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Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
Have freshly painted engine bay dropping in sbc. Have hedman short length headers. Would like to torque headers/gaskets on w motor on stand as its nearly impossible to get a torque wrench on w motor installed. Will it be difficult dropping motor in with the shorty headers installed (tranny in place)? Will make precautions but not looking to smash up newly painted engine bay.
Very few headers will go into a car attached to the motor.
Best policy usually is to lay them in the chassis, drop in the motor, bolt up the headers.
No point in bothering with a torque wrench. They're HEADERS. You're gonna be re-torqueing em 2 or 3 times ANYWAY. Just tighten em as tight as you can conveniently get em with a moderate-sized wrench.
Very few headers will go into a car attached to the motor.
Best policy usually is to lay them in the chassis, drop in the motor, bolt up the headers.
No point in bothering with a torque wrench. They're HEADERS. You're gonna be re-torqueing em 2 or 3 times ANYWAY. Just tighten em as tight as you can conveniently get em with a moderate-sized wrench.
If the won't lay conveniently, you can always usually slide them in later, but this is the way I've always done it in third gens....
No point in bothering with a torque wrench. They're HEADERS. You're gonna be re-torqueing em 2 or 3 times ANYWAY. Just tighten em as tight as you can conveniently get em with a moderate-sized wrench.
I use remflex crush gaskets they have a torque spec
Doesn't too much matter. They're HEADERS. You're gonna be re-torqueing em 2 or 3 times ANYWAY.
You'll see. The laws of physics haven't just been re-written. And even worse, your faith in all the ad copy on the outside of packages, will be shaken. But you'll get over it and be the better for it.
I haven't used THOSE specifically; but I've used about every other kind there is. And the one thing I've learned is, header bolts ALWAYS need re-torqued. It's really more a property of HEADERS, than of GASKETS. Just like the paint that says it covers in one coat, doesn't; and the detergent that says it removes ground-in dirt, doesn't; and the aftermarket parts that say they fit, don't.
I've never had to lift the engine in a thirdgen to install headers. I've installed ( All shorties ! ) Edelbrock, Headman, Hooker, Dyno Dons and last week I installed this un-identified set-up into an 86 Bird:
With that said; I would not install the headers on the engine until the engine was set into place. Since the tranny will be connected already you'll need to pitch the drivetrain on a steep angle to get the tranny/engine to slide into place. If the headers get installed before the engine is lifted into place then you might have a problem with the Header flanges hitting the cross-member when you are trying to get the drivetrain to sit onto the engine mounts due to the steep angle the engine is at when you start.
IMO It's better to get the engine set first..... then leave the cherry picker close-by and try and install the headers. If you need to lift the engine so they fit - the cherry picker ready and waiting.
P.S. I've never used a Torque wrench on Header bolts. Listen to Sofa on this; don't believe everything you read & expect to re-torque your header bolts !!!
I'm with Sofa, I wouldn't torque them. You should be able to ballpark the torque you're applying to the bolt by feel anyway, if the spec is 20 ft-lbs, don't tighten them until you're about to bust a gut. I ball parked the torque rating on my flywheel & pressure plate bolts & they haven't come flying out yet...
Hello everyone I'm new here not new to the site though been using advise from this site since I can remember, I just decided to finally create a account. I have a 1982 Pace Car and just installed a stroker motor in it over the weekend and just installed hooker shorty headers yesterday and only problem I ran into was on the passenger side(which I'm sure anyone with a/c in there car has ran into same problem) my biggest problem was it wouldn't clear the starter once I dropped starter went rite in. I don't see you being able to install headers and motor at the same time unless you do it like the pic above. Here's a preview of what I have
Hello everyone I'm new here not new to the site though been using advise from this site since I can remember, I just decided to finally create a account. I have a 1982 Pace Car and just installed a stroker motor in it over the weekend and just installed hooker shorty headers yesterday and only problem I ran into was on the passenger side(which I'm sure anyone with a/c in there car has ran into same problem) my biggest problem was it wouldn't clear the starter once I dropped starter went rite in. I don't see you being able to install headers and motor at the same time unless you do it like the pic above. Here's a preview of what I have
Good way to do it don't install mount bolts in case you have to ;loft it a bit.I got away with out lifting but was tight,get that coolant steel pipe farther back too,it will hit.Good luck
I need more info about your PS bracket. I will be removing my A/C and have SLP shorty headers. I can't stand that factory PS/AC bracket and I am looking for brackets that will mount the PS pump similar to what you have. Is that the cheap ebay bracket? And how does it fit? Is the clearance good? Thanks.
