Header install... What happened...?

[raroZ28]

What happened to my header? Passenger side. I was cruisin' guys. I had the starter off, dipstick out, routed my msd 8.5s to the opti, going great... Slip that manifold up with ease, start the first bolt closest to the front of the car, drop the gasket in. ahh, this is going smooth.

NOT. The rear primary closest to the firewall, does NOT line up to the head. WTF happened?? The phrase extremely pissed off does not even describe how I feel right now. I have a gasket, I think I'm going to bend the primary back until I get it lined up. How can I do this? Any idea what happened?? It's a mac mid length. I could not get the rear most bolts in on that primary only. All header bolts were in except the last two. I was cruising. The primary is too far to the front of the car. It needs to be pushed back. I was under the car trying to pull back on it with my hand and then get the bolt in, but I didn't have the strength. Those headers are solid.

Tomorrow will be 70, I wanted to drive that car so bad.

I am sad.

[Benm109]

Now, honestly, I've never installed headers before, but I have heard of something similar to that happening. Try this, only thread the 2 outermost bolts (the one closest to the firewall and one closest to the radiator) in and then snug them down. Then install the rest of the bolts. I have heard that that works.

Sorry I'm not of much help. I hope you get it figured out.

[raroZ28]

Now, honestly, I've never installed headers before, but I have heard of something similar to that happening. Try this, only thread the 2 outermost bolts (the one closest to the firewall and one closest to the radiator) in and then snug them down. Then install the rest of the bolts. I have heard that that works.

Sorry I'm not of much help. I hope you get it figured out.

Tried that, it doesn't work. When I thread the rear bolt in, the front isn't lined up. When I thread in the front, the rear isn't lined up. That rear primary has to be moved. I might put it in a vice and give it a pull or a whack with a hammer.

[Trash man]

dont do that! could break something, try to hone or bore the bolt hole out a lil or send it back and get a new one

[z28_xxx]

MAC Header? 1 5/8?

I'd take it out - and match it to the gasket - see if it is straight.

Put the bolts in the header and the gasket - see if it that works.

If not - send it back. Get another one.

I hope you started by putting the furthest bolts in first..

Also - when you removed your manifolds - did you remove them
when they were hot or cold? (like sat 24 hours?)

What happened to my header? Passenger side. I was cruisin' guys. I had the starter off, dipstick out, routed my msd 8.5s to the opti, going great... Slip that manifold up with ease, start the first bolt closest to the front of the car, drop the gasket in. ahh, this is going smooth.

NOT. The rear primary closest to the firewall, does NOT line up to the head. WTF happened?? The phrase extremely pissed off does not even describe how I feel right now. I have a gasket, I think I'm going to bend the primary back until I get it lined up. How can I do this? Any idea what happened?? It's a mac mid length. I could not get the rear most bolts in on that primary only. All header bolts were in except the last two. I was cruising. The primary is too far to the front of the car. It needs to be pushed back. I was under the car trying to pull back on it with my hand and then get the bolt in, but I didn't have the strength. Those headers are solid.

Tomorrow will be 70, I wanted to drive that car so bad.

I am sad.

[94 formula]

I wouldn't mess with that at all. I understand having to "dimple" a primary a little bit to get it to fit around the steering linkage or something like that but not going to all that trouble cause the bolts don't line up. I know its a hastle but call mac explain to them what the problem is and tell them you'll be sending it back and expecting a replacement. Part of what you pay for is a warntey so use it.

Also if you put it in a vice and pull on it that much your probably going to weaken the welds and that could end up causing you major headaches in the future.

[95z28]

i have heard that mac is notorious for scew ups like that

[soCalTA]

have you tried not tightening the bolts all the way but just putting them in just a few threads? If the flange is warped or not totally flat it will make it really hard to line them up. If you get some in back and some in front started then maybe they will all go down more easily.

just a thought

[raroZ28]

dont do that! could break something, try to hone or bore the bolt hole out a lil or send it back and get a new one

I considered that, but that isn't going to make the primary line up to the port on the head any better.

I'm going to try more later.

[Joe 1320]

MAC Header? 1 5/8?

I'd take it out - and match it to the gasket - see if it is straight.

Put the bolts in the header and the gasket - see if it that works.

If not - send it back. Get another one.

This is the correct course of action. If you can't send them back, take them to a machine shop and have it done correctly. I've ordered high dollar headers, each one hand done on a jig that had to be sent back because something didn't line up. The tech line said that shouldn't be the case but send it back. (no kidding!) A new header is sent and it lined up perfectly.

[Formulaboy95]

Ouch, that sucks. The only problems I had with my install were due to worn out saggging motor mounts. I am in the process of re-installing the pass side headers, and numerous other things. Definately use the locking stage8 bolts, or you will have to check the bolts all the time. One bolt loosened up on me, and burnt the gasket up. Finished the drivers side easy, but on the last bolt, I dropped one of the locking washers into the center of where the headers meet at the collector. Stage8 is sending me a replacement one for nothing.

I might just get the car finished by friday. Wish ya luck on the headers. Is it level, or does it just look like it is stretched out of place? Match the gasket up to see if the ports and bolts align. Mabey you are hitting against something else. Only other thing I could see is if you bolted the exhaust to the header collector first, and that should be done last.

[markd79ta]

If the primaries don't line up to the gasket, then you need to return it. If it is just a bolt hole that needs to be enlarged, that may be OK. If you heat up the primary tube and bend it to work, you will likely have leaks and a really big mess on your hands. Nothing worse then header leaks. When I install headers, I spend a lot of time making sure the head side flange is 100% true and deburred even if it requires a trip to the machine shop to have it surfaced. If the head side flange is not true you will be going through gaskets like crazy, and you will be pulling the headers off anyway.

[raroZ28]

I got it on. I took it to an exhaust shop a few blocks from the garage... He said he can't help. He has nothing to bend it, and if he hits it, it could break. He didn't want to mess with it.

I took it back home. Sat on the ground, grabbed the middle primaries, and the primary closest to the front of the car, then I put my foot on the rear most primary, and gave it a pull and kick at the same time. After a few times, it lined up perfectly, and bolted on the car with ease.

ALSO, I only have 5 bolts holding it on. The bolt closest to the firewall broke off when I was removing it.... It doesn't make sense, it was coming out really easy, and all the sudden, it came out. At first I thought it came out fine, but I saw it was a little shorter than the rest, and it had a little chip on the bottom where it broke.

How can I get it out without pulling the head?? Think it'll be aight, the header is on there really tight.

[94 formula]

It was probably broken before you even started turning it. The next to the back bolt on mine was broken off before I even started. I ended up having to pull the head off to get it. You may be able to get an angle drill to get at it but its very tight in there. I'd recommend taking care of it the right way now and you definetly won't regret it.

[raroZ28]

It was probably broken before you even started turning it. The next to the back bolt on mine was broken off before I even started. I ended up having to pull the head off to get it. You may be able to get an angle drill to get at it but its very tight in there. I'd recommend taking care of it the right way now and you definetly won't regret it.

If the right way means pulling the head, that's outta the question.