I'm about to replace my header gaskets as I think I have a small leak. I don't have studs, so this tip is really helpful.

Thanks!

 

Can't tolerate header gaskets ball and socket or burst.

 

where did you jack it up from with all the jacks under the outer lift points?

 

my biggest fear, well my only fear is cracking a head bolt stud or simular......


I'd hate to have to tear into the motor to fix that...

 

Had mine installed for $450 and they threw in a dyno run. seemed reasonable.

 

I used wood blocks and jacked on the front and rear sub frame center. I then used wood blocks to pad my jack stands and put them under the sub frame where the lower control arms connect. At first I didn't use the wood blocks thinking it would be solid enough and noticed my jack stands were doing some damage to the sub frame, so I corrected this with some chunks of 2x4. I always keep some small pieces of 2x4, 2x6 and plywood around for needs like this. I have a long low profile jack and a piece of 3/4 inch plywood to lift the car with, anything that is taller than what I use wont fit under the car. Under the front I actually put the tires on some ramps to hold the front up, which ended up being quite a good idea. explained below.


I did the front and rear separately. My jack arm is quite long and will move forward and backward quite a ways so I didn't want to drop my car on the ground with big jack stands under it. I got the front end up on my ramps with some wood blocks on the down side of my ramps in front of the tires for good measure. for the rear I got it up far enough to get my stands under where I wanted them then set them back down on them, reset my jack to a different position and jacked it up a few more clicks on the height adjustment of my jack stands. I did this a few more times until I got the height I wanted. If I went all the way up with my jack it would have pulled the front end right off my ramps, or at least closer than I would have wanted it to be, and my wheels would not have ended up in a safe location for me to want to be under it for a few hours.


I have seen some people say you need the car to be 18-24 inches off the ground to do a header swap but I would say I had mine no more than 14-16 and it worked fine. Different headers may require different lifting heights though, I used Texas Speed's and they fit perfectly.


I could have probably done this side to side but I was more confident lifting the front then the rear.


NOTE: I HAD MY BRAKE PEDAL PRESSED DOWN WITH SOME CINDER BLOCKS AND WOOD BLOCKS SO THE FRONT WHEELS WERE ALSO LOCKED WITH BRAKES AND THE E-BRAKE ON. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LIFT THE CAR LIKE I MENTIONED WITHOUT THE BRAKES ON, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO YOU AND THE CAR. To get the car down, lower the rear first like you took it up, a few inches at a time and reset, then lift the front and remove the ramps.

 

If you do this then as they say bolt everything in place LOOSELY, then start with the header bolts tightening and get them done, you don't want to try and pull things together with the header bolts being the last ones you tighten, heads are aluminum.
does that make sense
NSF

 

Any shop can and will do it in 2 hours.

The base C6 is the easiest car I've installed LT's on.