Look what arrived from the mail today...

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One more thing, drain some of your coolant as it will run out of the front and rear bolt holes unless you have studs in there. If you have bolts and remove them be sure and apply some non hardening sealer on the threads when you reinstall them.

Remember also you have to get the manifolds of first unless you've already done that, that adds time. When you tighten your header bolts work from the center out to the ends.

One other thing I would suggest is to take a straight edge and double check the flanges to be absolutely sure they are flat.

Have fun and good luck! If you need some advice be sure and ask.
 
72DartCustom said:
Do you have any tips? this is my first header installation.
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Yes make sure there is no women or kids around when you begin install. The cussing will get really bad! LOL

If you know someone with a lift you will be a world ahead. I have never installed Hooker, Headman, headers on a A-body. I have however installed TTI headers so it shouldn't be all that different. Motor mounts should be loose so the engine can be raised. I removed the nut in the center of the mount on each side. For instance if you are going to do the driver side first, disconnect the battery, remove motor mount nut, jack the engine up on that side with a jack and wooden block, locate the block so it is on the oil pan rail, take another wooden block and put in between the engine mount and frame, that will give you more clearance. Remove the starter, you did get a mini starter didnt you?

I slide the headers in from the bottom up which made it easier for me so thats why I suggest a lift.
 
mopardrt said:
ya like I said the ones on the driver side has to go through the top If I remember the passanger side will go through the the bottom we had to take alot of STUFF off for room
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I did mine just the opposite, passenger side dropped right in from the top, drivers side went in from the bottom. There was no way I could drop it in from the top.
 
72DartCustom said:
Yes, I was planning on taking that off, loosen each motor mount one at a time for each header and see if I can do it without removing too many parts. Ill let you guys know how things are going.
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You will need to loosen both mounts so the entire engine can be raised as high as possible. I use a block of wood between the jack and the oil pan. You will have to have the ability to move the engine slightly from side to side.

You do not have to remove the cross link, just unhook the end on the driver side, you might have to turn the wheel one way or the other to work the header into place, so keep your front tires free.
 
[quoteYes make sure there is no women or kids around when you begin install. The cussing will get really bad! LOL][/quote]

You got that right, he will be inventing words, LOL.
 
If you have a full size starter in there now, you might want to consider changing it to a smaller one. After install the full size ones are a ***** to get out and don't last long because they are so close to the headers. My new one lasted 3 months after installing my headers.

I bought one for a 96 dakota with a 318 in it.
There a lot smaller and easier to get in with headers. Never had anymore trouble after that.
 
Wow 8 hours.I'm pulling to motor as I'm painting the compartment so if you have a motor lift or can get one you can pull the motor up and replace in less than 4 hours.Thats my advice.
 
stansblue72 said:
If you have a full size starter in there now, you might want to consider changing it to a smaller one. After install the full size ones are a ***** to get out and don't last long because they are so close to the headers. My new one lasted 3 months after installing my headers.

I bought one for a 96 Dakota with a 318 in it.
There a lot smaller and easier to get in with headers. Never had anymore trouble after that.
Click to expand...

Mine went out too, in about the same amount of time.
 
I seriously would drop the trans, and pull the motor.
Buy the time you fight the headers in and out a few times to beat them with a hammer, you will be tmie ahead.
Plus you can seal up any oil leaks etc you have in the motor while you are at it.
 
Took me about 5 hrs.... 2 hours on pass side and 3 on the drivers I had to pull the torsion bar out from the pass side and loosen motor mounts on both sides I also used Percy header gaskets they are twice as thick and made from soft metal so I wouldn't have to replace the gaskets in the near future
 
While your putting the headers on and you might have to drop the drivers side centerlink, It's a good time to replace the rest of the suspension that runs thru the header and across.. New tie rods, sleeve, and centerlink, Pitman arm, and Idler arrm. I did and I'm glad.. It's a pain in the @$$ after you get done and just down the road you need to replace a few of those parts. That's my $.02 worth
 
Good luck,godspeed.You will earn your stripes!For what it is worth , you will not look back !
 
Well I got the drivers and passenger side Exhaust manifolds off. I unbolted the motor mounts, Jacked up the car, Lifted the motor as high as it would go and started on the easy side first (passenger side). Most of my time was spent trying to get the motor mounts off connected to the frame...The shop I took it to, to replace the mounts before must have used a impact wrench on them...But I got them off. Im out of daylight right now so ill have to start on them again tomorrow. all I need to do is take apart the steering then I hassel them in. I tried Doing the passenger side for about 15 minutes, but it seems impossible to get them in from the top..need to go in from the bottom I guess.
 
On the passenger side I had to go with a short oil filter because the one I had hit the header, The NAPA glod filters work well with mine.

I lifted my motor up a few inches on just the side I was working on, seemed to give more clearence that way to get the header in.
 
