Help! Removing driver sidepipe header on '79
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 29
From: The Netherlands
Help! Removing driver sidepipe header on '79
Trying to remove the sidepipe header (hooker) on the driverside. Close... but no sigar is the motto currently 
Passenger side came off easily and the driverside pipe is off too. But the header is stuck, even when I jack up the front.
It gets caught on the steering box and some obscure bracket on the firewall side (see pic below).
Edit: I have also removed the temp and oil sending units.
The search function gave me two overall suggestions:
1) Unbolt motor mount, jack up engine. How do I do this exactly? Jack under oilpan?
2) Remove steering box. Same question actually (have Haynes and AIM, but those don't have all the little tricks in 'm) plus I worry I'll get into a fight with some balljoint or have my steering all out of alingment.
I could put it up on a ramp, but I fear I'd still be stuck on the box or that bracket since jacking it up didn't help either.
Here's the bracket and thanks in advance guys!
Passenger side came off easily and the driverside pipe is off too. But the header is stuck, even when I jack up the front.
It gets caught on the steering box and some obscure bracket on the firewall side (see pic below).
Edit: I have also removed the temp and oil sending units.
The search function gave me two overall suggestions:
1) Unbolt motor mount, jack up engine. How do I do this exactly? Jack under oilpan?
2) Remove steering box. Same question actually (have Haynes and AIM, but those don't have all the little tricks in 'm) plus I worry I'll get into a fight with some balljoint or have my steering all out of alingment.
I could put it up on a ramp, but I fear I'd still be stuck on the box or that bracket since jacking it up didn't help either.
Here's the bracket and thanks in advance guys!
Last edited by worship79; Apr 18, 2009 at 09:16 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
No jacking on the oil pan. You need to get the car up higher, the instructions say 36". I put mine up on ramps then had to jack it up a little more to get the header to crook around all the obstructions.
Gary
Gary
Last edited by Duke94; Apr 18, 2009 at 09:21 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Just installed a set, so going the other way, but I know how you are feeling.
Had same exact problem, car was jacked up about 12-14". Passenger side went on fine, but drivers side just couldn't quite get up there.
Jacked the car up another 6" or so and it went in fine (and would come out fine too).
Remember you can't just jack the front up, the WHOLE car needs to be lifted up, if anything the back needs to be higher than the front so you can tilt the headers.
Don't touch the steering box or loosen engine mounts etc until you have tried it with the car a little higher in the air first, it will save you a lot of work and potential headaches.
