Im so pissed!......I go to try and install my headers today and started on the drivers side....well to start things off I couldnt get all the bolts in so I thought it was cause I had to long of bolts so I go back and get 1" bolts......that fixed that problem then had to find a thin walled 12 point so I could get a socket on the head...fixed that problem.....and now for the biggie!!!!

I can get all the bolts in except for the 1st 2 towards the front on the car.....I checked and checked and found out the holes on the flange dont line up with the holes in the head.....how can I fix it? I need to walller it out and make them bigger going towards the front.....understand? How can I do that? the header tube is in the way.....hell I dont know what to do!..... give me some ideas......thanks!


on this picture, looking at it I need the holes to go to the left... more

 

Hey are those the SLPs we coated? How far over do you need the bolt holes?

 

I guess you guys havent a clue, huh? I must be the first that this has happen to...... come on guys wheres the love? cant we all just get along?.....LOL.......

any ideas?

 

Someone here at work said to get all the bolts in that I can, which are all of them but the first two.....and then get something like a 2x4 and try and force the tube over as much as I need it.......whatcha guys think about that one?

 

tweek the tube.


the problem isnt the bolt holes, its that the tube isnt in the right place...
if they wernt coated, id say heat em up when you goto tweek them into place... i donno what effect the coating will have to a torch flame though..

 

You can get in a hurry and tweek it, waller it, bend it, and anything else but the right thing to do would be E-mail or call the manufacturer, tell them your problem, and see what they suggest! I've done that before and the manufacturer sent me a new set that lined up perfectly. They asked me to send the bad ones back COD. Any damage from "tweeking" could void the warranty wich should cover fit and workmanship on the headers.
A copy of the product warranty should have come in the box!
good luck!

 

I just got off the phone with SLP and they actually suggested the same thing that my friend did, which is to get something and pry it foward. He said being that they are separate tubes they should give alittle, enough to get the bolts in.....

Also, what I have here are tri-y's so the warranty doesnt apply to these since they are not made anymore. ...



Well I guesss when I get home from work I'll put all the bolts that I can and try to get something to pry on the tube with.......I just hope the passsenger side goes in like it should........I'll let you guys know...

 

Before U start bending tubes, be sure to loosen all the other bolts in the flange. This might give you a little more movement so the holes will line up easier.

 

Hey, Did a little research with some other guys and I found a couple with the same problem on the tri ys. They (to protect the coating) wrapped a towl or rag around a 3 ft screwdriver handled prybar and tweaked it over with the front bolt tightend down. Between the give of the center tubes and the rear tube they were able to get it and not damage the coating.
Thanks
ACS Headers

 

hey guys I just got home and tried what Ive been told and got the bolts to go in.....I just got them to go, so when its get daylight tomorrow and warms up im going to go out there and tighten them down all the way.....I also tried the passenger side and all the bolts seem to go in fine.....thanks for you guys help......when they didnt go in I just freaked out and thought I was a gonner spending all this money on the headers and coating...


WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS: what do I torque the bolts down to? do the middle first and then the outside?

 

Now that you have bought and used shorter bolts I would figure out how deep they go before I would start cranking on them. You sure don't want to strip any threads out! I used to tighten mine as tight as I could get them with a wrench, by hand, and check them once a week at least. Header bolts have a way of loosening up and disappearing .

 

just a curious question,

Why are header bolt prone to backing out but stock exhaust bolts never do?

 

Header bolts don't go in as far as stock cast iron bolts do, and are more suseptible to vibration caused by the light weight of the headers and the constant tweeking from the engines torque movement in the engine bay. If you get tired of loosing them you can always go to studs in place of the bolts and use lock washers.