You're telling me you are going to torque the bolts??? Do you have a microscopic torque wrench???

 

Hey! Stop giving him a hard time. I asked the same question not to long ago. You actually can torque the bolts...just depends if your headers will allow you to. I've got allot clearance for some reason and have torqued a few. I set it at lik 50 foot labs or somthing I dunno I just torqued the hell out the damn things I AM NOT GOING TO BE PULLING ALTINATORS RE-TIGHTENING BOLTS EVERY WEEK! I refuse too.

 

ok well nobody seems to be answering my other question... do i have to disconnect the headers from the y-pipe in order to do this???

 

No you do not have to take of the y-pipe to install new gaskets..But if i where you i would order percey or earls gaskets from summit...i like the earls because they can be reused...take a look at them at summit.com..

Please take my advice and get the earls gaskets or you will be having problems.

 

well i already bought the felpro gaskets, so too bad on that one. but also another question, how do i get the alternator off, or shouldnt i have to? I know you have to relieve stress on the tensioner pulley, but i dont know how to go about doing that.

 

anybody???

 

you can just unbolt it then take off the belt..but you need to use the tenstiner to put it back on..

all you have to do is get a socket that fits the bolt in the center of the tenstioner and put a rachet on it and turn it to the left i think (only turns one way) the whole tenstioner will move pretty easy..you might need a friend to to pull off and put back on the bolt while you hold the tenstioner in place..or find some way to hold it in place...PS dont forget to un plug and unscrew the wires going to the alternater

 

EVERYBODY WITH MACS READ THIS:
you can NOT use 1406s! 1406s are setup for inner bolt holes, MACs use outers.

the BEST gasket to use with macs are the STOCK GM METAL GASKETS.


been there, done that.. !!!

 

The speed shop i bought the gaskets from gave me 1470s

 

I'm still curious...do your header ports match up to your intake..I mean Heads...properly?

 

Everything would match up properly if for some damn reason the headers werent sitting a cm to the front of the car! After a bunch of huffing and puffing mixed in with some shouts, I gave up. ****ty, Im sure if i undid the y-pipe connection to the header It would make everything a whole lot easier, but then Im sure id have to struggle with getitng the y pipe to hook up to the headers... damn. Maybe ill mess around with that tomorrow. If i can at least get the headers on without the y pipe I could drive it to the shop with open headers. Im not going to drive to a shop with open HEADS. lol

EDIT: maybe i shouldnt be laughing

 

b-stevens. First relax. don't laugh, throw $hit like i do. Second you can fix it. First please dont tell me u actually removed the tensioner or the bolt that holds the pulley on, because all u have to do is put a rachet on it and push it up. You need a bar on the end of the ratchet for leverage. Second to line up your header, assuming your car is on jack stands, take your jack and a piece of wood (2x4) and place it on point where the jack actually touches the car (dont know what its called). Then move the jack under your y-pipe with the piece of wood on top and raise the jack till the holes line up. My headers do the same stupid thing, they always go to the front. You will just have to be patient, it takes a while doing it this way, but eventually you will get one of the bolts in there. Start with the back bolt first, cuz once its in the others are easier to get in, in imy opinion. then u should be able to get it. Let me know if u still have trouble. I have bbk shorties and that solved my problem. Next time, go with mr. gasket ultraseal drop in gaskets for a sbc motor. that way you dont have to remove the front or back bolt, there no removing of the header and aligning headaches. Just advice for the future.
-Michael

 

I had 2 problems... one my header bolt holes did not want to line up with each other. After some finagling with a tool called an exhaust manifold separator, I finally got them in. Then my ypipe did not want to line up. I had to push the y pipe with all my strength to the passenger side of the car while my friend stuck the bolt in. Took multiple hours to get the whole y pipe bolted up...

Bottom line it can be done. Have cigarettes, and miscellaneous bolts to throw as hard as you can at the wall and make sure your neighbors aren't outside when you start cussing

 

Damn

Soundslike allot of headers out there are hard to install.

The EdelBrock Header System bolted right in...No BS no problems. I was surprised that it actually fit right in so well.

 

I havent seen any headers for these cars that go in easy. they are all a pain in the ***. and changing out gaskets suck too, but thats definitely more doable. the jack thing works though, it saves you some work too. -Michael