Ok, well i disobeyed direct orders from my dr. tonight.. .haha. I went ahead and began work on the vette again. Amazingly I got the driver's side cat and stock exhaust manifold off in about 1.5 hours. I spent the next 2 hours trying to get the damn header on. Well, same problem as last time. Bolt holes won't line up with the holes in the header. Last time it was 2, this time it is one. I have ALL the other bolts in and tight, and the far left one is about 1/8th inch too low for the bolt hole in the head. I have tried messing around a lot with the exhaust manifold spreader, but I can't get it to line up still. It's crazy that it is off THAT much when all the other bolts are in.

Any ideas now?? I think i might take it to an exhaust shop and have them try to straighten this one out. Pisses me off that the holes don't line up!!! arg!

And tomorrow I get to drill out the rusted bolt I had to cut in half with the dremel on the driver's side cat flange. That should be fun ... NOT. Going to have to get some stainless steel parts to replace all that stuff so that never happens again. Wish GM would spend $1 to make those bolts stainless steel .... especially on a $50k car :nonod: .

Off to bed :yawn: .. then work and then back to the vette :cheers: . Want to get her working by next weekend :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :party:

 

Try loosening up the ones you already got in. When they are tight fit like that, you usually want to get all the bolts started before you tighten any of them up. There may be enough slop in the holes in the header that it will align up if you loosen the other bolts.

 

Rule #1, always finger start far left and far right bolts FIRST.

Rule #2, always start all bolts before tightening a single one.

 

:iagree: and that doesn't only apply to headers!

 

Well, i've tried different combinations of everything ... EXCEPT #1. I thought, like with anything else you mount up.. .that starting inside then moving outward was always best... BUT now that I think about it, it may be a very good idea doing those end ones first. I will have to give that a try as soon as I get home!

 

tried :(

 

Yep I had same problem with used headers. Got my money back. No matter how I tried could not get them to fit. Used Hooker headers without the bracing between the tubes seem to distort. I them bought a set of new ones and they went on seconds.


[Modified by BAM92, 1:49 AM 10/18/2003]

 

Yeah, I won't be buying used headers again. I did manage to finally get the other header on .. .so both are on now. I just need to attach the cats, put the catback back on, and get the oil dipstick fixed (won't go back in). I've worked on it about 8 hours the past two days, so that has helped a lot! (the right tools always helps too ;))