Putting on my Long Tube Headers!

veggiemike · Oct 26, 2010

I've got brand new BBK long tubes sitting in my garage laughing at me, because I can't get the stock headers off! Help!

I've got the passenger side all ready to rock, even though I thought that side would be harder. I removed my air intake and the AIR tubes. All the header bolts are loosened up on that side now. :thumbsup:

Then I turned my attention to the drivers side. I was able to just finagle a socket wrench around and get all but the first and last bolts out. I can't get a socket or a wrench on the front-most header bolt at all! And the rear-most bolt I can get a socket on, but then I don't have any room to actually move the wrench... :angry4:

I sure hope somebody has some suggestions... This is getting frustrating. Do I have to remove the AC Compressor to get at the front-most header bolt? Do I have to remove the brake booster to make enough room to turn the wrench on the rear-most bolt? :confused1:

I thought the hard part of installing long tubes was actually fitting them in once the old headers are out...

OnyxCobra · Oct 26, 2010

the stock headers are dented so I believe you should be able to get a socket on all of them. Did you try using a mix of extensions and U-joints? I don't recall removing the AC compressor but when I installed my long tubes I did unbolt the drivers side accessory bracket so I could pull it away from the head a bit for some extra room.

rio94 · Oct 26, 2010

can you fit a boxed end wrench on it? i cant remember how i did mine but you for sure dont have to remove the master cylinder

veggiemike · Oct 26, 2010

Well, I haven't entirely removed the oil dipstick yet. It's just unbolted from the header stud but still kinda in the way when trying to access the rear-most header bolt. So I'm hoping removing that and just trying again after a night's sleep will get that one off.

The front-most header bolt though, is a problem. I didn't try a U-joint... I was getting tired and was afraid I would round off or break the very last bolt. :BangHead: I'll try that in the morning.

What exactly do you mean by "the accessory bracket"? Do both the power steering and AC compressor bolt onto that? I didn't see bolts to remove that, but I was tired. I guess I'll look for that, too. I really don't want to take the AC compressor off...

94 DropTop · Oct 26, 2010

I have no a/c and long tubes on my are cake on my car.

veggiemike · Oct 28, 2010

Jeez. I've got the passenger side header in, but now I can't seem to get the drivers side in. Maybe my arms are just tired, maybe I'm just approaching this wrong. I've got the front of the car jacked up as high as my jack goes, and I'm laying under the car trying to maneuver the header up into position... I just don't seem to be able to wiggle the header enough in any direction to get it around the steering column. Also, I never did manage to remove the oil dipstick and I can see now that I've cracked it about halfway up from the pan... How hard is that to replace? I'm so tired at this point, once I get the header in I might just drive the car over to a shop and have them fix that damn dipstick...

CC'S95GT · Oct 28, 2010

even with my shorties I had to loosen the steering shaft.
You might also have to jack the engine for more clearance

veggiemike · Oct 28, 2010

Yeah, I did the passenger side last night by setting the car on my jackstands in their lowest setting, then jacking the engine up as far as I could. I figured I would jack the whole car up as high as I could for the drivers side since that goes on from underneath... I think I'll have to lower it a tad before jacking the engine up higher. I've got some penetrating oil on the steering shaft while I run out to try and get a new oil dipstick.

Anyone know how to get the oil dipstick out and intsall a new one? I can't get mine to budge... I didn't want to force it because it seemed like it would break... which it damn well did anyway.

94 DropTop · Oct 28, 2010

Ive always just pulled it out. Nothing holding it on but the mount on the header. You will have to loosen the steering shaft and move it.

veggiemike · Oct 28, 2010

Mine's held in place by a rust/glue it would seem. More penetrating oil, here we come.

rz5.0 · Oct 28, 2010

i loosened all my ac and steering shaft and did from the top. didnt feel like working under the car.

CC'S95GT · Oct 28, 2010

one of my shorties went in from the top too but I don't remember which one.

OnyxCobra · Oct 28, 2010

for both shorties and long tubes I found it easiest doing the drivers side from the bottom and pass side from the top.

veggiemike · Oct 31, 2010

I can't win. Last night I got the drivers side header in, tightened up both headers, reconnected the steering shaft, etc, then went to hook up my also brand new x-pipe. The matching shorty BBK X-pipe doesn't have mounts for the rubber hanger that the stocker was using, and I didn't want to just hang it off the header studs quite yet, so I figured I would partially install my new Flowmaster cat-back. Now I can't get the x-pipe to line up with the headers, and the mufflers are in the way... The x-pipe's pipes that are supposed to bolt up to the headers are about a half inch too close together.

So today I'll loosen the header bolts all back up a bit, move the mufflers out of the way, and try again. Any idea how nicely the headers and x-pipe should mate up? I had figured they would fit almost perfectly, since they're made for each other by the same company...

95PGTTech · Oct 31, 2010

Mine also required some stretch. I chocked it up to BBK quality.

rz5.0 · Oct 31, 2010

mine did not fit worth of crap.

veggiemike · Oct 31, 2010

How did you get yours to fit?

rz5.0 · Oct 31, 2010

got one bolt started then it took alot of prying but i got one on the other side. pretty much forced it to fit. i had to use my car or i would off took it to a muffler shop to get it to fit better. after a few heat cycles it molded now i can take it off and put it on no prob.