I have a 73 dart swinger with a 318 and got some new long tube headers. The one on the passenger side only has clearance issues with the torsion bar but the drivers side is a bear... I can't install the steering box from under or over and the lower bolt won't even go in. Based on my research, I should heat up the header and dent them for these clearances. I guess I have two questions, is the a smaller steering box that would be compatible? And do I heat up the header mounted to the car to gage on how much it needs to be dented or do it off the car. How have other people navigated this issue?
Advice on navigating header clearance issues.
- Thread starter 19Dart74
- Start date
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First, what brand headers? There are lots. Second, if they are the Hedman, Summit, Flow Tech and "everybody else" bent type, I've installed bunches and have never had to remove the gear box.
Inertia
Well-Known Member
Projectile Dart
Well-Known Member
As stated above, make sure everything is installed correctly to make sure you absolutely need to dent it (and where). I had to dent my passenger header a little because at idle my engine shook just enough to contact my tie rod bolt. I marked the area with a sharpie and turned my wheels to give myself as much space as possible then just heated the area and a couple extra inches in each direction until it became red hot with a handheld map torch and gently placed the biggest ball peen hammer on the area and hit the back of the ball peen with a mallet. I took my time with it because in my head I wanted to make the clearance dent with 100 light hits rather than 1 strong one so to speak. I carefully moved the ball peen around to strategic locations and tried my best to make one big gradual dent. I had to go back and re-dent about 3 times because I hadn't made enough clearance but shes all good now.
Inertia
Well-Known Member
Denting should be the very last resort.
Loosening motor mount bolts, shifting engine, re-tightening bolts, shimming, shifting trans mount as possible
A ratchet strap carefully around trans or frame/torsion bar to "encourage/bend" the collector over.
A fence post up the collector with a nudge to gain clearance.(careful not to knock the car off the hoist or stands.)
Change the head flange angle that the tubes leave the head by belt sanding/filing as nec to gain clearance as needed.
And before final bolt up, make sure the head flange is fair/true flat so you don't end up bitching about flange leaks needing new expensive "cometic" gaskets to seal.
Easy peasy.
You might find doing a "search" helpful to find a number of install threads.
Good luck .
Loosening motor mount bolts, shifting engine, re-tightening bolts, shimming, shifting trans mount as possible
A ratchet strap carefully around trans or frame/torsion bar to "encourage/bend" the collector over.
A fence post up the collector with a nudge to gain clearance.(careful not to knock the car off the hoist or stands.)
Change the head flange angle that the tubes leave the head by belt sanding/filing as nec to gain clearance as needed.
And before final bolt up, make sure the head flange is fair/true flat so you don't end up bitching about flange leaks needing new expensive "cometic" gaskets to seal.
Easy peasy.
You might find doing a "search" helpful to find a number of install threads.
Good luck .
Last edited:
mygasser
Well-Known Member
re leaks at the head, i smear a little silicon sealer both sides of the gaskets. don't run the motor 'til it's fully set up and it won't leak (assuming flat flanges as above). even the 'in the gasket set' cheap composite gaskets stay sealed.
neil.
neil.
When installing headers in our A body cars, the first thing I do is make sure the mounts (engine & trans) are in very good shape. From there, leave all of the bolts finger tight and then move everything around until it finds it's home. With headers, it's a time and labor intensive job that requires a LOT of patience. As stated, denting the tubes should be the VERY last resort. A friend and I installed a set of Doug's headers in his 72 Duster 340 4 speed car. Each time frustration tried to take over, we walked away. It took us 4 days to finally get everything in it's respective place without resorting to dinging up the tubes.
You will need the later bolts 12 point head on the bolt. The 3/4 headed bolts won't fit. Drop the engine and K-member its much easier
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