New Kook's Installation Steps Confirmation

[2003 MIB]

Hey Dan! another late night at the shop also know as Performance Research to a few. Got all the stock stuff down and starter loose and starting to go back in tonight. I have developed a few tricks of my own for these header installs. You have to when you do them regularly. We learned a lot on Logan's G-ride that is because he is the first local guy with everything . The bottom of the car is very clean with exception to ATF drops which I assume was do to a recent service since it looks dry elsewhere. The car has a lot of bottom end rattle on cold startup is this a normal Marauder trait? You may want to play with oils or filters to see if it redueces startup knock. Anyway, I am going to bed then another long hard day tomorrow. The Lighting transmission I was diagnosing ahead of you ended up needing a rebuild so I am balancing both this week along with a header install on another Lightning Friday:help: . Later, Terry.

How cool is this?!? This shop knows it's easier to find me here than at my contact numbers...you just gotta love that.

Good Morning Terry- The ATF is from last Thursday's fluid change. The cold- start rattle has always been there (bought with 13 miles)- Normal? I'm not sure... I might come by after to work to check on her- I don't want to rush y'all- I just liking hanging out there...Performance Research- I like the sound of that. :up:
-Dan

 

[darebren]

Hmmmm. try kook's install myelf... end up buying out home depot for tools in the process... or drive to Texas get hotel and have someone good do it.

I'm on a waiting list to have the same place that Cruztaker had install his in Columbus do mine, but I think they lost the interest who knows if they will call me back.

Maybe another trip to Indianapolis to Kenny Brown's and see if they would do it for me? they did my gears and they have a great shop...

hope Zack drives out... sounds like the best option...

 

[L8 APEX]

Buy some ratchet wrenches, just make sure they are the swiveling ones. A must have tool for the mechanic:up:

 

[Ross]

Then for goodness sakes...don't buy any "super-duper, high-performance, you gotta buy these from me" gaskets from Marty. :mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2:

But Marty offered me a "really good deal" on some "barely used" gaskets!

 

[cyclone03]

The battery removal is MOSTLY for saftey.Remember the cable running down to the starter is HOT,touch a wrench to that terminal and things will be ugly.
But I used the area that the battery was in for elbow room.

As I'm the one who posted about grinding the steering shaft bolt I'll tell you this,IF the shaft/bolt rubs the header first climb under the dash and loosen the 4 nuts holding the steering shaft then push the shaft away from the header,wedge a screwdriver between the tube and shaft and tighten the 4 bolts back up.Remove the screwdriver and check clearence.

My solution for the dip stick was to cut a 1/2" section out of the left header flange and space the tube out at it's upper mount about 1/4" with a nut.I never removed the tube from the block.

As for removing/shortening studs.Again as I didn't jack,or remove the motor mounts some of the studs HAD to come out to get the headers in and The #4(rear passenger side) top stud was cut about 4-5 threads because it would hit the tube.The one on the left side in another location was cut for the same reason.

 

[TooManyFords]

It's posts like cyclone03's that make this site such a joy to be part of. Friends helping friends. I wish I would have thought to cut the header flange in the place where the dipstick tube went before breaking my first one.

Cheers!

john

 

[cyclone03]

It's posts like cyclone03's that make this site such a joy to be part of. Friends helping friends. I wish I would have thought to cut the header flange in the place where the dipstick tube went before breaking my first one.

Cheers!

john

Thanks to you too.
Thats why I sectioned mine. :baaa:

 

[darebren]

Hmmmm. try kook's install myelf... end up buying out home depot for tools in the process... or drive to Texas get hotel and have someone good do it.

I'm on a waiting list to have the same place that Cruztaker had install his in Columbus do mine, but I think they lost the interest who knows if they will call me back.

Maybe another trip to Indianapolis to Kenny Brown's and see if they would do it for me? they did my gears and they have a great shop...

hope Zack drives out... sounds like the best option...

Remembering a reference Kenny Brown's shop gave me once....priceless

I called and am scheduled for the install at Paul's Performance a shop right by my work that specializes in new and old mustangs... as they were looking at my car and scratching their chins..as I said..well, it's a 4.6L DOHC isn't it!?

so, these guys have some awsome cars around the shop.. hoping for a clean install, and then I know who will be doing my torque converter when I get one...

 

[cyclone03]

Because I think this thread has some great info on installing headers I'm bumping it up.

I'm also adding something.
Dont use the collector gaskets that come with the headers.Mine died at about 4000 miles.
I've replaced them with a set of copper gaskets.

 

[BillyGman]

those copper collector gaskets are a good choice. However, even though you're not the only one to have those collector gaskets that Kooks supplies w/the headers leak (I think Constable also had a leak w/those too) I haven't had any problems w/the collector gaskets that Kooks supplied me with.


The ones that I got from them weren't paper ones though. They were of a harder material which looked like some type of composite. But whatever they are, they've held up fine for 8,000 miles. I put the collector flange bolts on Gorilla tight though. So that might also have something to do w/that. I dunno. With some headers you can't tighten the collector bolts very tightly because doing so will result in bending the collector flanges. But the Kooks headers have very thick flanges on the collectors, so they're very solid and you'll never warp them no matter how tight you go w/the collector bolts.

 

[cyclone03]

The ones that I got from them weren't paper ones though. They were of a harder material which looked like some type of composite. But whatever they are, they've held up fine for 8,000 miles. I put the collector flange bolts on Gorilla tight though. So that might also have something to do w/that..

I think the gorilla torque has alot to do with it.Time will tell.

 

[BillyGman]

I guess only time will tel for certain. I think that one of the main problems w/header gaskets and header collector gaskets leaking is the bolts coming loose. Even the best of headers that are 16 gauge steel like the Kooks ones are still much thinner walled than exhaust manifolds are. So they are prone to more vibration than the stock manifolds are. Not neccessarily vibrations that can be heard, but vibration that eventually can loosen the bolts.


I've had many problems in the past w/collector bolts and header bolts having to be re-tightened on my Vette when I had it. That's precisely the reason why I went through the extra hassle of installing the Stage 8 locking header bolts. It took a long time and a lot of hassle to install the locking clips on the bolt heads, but I think it was worth it. Lossened bolts might not be the only reason for gasket failures, but in the case of headers, it's DEFINATELY one of them, and I believe it's a common cause.

I had also purchased Stage 8 locking header collector bolts, but the collector flanges on the Kooks headers are so thick that the bolts weren't long enough and therefore couldn't be used. Lock washers and double nutting the collector bolts would be a good idea. However I didn't do that. If they ever come loose, then I'll get longer bolts in order to double nut them.