How do you get to tighten the 4'th bolt from the front on the middle primaries. It backed out and I can't torque it down. I have tried everything, from the top, weird contraptions, from the front through my A/C delete pulley, through the back with the starter out. I'm so pissed off I have had nothing but leaks since day one that I couldn't fix. I do not want to remove the y pipe.

THANKS if you can help me =)

 

More information. Which bank? What's preventing you from getting to the bolt? What's preventing you from torqing it down?

 

On the passenger side... if you are looking at the front of the car, both headers bend to the right. On the passenger side, the longest primary (since it bends to the right) doesn't allow a wrench to go by it on the bolt. On the driver's side it bends away from the valve cover, on the pass. side it bends toward the valve cover. Also, the bolt is so close to the primary you can only get to it from one angle and there is not enough room to get the hex head on the stage 8 bolt... it's just a bitch. I could get it to zero lash using a magnetic pickup rod but I can't torque it down without a wrench.

 

Sounds like a bear alright. Without seeing it with you, I can't think of anything, but to pull the sob out and replace it with an ARP 1" 12 PT bolt. At least with a smaller head you can get a wrench in between the primary and the bolt.

Using a small 12pt open or closed wrench might allow you to get it tight enough to prenvent leakage.

Sorry, I can't think of anything else.

 

thanks for the help bubba... I actually tried a 12 pt wrench but it did not work... I need a little baby 3 inch long wrench, that would probably do it.

I might consider changing to the ARP bolts. Thanks again, anybody else get that bolt???

 

I had almost the same problem, mine was the passenger side 2nd bolt back on my headers, not sure who makes them, bought them used.... go to sears and they have the smallest wrenches imaginable with the biggest head sizes. fit right in. I put alot of pressure on it too and youd think something that small would snap, yea right not even close!.. hope this helps. i think they are called stubby open ended wrenches. if you dont have a sears in CA i would try a napa or another appliance store.

 

Buy a cheap wrench and cut it off with a grinder, shape it how u need. Cut many a wrench to fit a need.

 

I use a snap-on offset 3/8" box end wrench (12 point) to get to that bolt and others. The box end of the wrench is offset about 1/4" from the handle that you hold to turn the fastener. What I do here is I turn the wrench so that the handle is closer to the engine than the box end (which will now be towards the pass. side). Then I wiggle and push the wrench until it engages the bolt then you can tighten the fastener. Works very well for me. I don't need to tighten my bolts that often now but when I do check them I can get to all of them to tighten if they need tightening in about 10 mins.

 

I wouldn't bother changing all the bolts to 12 pts, but maybe the nasty one. I use a really small, good quality wrench on my baddies.

Wouldn't seem like you could get much torque with them, but apparently you can snug them dowm enough.

And good idea to snug'em every once in awhile.

I had one back out 1/8" when I first installed them, but since they are 1" bolts it didn't fall out.