Header Clearance ???

[Jack_440 Savoy]

I finally got my engine/trans back in the car the other night after finding a piece of a heli-coil sticking out of the rear exhaust bolt hole . Someone had messed the threads up and tried to stick a undersized heli-coil in and it had backed out . Anyways , That has been fixed and the engine/trans is back in with the headers on . Question is , on the drivers side the header pipe is about 1/16 " from the Shock Mount !!! Seems Pretty Tight !!! I am making a Torque Strap . Will That be Enough ???

[cudabob496]

Schumacher makes a great torque strap for around $80. Adjustable and everything. 1/16 of an inch may not be enough wiggle room. May need to dent the header, unless you can do some grinding or denting on the shock mount.

[Jack_440 Savoy]

I am making a copy of Schumacher's Strap . $28 , Couple rod ends , Tap some tubing , make a bracket , Fun Stuff , I Don't know what to do about the headers . I Don't want to Touch the Shock Tower or Dent the Header ???

[BigBlockDude]

Originally Posted by Jack_440 Savoy

I Don't know what to do about the headers . I Don't want to Touch the Shock Tower or Dent the Header ???

It'll end up doing it on its own if you don't do it yourself. A little dent is better than a hole worn through it too. I've had to dent every set of headers I put in.

[cudabob496]

Only thing you can do then is drive it once, see if its hitting and where it is hitting, then dent, grind, cut, as necessary to prevent continuing hitting between the two. Heating the header then pushing in a small indentation is not that hard, and will be barely noticeable.

Unfortuanately, if its on the drivers side, a torque strap is designed to keep the engine from pulling away from the drivers side under load. So adjusting the strap wouldn't seem to do any good.

[OriginalB1]

The only other option other than denting it a little, is to pull the header and have that tube reconfigured with a new bend, That will cost maybe $100. if you dont have the fab skills(like me)to do it yourself.

[dodger1]

I like B1's idea best - of course the engine being back in the car makes the re & re a p.i.t.a.

[cudabob496]

Originally Posted by OriginalB1

The only other option other than denting it a little, is to pull the header and have that tube reconfigured with a new bend, That will cost maybe $100. if you dont have the fab skills(like me)to do it yourself.

why not just pull the header, after marking where the contact will occur, and wacking that spot on the header with a 2 inch diameter piece of pipe. Reconfiguring with a rebent tube seems unnecesary for one little spot where the header may touch a shock mount. Of course, i'd sure be trying to slightly modify the shock mount. I remember having a header pipe rubbing against a power steering manifold. Got the grinder out and solved that problem in a heartbeat.

[Jack_440 Savoy]

The header that is close is on the Passenger side . I was thinking about putting a 3/8" Aluminum spacer under the mount . Should help with header clearance , Maybe Not with the air cleaner . I am thinking the angle change Shouldn't Bother Anything , But I Don't Know ???

[Jack_440 Savoy]

What do you think about putting a 3/8" Aluminum spacer under the mount . Should help with header clearance , Maybe Not with the air cleaner . I am thinking the angle change Shouldn't Bother Anything , But I Don't Know ???