Is it downhill from here?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Is it downhill from here?
Well I started on my header install tonight rather then wait till Sunday morning, got more done then expected after working a 9 hour day in the heat and then deciding to give her a go on the headers. I've got the drivers side manifold off and the cross shaft off the engine block so it's out of the way now, still can't get the manifold out of the car yet becouse the stock exhaust is still in the way but I think a trip to the hardware store tomorrow should take care of that. Anyway it seems that I've gotten through the hard stuff that everyone has mentioned with installing big block headers, so is it downhill from here or will it require a lot more :smash: . any further tips will also be greatly appreciated.
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
Re: Is it downhill from here? (73 LS-4)
Pat, by "cross shaft" you mean the clutch piece ? For me it was all just nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts, until I could not remove the drivers side exhaust manifold. (I removed the entire old exhaust system first). Apparently this varies from year to year, and maybe even from car to car, but mine would not clear the steering box no matter how much I wiggled and turned it. It was at this point - after removing passgr side manifold, after removing entire exhaust system, after removing clutch pieces, generator, all bolts - that I gave up and put it all back together with stock manifolds!
So hopefully your drivers side exhaust manifold will just fall out the bottom and you will be home free. Headers install appears to be one of those jobs that varies from car to car. If everything comes off easy, and headers clear everything and fit well, then it's not really a bad job, just takes time to unscrew everything and put everything back in. In other cases when one part hits another part... it can be a real bear! MJ
So hopefully your drivers side exhaust manifold will just fall out the bottom and you will be home free. Headers install appears to be one of those jobs that varies from car to car. If everything comes off easy, and headers clear everything and fit well, then it's not really a bad job, just takes time to unscrew everything and put everything back in. In other cases when one part hits another part... it can be a real bear! MJ
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke,Va
Re: Is it downhill from here? (73 LS-4)
Pat,
MJ is correct, some big block cars won't allow the removal of the manifold on the drivers side...I have found it to require removing both motor mount bolts, jacking the engine up with a board under the oil pan. Beware your fan to shroud and dist to firewall clearance!
Bill :crazy:
MJ is correct, some big block cars won't allow the removal of the manifold on the drivers side...I have found it to require removing both motor mount bolts, jacking the engine up with a board under the oil pan. Beware your fan to shroud and dist to firewall clearance!
Bill :crazy:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Re: Is it downhill from here? (73 LS-4)
Well the good news is the drivers side manifold did fall out the bottom, just a tip for those that try this later on, remove the air injection tube from the #1 port otherwise it won't come out this way. now the fun part of trying to get the header back in there :eek:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
update
Drivers side is on :D , for those of you wondering about ground clearance I measured it with to the bottom of the flange on the drivers side header at 4 3/4" may go down to 4.5" after the suspension settles since I measured it after taking it off the jackstands. Now to the passenger side :smash:
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Re: update (73 LS-4)
Mission accomplished, at 10:00 at night, I'm sure the neighborhhod loved it when I started it up open headers in the garage, oh well. For anybody else wanting to try this another suggestion would be to remove the Air injection tubes inside the exhaust manifolds from the first port on each side before trying to drop the exhaust manifold out the bottom, both my manifolds got hung up on these tubes. Now I just have to get the rest of the exhaust hooked up, thanks for the help everyone.
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
