Small problem with Hooker Side pipe headers on my BBC
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
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From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Small problem with Hooker Side pipe headers on my BBC
I receive my headers yesterday and mock fitted them to the motor. The flanges on the mating surface to the head hit the lower head bolt. Has any one run across this problem before? It looks like I will have to clearance the flange to clear the head bolt. I bought these off of e-bay so I am not sure exactly what they are. The part numbers on the flanges are 1503L and 1503R any one recognize these numbers. I have looked on the Holley site and could not locate these numbers. They look fine and the clearance work will be minor so it is not a big deal.
Thanks Neal
Thanks Neal
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,770
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From: St Louis MO
I have but I'm not gonna be much help because I don't know who made my headers. When I was buttoning up the bb after a cam swap 2 months ago, I had header flange/head bolt clearance problems. It turns out the new ARP head bolts I put on were a tad taller than the stock GM head bolts that came off it. I had no choice but to clearance the header flange which was no problem since these headers are not coated. Are your ebay headers coated?
Brett
Brett
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,360
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From: Plano TX
Yes, this is expected with hookers, especially with aftermarket heads. I used an angle grinder & it only took a few minutes to fix. I think hookers have had this problem for years but they don't seem interested in making the small change on their flanges.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Thanks for the help. I also have the ARP head bots and it does look as though the bolt heads are a little taller. The flanges just barelly hit the bolt heads, I can almost get the header bolt to start. Thanks I was concerned that it would be months before I have the chance to test fit the headers with the motor in the car and that I might have the wrong headers. 
Senior Member since 1492
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
ARP makes a 12 pt short-head, head bolts for the lower head bolts. I had to buy them for my stock manifolds to clear. 67Heaven used them too but still had to gring the header flange on his Hooker sidemounts..
I tried to search the forum for the old thread I had, but the search is still screwed up.
Call ARP, they'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
I tried to search the forum for the old thread I had, but the search is still screwed up.
Call ARP, they'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
Last edited by Jughead; Dec 2, 2004 at 08:44 PM.
Navigator
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i'm not sure if i'm any help but here's my story. originally 2 years ago i installed hooker headers on my 502 ramjet. it required notching the flanges. i have no idea why hooker didn't address this problem. then 2 months ago, with the metamorphosis of my 73 vette, i installed hooker's chrome side exhaust. this time the hookers bolted directly to the heads without and problem. in fact this time i didn't even have to dimple a pipe to get past the steering or clutch brackets. best of luck!
steve
steve
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
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From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Jughead with the moter out it sure would be easy to replace the lower head bolts. Do yall think it would be ok to remove just the lower head blots to replace them with the short ones without losening the rest of the bolts?
Neal
Neal
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
That's what I did. One at a time, starting in the middle. Torque them back the same way.
I found the bolt number. 5AP-2000-5L
I found the bolt number. 5AP-2000-5L
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: St. Charles Mo
CI 5 & 8 Veteran
Jughead--That's what I did. One at a time, starting in the middle. Torque them back the same way. ARP Part #5AP-2000-5L
Bullshark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
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From: Moro IL
Hooker realizes there are some issues with their BBC sidepipe headers. My corvette is currently in Holley's hands as a test mule for the headers and any clearance issues. I think they did run into a problem with the steering box, as far as I know I haven't heard of anything with the flanges so far, but I have stock heads.
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
