Thread: How to install headers: The easy method

Did you try removing the metal fan shroud sometimes that gives you a bit more clearance and also check the condition of your mounts so that the engine is moving back and forth causing the header to continue to touch.

I had to remove metal shroud on fan motor with my sd headers


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Yeah 97-98 fans are bigger than the 99+ fans mine were very close to the fans, I couldn't even get a finger in there.

Sent from A Galaxy Far Far Away........

Lose the dog bones and rock the motor. I literally used a long pipe to rock the engine back and forth to make it work.

Originally Posted by rodguezsciii

x2.....but use ratchet straps....much easier....

Yeah but for the front header ya gotta lose the straps and rock the motor towards the firewall with a pry bar or at least thats what I did.

Odd you guys mention that.. I haven't had to rock, except I think one car. Fans seemed huge

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Odd you guys mention that.. I haven't had to rock, except I think one car. Fans seemed huge

If I had a second set of hands and had removed the studs I most likely could have but as I had it I could not on my own without ricking the motor a bit. I was a bit apprehensive at first but then realized it was a GM motor so went at it. Worked for me and then I had a big smile on my face.

Well.. I remove the studs, so yeah.. lol

Thanks Bill! Your guide made installing the headers a breeze. The hardest part was the stud under the EGR, and the #2 boot, I couldn't get leverage on either.

Unmodified Speed Daddy rear will not fit through the top. You can remove the stock manifold without dropping the sub frame, but you'll have to drop it to put the header in so why struggle trying to pull it through the top?

You could probably do it in 5 hours of you know what you are doing and don't hit any snags. For instance, the #2 plug wire being fused to the spark plug.

No dielectric grease + 95k miles = PITA

Originally Posted by 2FASTGTP

Does this take about 5 hours? I plan on ordering my Speed Daddy headers here within a couple weeks and I have to have them installed within a two day window so hopefully it wont take that long. Also, this write up says to pull rear manifold through the bottom but recently I have seen alot of things that say its easier to do pull it from the top. Any opinions on here?

the hard part was getting the stock crap off, putting the headers on is cake really. get a 13 mm ratcheting wrench too, you can thank me later on.

plan on it taking most of the day if working solo.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

the hard part was getting the stock crap off, putting the headers on is cake really. get a 13 mm ratcheting wrench too, you can thank me later on.

plan on it taking most of the day if working solo.

Ratcheting wrenches are gods gift to man. Just saying

the middle header bolts dont really let a ratchet fit square on the bolts, the two stud bolts on the end a deep 13 mm and ratchet work fine. same for the back manny bolts.