Header Removal
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Header Removal
For the life of me, I cant get my driver side header off 
Any time they have come off/on, either the body was off the car, or the whole engine came out. Alternator is off, valve cover off, spark plugs out, and steering box unbolted (not removed).
My flanges are warped and I want to re-surface them before I put on the final set of Percey gaskets with lock wired bolts. Hopefully this will eliminate all future header leaks.
They are full length Hooker's, small block, 4-spd.
Hints/tips/tricks anyone?
Thanks
Any time they have come off/on, either the body was off the car, or the whole engine came out. Alternator is off, valve cover off, spark plugs out, and steering box unbolted (not removed).My flanges are warped and I want to re-surface them before I put on the final set of Percey gaskets with lock wired bolts. Hopefully this will eliminate all future header leaks.
They are full length Hooker's, small block, 4-spd.
Hints/tips/tricks anyone?
Thanks
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
I already broke off one dip-stick tube this year and had one hell of a time pulling the broken off end out of the block...
I DONT want that to happen again. I'm guessing I'll have to remove the clutch Z-bar as well to remove from the bottom, no?
Thanks
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Yes, you have to pull the Z-Bar, the oil filter, and you have to pull the dipstick tube out. The header comes out the bottom, but you need the car on a lift or with a LOT of ground clearance.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Whats the easiest way to pull the dipstick tube without damaging it? Am I going to have to replace it anyway?
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 20
From: Kingston Ontario
Lars is right but
Filter can stay in...did it many times on my 81. LOTS of ground clearance needed. What a bitch of a job though. You pretty much have to be a contortionist to work under these things with no hoist. As far as the tube, get a screwdriver or chisel punch and from the underside hit the lip right at the block punching it up.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 2
From: Melrose Florida
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
You can stick a phillips screwdriver or a straight punch down into the tube - something that just barely goes into the tube. You can then grab it with visegrips without flatteing the tube. Wiggle and pull. Before you put your headers back on, you can slit the header flange for the tube - much easier install that way.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
You can stick a phillips screwdriver or a straight punch down into the tube - something that just barely goes into the tube. You can then grab it with visegrips without flatteing the tube. Wiggle and pull. Before you put your headers back on, you can slit the header flange for the tube - much easier install that way.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,071
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Your dipstick tube is in the way? Mine is on the passenger side... I just kinda bent it so it's out of the way.
Did you take the spark plugs out before you attempted to take the headers off? That gave me one hell of a time when I did mine.
Did you take the spark plugs out before you attempted to take the headers off? That gave me one hell of a time when I did mine.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
Already broke one dipstick tube because it got bent during a header install.... I'll never bend it again after going through that fiasco.