Header Help Please

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Punisher66j

Punisher66j

Dart Swinger
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
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Location
Iowa
I know I am going to get a lecture about going to buy high dollar headers and I wouldn't be having the trouble I am but bottom line I bought the ones that I could afford. I can not pay 800 bucks for a set so please don't tear me a new *** hole about how I need a set of 800+ headers. With that said I bought a set of small block headers from summit and as expected I have had to dimple and bend multiple spots. On the driver's side where the idler arm is there is no room at all. I have already bent it in and it is still looking like it'll be in the way. How far should I go before its too far? What should I do to reedy the situation.
 
I had to raise my motor about a half inch to clear the idler, and I do have $800 headers. The cost doesn't make them fit any better, but they give you other benefits. Mine also hit the steering shaft at the joint. Raising the motor fixed all my problems.
 
Punisher66j said:
I know I am going to get a lecture about going to buy high dollar headers and I wouldn't be having the trouble I am but bottom line I bought the ones that I could afford. I can not pay 800 bucks for a set so please don't tear me a new *** hole about how I need a set of 800+ headers. With that said I bought a set of small block headers from summit and as expected I have had to dimple and bend multiple spots. On the driver's side where the idler arm is there is no room at all. I have already bent it in and it is still looking like it'll be in the way. How far should I go before its too far? What should I do to reedy the situation.
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Well if you believe the episode of Enginemasters from last month, you can basically go to town on your headers with no power loss.

I was gonna ask about your setup, but since you've already bought (and dented?) these headers, I'm not gonna tell you you could prolly find some that fit stock.

Do you have a welder/a way to fix any damage from over-exhuberance when denting your swanky new product?

Also, final question- did you get coated headers, or uncoated?
 
notadart said:
Well if you believe the episode of Enginemasters from last month, you can basically go to town on your headers with no power loss.

I was gonna ask about your setup, but since you've already bought (and dented?) these headers, I'm not gonna tell you you could prolly find some that fit stock.

Do you have a welder/a way to fix any damage from over-exhuberance when denting your swanky new product?

Also, final question- did you get coated headers, or uncoated?
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I bought them specifically for a dart so not sure why so many spots need altered. Welder, plasma, torch yep all three. They are not coated at the moment but I will have them powder coated once I have them fitted.

So you are saying I can close the pipe a little more than half way and it will be ok?
 
Punisher66j said:
I bought them specifically for a dart so not sure why so many spots need altered. Welder, plasma, torch yep all three. They are not coated at the moment but I will have them powder coated once I have them fitted.

So you are saying I can close the pipe a little more than half way and it will be ok?
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Yes
 
The well known to fit Doug's 453 are only $630 over at autozone; Which are usually price matched by jegs and summit.

I had the cheapie headers; they ain't worth the time to install them, bring a heavy hammer. Then get ready for the pavement to square everything up!

Your either better off with the manifolds, or going all the way. The middle ground sucks. Glad I'm done with countless hours pounding and pulling engines in and out to get the fit right. You can keep all that...

Exhaust on a Mopar 300hp Crate Engine - Tech Articles - Mopar Muscle Magazine
 
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With a leveled chassis,measure up from a level floor to bottom of where the the centerlink sits on the pins. Both sides should be the same. Perhaps you can lower the idler by filing out the lower slot.
Or grind off the extra threads on the pin. I did all of that, loctited the nut, and then clearanced the nut, and raised the engine, and they were TTIs.
Almost everybody has these same problems. One would think they are all using the same crappy jig.

What year Swinger. I think the 73up steering stuff, points the steering pins down. You need three pieces; pitman,idler and link. The rest is the same.
 
I don't care what they say, if you close off half your exhaust flow, you don't breathe, and that will lower your power. You go to headers precisely for their increased flow in the first place. My TTi were custom ordered for my motor, heads, transmission and starter and I still had to tweak them. I don't think you will ever find a set that fits perfectly.
 
Mopar to ya said:
I don't care what they say, if you close off half your exhaust flow, you don't breathe, and that will lower your power. You go to headers precisely for their increased flow in the first place. My TTi were custom ordered for my motor, heads, transmission and starter and I still had to tweak them. I don't think you will ever find a set that fits perfectly.
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my dougs fit perfect
 
Punisher66j said:
I bought them specifically for a dart so not sure why so many spots need altered. Welder, plasma, torch yep all three. They are not coated at the moment but I will have them powder coated once I have them fitted.

So you are saying I can close the pipe a little more than half way and it will be ok?
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Well, allow it the most room to breathe possible. Look at it this way, it's that or your stock manifolds. I'd expect the headers to perform better even with a few good dents. Go watch that enginemasters video when you get a sec, if only for the entertainment value.

