headers I say something to the effect of "get locking bolt's" and some random dude always pops in and say's "I didn't use locking bolts, or even a torque wrench when I built my entire motor, and it's fine, J.R. is a retard"

The easy way is to take the head's off, sorry man.

 

[MustangChris]

Man I'd swear in every single thread ever about headers I say something to the effect of "get locking bolt's" and some random dude always pops in and say's "I didn't use locking bolts, or even a torque wrench when I built my entire motor, and it's fine, J.R. is a retard"

The easy way is to take the head's off, sorry man.

well, i didnt install the shorties ... they were on my car when i bought it... and i took a look at them (basic maintance) and half of them were out... so i got some stage 8 locking ones im not doing this *hit again unless i absolutely have to...

im thinking of putting in regular ones this time, and locking with my long tubes this summer, what do you think?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

If it was me, I'd yank the heads for some PI heads, since that's the easiest way to change the bolt's. Oh, AND I'D USE LOCKING BOLT'S!!!

Always, can't emphasize it enough, mostly because it's so hard to ever get them truly tight with the factory K anyway.

 

[BrandoGT]

The easy way is to take the head's off, sorry man.

I put long tubes in when I was doing my swap and I still had to jack the motor up with the heads off. it actually wasn't that bad. and I do agree with the locking header bolts, they may be a pita but I have not had an exhaust leak from where the headers meet the heads. now where the EGR connects to the header is a different story but I fixed that so I am happy

Although, I think I have heard that you can get away with bolting shorty headers to the heads out of the car. Then install the heads with the shortys on and there wont have any problems? I cannot speak out of experience but it is something i have heard.

 

[MustangChris]

The easy way is to take the head's off, sorry man.

I put long tubes in when I was doing my swap and I still had to jack the motor up with the heads off. it actually wasn't that bad. and I do agree with the locking header bolts, they may be a pita but I have not had an exhaust leak from where the headers meet the heads. now where the EGR connects to the header is a different story but I fixed that so I am happy

Although, I think I have heard that you can get away with bolting shorty headers to the heads out of the car. Then install the heads with the shortys on and there wont have any problems? I cannot speak out of experience but it is something i have heard.

yea, i already got the locking ones ready to go.. im just affraid that if i do the damn locking ones and want to swap headers they are gunna be a son-a-b*ch to get off... >.<

and JR, my heads are at the shop right now... they were P&Ped, but i cant afford to buy them back because i kinda smashed my co-workers car into an oncoming volvo... lol.... so im just looking to fix the exhaust leak now...

 

[330CubeGt]

That Sucks.Good Luck

 

[MustangChris]

ha. thaaaanks... lol...


any suggestions on just lifting the motor? just the motor mounts and jack it up by the crank pulley?

 

[vermilion]

my vote is drop the k-member for any head swap unless removing the heads.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Don't jack it by the crank pulley, jack it by the pan, or lift it from the ACC bracket

 

[MustangChris]

Don't jack it by the crank pulley, jack it by the pan, or lift it from the ACC bracket

why not? paul said it was okay... you too should have a fist fight to see who i should trust :-D....

wouldnt the pan just.... compress?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

It probably is, I just wouldn't do it. As for jacking it by the pan, I would hope you have enough sense to use a pad or board under it to spread the load, I wouldn't use a bottle jack lol.

Idealy, you would lift it by the acc bracket though.

 

[MustangChris]

i dont have a cherry picker :-( and im already 2gs into my drivers side ball joint... LOL!

so.... whats a bottle jack? something that opens my beer while im under my woman doin' my thing? and by woman i mean my car... lol

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Bottle jacks are those dangerously unsafe little tiny jacks that are like the size of a 2 liter. One of those would definitely dent your oil pan.

In the end it comes down to access and how you can do it anyway, make sure you undo your trans xmember to get some slack too.

 

[Hoseitdown]

no...lol its a jack, thats about as big around as a 1 litre pepsi bottle... in most cases. and the "jack" part, is only about the size of a 50cent piece....



so in other words, it would probably go directly through your oil pan with minimal weight. or pressure.. whatever.

 

[MustangChris]

okay... i have not one, but two of those kinds of jacks... lol... ill have to borrow a freind's big bubba jack :-D

 

[Zwolaver21]

Buy this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96524 then drop the k

 

[BrandoGT]

As for jacking it by the pan, I would hope you have enough sense to use a pad or board under it to spread the load,

yup, thats what i did, I put a board between the jack and the oil pan and unbolted the two motor mounts that went into the k-member (18mm if i remember correctly) and just jacked it up enough untill i was able to squeeze the headers in