Header Bolt mystery

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Jul 4, 2015 | 11:04 AM

BLDun

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 487

Likes: 48

From: Ocala Florida

Header Bolt mystery

After fighting for quite a while with different header gaskets I finally used the metal ones and they seemed to work great. Four times I did the heat up and cool down and then retighten the bolts and the last time they wouldnt move any further. Today I was doing some work on the engine and noticed that two of the header bolts on the drivers side were completely missing. I know they were tight last time I checked the headers and I haven't driven it much since. Any ideas??

Jul 4, 2015 | 11:26 AM

Calo69

Drifting

Joined: Sep 2014

Posts: 1,430

Likes: 59

From: Long beach NY

St. Jude Donor '15-'16, '18

Doesn't seem like they should have come out but that's just stating the obvious, did you try locking header bolts? That would be my next step, if not maybe have to re tap and thread. Good luck.

Jul 4, 2015 | 12:31 PM

BLDun

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 487

Likes: 48

From: Ocala Florida

That's what is weird. I used the ARP locking bolts and had the allen screw in the middle tight. Each time I did a retorque on the headers they were tight. I guess I could understand them being loose but to come completely out and drop who knows where is kinda strange. I put two new bolts in today. I'm a little afraid to use any locktite on them for fear I won't be able to get them out next time. All the other header bolts are tight like nothing ever happened. just those two.

Jul 4, 2015 | 12:31 PM

redvetracr

Race Director

Joined: Aug 1999

Posts: 18,126

Likes: 174

From: WI

I bet your headers are sprung, this will sound extreme but if you make two cuts on each header flange with a Sawzall or a hack saw one between the first and middle tubes and a second between the back and middle tubes you will see what I mean and it will probably alleviate your problem.

Jul 4, 2015 | 12:35 PM

BLDun

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 487

Likes: 48

From: Ocala Florida

Might be something I will need to look into. I had a devil of a time getting the two bolts in today. Not a lot of room to begin with on the drivers side but I had to work and work to get them started like the holes were just a fraction off. Finally got them but it was a bit of work. Maybe making that cut would help eliminate that problem as well.

Thanks

Jul 4, 2015 | 06:32 PM

Street Rat

Le Mans Master

Joined: Aug 2010

Posts: 5,339

Likes: 546

From: Central Texas

I use locktite blue on my bolts. It seems to work well. The header bolts on the back of the drivers side are accessible from underneath.

Jul 4, 2015 | 10:57 PM

BLUE1972

Race Director

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 19,294

Likes: 1,681

From: Long Island

these don't come out

http://www.stage8.com/images/headerkit.jpg

http://www.stage8.com/images/headerkit.jpg

have them on my 85

Jul 5, 2015 | 02:28 AM

bluedawg

Safety Car

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,736

Likes: 56

From: anchorage ak

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLDun

I've had this happen as well, after fighting header gaskets, I went with both the victor reigns nitro seal and the mr. gasket copper gasket only after trying both in a long line of trial with nothing but error and actually got them to seal with out issue, the funny thing is that with all the previous gaskets, I ether had loose bolts or lost them all together, but now they are not only there, but they stay tight. GKull preaches using studs instead of bolts which was my next move in the bolt battle, but haven't had the need to. Good Luck