As for coating them, it sounds like you're doing it for aesthetics/rust, not heat. Just thought I'd mention that I have a buddy who swears by baking on BBQ paint. Not gonna do as much for heat as ceramic coating, but it'd be a helluva lot cheaper than powder (unless you have that setup too). Might be something to consider.

It really sucks that they don't fit easier. Sorry about that. Maybe give us a quick spec list so that future builders don't run into the same BS.
 
My cheap headers, Patriot by Dougs were under $250.00 and they fit with no modification at all. I put them on a 74 Duster with a 360/904, and power steering. They are very close to the steering coupler but that's all. I did install them from below with the motor, K frame and all, is that where the fitment issues come in? Is it just getting them in initially?

Cley
 
Mopar to ya said:
I don't care what they say, if you close off half your exhaust flow, you don't breathe, and that will lower your power. You go to headers precisely for their increased flow in the first place. My TTi were custom ordered for my motor, heads, transmission and starter and I still had to tweak them. I don't think you will ever find a set that fits perfectly.
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I would normally agree with you but the dyno doesn't lie. Well, at least in a mild build, it really doesn't seem to matter.
 
Maybe that one cylinder was only working at a level that half a pipe was all that was required. Or maybe they skewed the original, starting test in such a way as to pull a bunch of horsepower out, and then put it back in for the banged up pipes test. Or maybe the pipes were way too big in the first place.You can do almost anything on tv. I mean check out the ball-earth pics NASA created and sold us as truth. No two of them match. OOps nuther subject. But-yeah seeing it on TV is like; lets see how many people we can fool.
 
AJ/FormS has a point. Not a relevant point, but a point for sure.

If you're using jet fuel in your engine, make sure to keep your steel beams well clear. ;)

Assuming David Freiberger isn't plotting to race you for pinks in the next couple years, and created an elaborate plan to fool you into robbing a couple horses from your mild swinger build by creating a falsified test on a wildly-successful web-series, you're probably okay.
 
Well I am heading to the shop to do some more fitting. I will try and get some pics of it tonight.
 
89on35s said:
My cheap headers, Patriot by Dougs were under $250.00 and they fit with no modification at all. I put them on a 74 Duster with a 360/904, and power steering. They are very close to the steering coupler but that's all. I did install them from below with the motor, K frame and all, is that where the fitment issues come in? Is it just getting them in initially?

Cley
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I can get them in and they are bolted up but hit damn near everywhere. Have a link to these headers? I am pissed I may have to buy another set but that looks like the only option. They aren't hitting the bottom side of the ider they are hitting the inside. It has 3 pipes that go under the drag link and one pipe that goes over. Where the pipe goes over it turns and comes back down pretty much at a 90 degree turn and it hits there.
 
Punisher66j said:
I can get them in and they are bolted up but hit damn near everywhere. Have a link to these headers? I am pissed I may have to buy another set but that looks like the only option. They aren't hitting the bottom side of the ider they are hitting the inside. It has 3 pipes that go under the drag link and one pipe that goes over. Where the pipe goes over it turns and comes back down pretty much at a 90 degree turn and it hits there.
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H8206-1, I believe that is the 67-92 A/F Body header, the B Body number is H8207-1
 
SO, I figured out why they wouldn't fit. I checked the numbers and they are for a non power steering car. SO I called summit and bitched because they are not what I ordered and the right ones will be here in a week. I am pissed though because they only refunded me 100 bucks because I dented them up. Gosh damn it....:BangHead:
 
I've used several sets of Summit headers and never dent them. I had a set once I thought I was gonna have to dent, but I realized a motor mount was mashed almost flat. I replaced it, and loosened up all the motor mount bolts and did move the motor around some and never dented anything.

Now, one thing I did have to do on all of them was get a long pry bar and ease the headers away from the torsion bars. Once I did that, they all fit fine.
 
Punisher66j said:
SO, I figured out why they wouldn't fit. I checked the numbers and they are for a non power steering car. SO I called summit and bitched because they are not what I ordered and the right ones will be here in a week. I am pissed though because they only refunded me 100 bucks because I dented them up. Gosh damn it....:BangHead:
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a little lesson right there for all - if it seems there is something wrong.. there's a good chance there is! most of this stuff has been done many times over and the manufactures have it all figured out.. I feel bad for ya - tough way to get there... someday you will be able to look back at this and laugh... honestly.
 
ScampMike said:
a little lesson right there for all - if it seems there is something wrong.. there's a good chance there is! most of this stuff has been done many times over and the manufactures have it all figured out.. I feel bad for ya - tough way to get there... someday you will be able to look back at this and laugh... honestly.
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The second I FINALLY get to mash that throttle I will be laughing my *** off smiling ear to ear, but till then.... LOL:steering:
 
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