If they are flowtech, get ready to be a changed man after they are in.
I will never buy cheap headers again.
These pics are in a '69 Valiant 318, power steering, and with spacers under the motor mounts adding up to about 1/4''.
They still hit the steering coupler even after i smashed the tube in about 3/4'' or so. Plus i needed lots of little dings where they hit the steering box, torsion bars, etc. The passenger side was actually pretty good. They hang a little low, but not too bad.
BTW, i'm putting the stock manifolds back on until i can afford some Doug's or TTIs.
 

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Fit is the problem when buying as called cheep headers.I bought Dynomax headers and they went on with no BFH at all.Be sure to run your starter wires away as much as ya can also if not all ready said.
 
Dartnut said:
If they are flowtech, get ready to be a changed man after they are in.
I will never buy cheap headers again.
These pics are in a '69 Valiant 318, power steering, and with spacers under the motor mounts adding up to about 1/4''.
They still hit the steering coupler even after i smashed the tube in about 3/4'' or so. Plus i needed lots of little dings where they hit the steering box, torsion bars, etc. The passenger side was actually pretty good. They hang a little low, but not too bad.
BTW, i'm putting the stock manifolds back on until i can afford some Doug's or TTIs.
Click to expand...
My hooker headers dont hit anything and looks to have room to unbolt and drop them fairly easy.They measure 1 5/8 on the outside with a quick measurement.
 
Dartnut said:
If they are flowtech, get ready to be a changed man after they are in.
I will never buy cheap headers again.
These pics are in a '69 Valiant 318, power steering, and with spacers under the motor mounts adding up to about 1/4''.
They still hit the steering coupler even after i smashed the tube in about 3/4'' or so. Plus i needed lots of little dings where they hit the steering box, torsion bars, etc. The passenger side was actually pretty good. They hang a little low, but not too bad.
BTW, i'm putting the stock manifolds back on until i can afford some Doug's or TTIs.
Click to expand...

Thats funny my flowtech headers said they would not work with power steering. worked great with manual steering no denting anything.
 
8 hours for headers? Wow. have fun (I would drop the engine and front suspension) but that's just me.
 
The first set of headers I ever bought were summit brand headers for my 71 Swinger 318. Cost me around $79 back in 1999. I still remember the pain in the butt they were to put on and then to take out. Told myself since I would never buy a cheap set again!! Only took about 2hrs to put em on but it sucked. The inside bolts on 1,2,7,8 were really sucky. It's like the maker didn't indent the tube enough to get them in right without having to shift back and forth. I did have manual steering though, so that part wasn't bad.
Then every time I'd change the oil filter and oil would leak onto the tubes right at the collector, oil would start running out of the collector!!! Very poor weld quality.
When I went to pull the motor I ended up just having to cut the tubes at the mounting flange because the bolts previously mentiond wouldn't come out all the way, they were hitting the tubes. Don't know if it was because the heat expanded the tubes or warped, i don't know.
It just sucked!
 
Sorry for not updating, I got the Passenger side in today. Drivers side is tomorrow. It took about 3 hours of work to cram it in there. I had the motor lifted nearly 5"...and it was still a tight fit..It doesn't hit the torsion bar or any parts of the body, I am please with the way it fits so far. I cut my exhaust back so I could have more room to put in the header. Tomorrow I have to cut the other side of the exhaust, take out the starter, take apart the drivers side steering, and possibly pull the steering box. We'll see how smooth things go. If that was the easy side..I'm dreading to see how the drivers side will go...
 
Hey, you are still positive about it.
Steering box/and shaft pulling(or loosening?)is a plus.You picked the only hard part on hotrodding a small block mopar.Go get it!
 
64 SRT8 Dart said:
The first set of headers I ever bought were summit brand headers for my 71 Swinger 318. Cost me around $79 back in 1999. I still remember the pain in the butt they were to put on and then to take out. Told myself since I would never buy a cheap set again!! Only took about 2hrs to put em on but it sucked. The inside bolts on 1,2,7,8 were really sucky. It's like the maker didn't indent the tube enough to get them in right without having to shift back and forth. I did have manual steering though, so that part wasn't bad.
Then every time I'd change the oil filter and oil would leak onto the tubes right at the collector, oil would start running out of the collector!!! Very poor weld quality.
When I went to pull the motor I ended up just having to cut the tubes at the mounting flange because the bolts previously mentiond wouldn't come out all the way, they were hitting the tubes. Don't know if it was because the heat expanded the tubes or warped, i don't know.
It just sucked!
Click to expand...

The weld quality is about the same. I went to an exhaust shop to get a spot of the header that had a small hole in it patched up. Other than that all the other welds look great.
 
Abodybomber said:
Hey, you are still positive about it.
Steering box/and shaft pulling(or loosening?)is a plus.You picked the only hard part on hotrodding a small block mopar.Go get it!
Click to expand...

Yeah, to think I was considering a cam swap done by myself as well. HA! Id rather have someone else do that headache.
 
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