header help - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 10:52 AM

just want to say hi to the family here at c5 and ask for some help/tips on my header install. I have been struggling with this install for about 2 days now, the problem is that the back two bolts on the headers(driver side) got really really hard to turn and are about halfway in. I got scared and stopped turning them

so i went to the pass side and started with the middle bolts and they are doing the same. Btw how are you guys working around all the crap on the pass side? I got the stock manifolds out no problem

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 11:02 AM

PIMP IN DISTRESS

The Stig · 03-21-2012, 11:07 AM

Try using some WD-40 on the bolts. Might help. Also, for the rear driver's side bolt. I used a 1/4" drive with a short extension to get it out. You might also have luck trying with a swivel socket

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stieger

Try using some WD-40 on the bolts. Might help. Also, for the rear driver's side bolt. I used a 1/4" drive with a short extension to get it out. You might also have luck trying with a swivel socket

ok wd 40. i got them out no problem its going in with new headers that is a pita. every bolt but the last two spin easily and freely in i just dont want to force them. i talked to a few people and they say maybe the holes on the flange are off a tadd or i cross threaded them by letting the headers hang on the nuts while tightening

J-ROD-210 · 03-21-2012, 11:40 AM

best to go with two people for install. I had my 13yr.old son help me with the passenger side cause he has smaller hands to get in there. The driver side was a breeze.You might not be aligning the headers right or not supporting them properly.Use a floor jack to hold them up,put all the bolts in with blue loctite then torque them starting from the middle out and alternating from front to back. On the passenger side,I held up the headers with my hands(for better adjusting)while my son put in the bolts

caverman · 03-21-2012, 11:44 AM

Take one of the bolts out and inspect it. Make sure it doesn't look like you have already cross threaded them.

If all looks good take the bolt and touch them up with a wire wheel on a bench grinder to get and gunk off. Then put some anti-seeze on them before going back in. Other that that you my have to take the header back off and run a tap back up in there to clean out any threads you might have bugered up.

BTW: which brand of headers are you installing?

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 11:47 AM

m.b.s headers and plenty of jackstands. my helper bailed after two hours im 2 days in now. i looked at the bolts and i can see the treads some of them not as sharp but they dont look stripped to me

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 11:55 AM

just hope i dont gotta get a tap and re thread them.

J-ROD-210 · 03-21-2012, 12:00 PM

Oh,when i took the bolts off I cleaned them real good with wire brush. Hmmmm,I used the barbeque pit wire brush

It worked just fine

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 12:02 PM

thanx man this is kicking my butt so the bolts should screw almost all the way in by hand right?

J-ROD-210 · 03-21-2012, 12:10 PM

Dont know where u at but if your close. I wouldnt mind going over and giving u a hand. Off from work today and just chillin

Synner · 03-21-2012, 12:19 PM

Are you reusing the stock bolts and if so did you remove the thread lock on it? I put antiseize on new stainless bolts because the stock ones fought me the whole time coming out and the threads looked like crap.

jcollins91106 · 03-21-2012, 12:21 PM

What I did was put the pita ones in first and they threaded in easy with a short well socket and a flex adapter...I would take the bolts out and blow the hooles out with compressed air, their might be a little crud in there.

yessitsfast · 03-21-2012, 12:42 PM

sorry took so long to reply the fight continues! yes they are stock bolts the ones that came with the headers are cheap looking and feeling so i reused stock gaskets and bolts. another member recommended scrubbing the bolts clean i will try that and maybe some pb blast

03-21-2012, 10:52 AM	#1
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	header help just want to say hi to the family here at c5 and ask for some help/tips on my header install. I have been struggling with this install for about 2 days now, the problem is that the back two bolts on the headers(driver side) got really really hard to turn and are about halfway in. I got scared and stopped turning them so i went to the pass side and started with the middle bolts and they are doing the same. Btw how are you guys working around all the crap on the pass side? I got the stock manifolds out no problem Last edited by yessitsfast; 03-21-2012 at 10:53 AM. Reason: typo

03-21-2012, 11:07 AM	#3
The Stig knows 2 facts about ducks Drives: ...and they're both wrong Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The HMS Invincible Posts: 25,072 View My Garage	Try using some WD-40 on the bolts. Might help. Also, for the rear driver's side bolt. I used a 1/4" drive with a short extension to get it out. You might also have luck trying with a swivel socket __________________

03-21-2012, 11:40 AM	#5
J-ROD-210 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS RJT A6 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Antonio,Texas Posts: 675	best to go with two people for install. I had my 13yr.old son help me with the passenger side cause he has smaller hands to get in there. The driver side was a breeze.You might not be aligning the headers right or not supporting them properly.Use a floor jack to hold them up,put all the bolts in with blue loctite then torque them starting from the middle out and alternating from front to back. On the passenger side,I held up the headers with my hands(for better adjusting)while my son put in the bolts __________________

03-21-2012, 11:44 AM	#6
caverman Drives: '69 SS Convertible Join Date: May 2009 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 7,111	Take one of the bolts out and inspect it. Make sure it doesn't look like you have already cross threaded them. If all looks good take the bolt and touch them up with a wire wheel on a bench grinder to get and gunk off. Then put some anti-seeze on them before going back in. Other that that you my have to take the header back off and run a tap back up in there to clean out any threads you might have bugered up. BTW: which brand of headers are you installing? __________________ *-2010 Camaro* 2SS \| M6 \| VR w/White Stripes \| 1 3/4" KOOKS - 3" Magnaflow \| LPE 3.91 gears \| ADM tuned \| Halltech w/ADM Scoop \| Spohn/BMR Trailing Arm/Toe Rod \| BC Coilovers\| Pedders FE4 ZL1 swaybars \| Cradle/Diff/Radius Rod bushings \| VMax TB \| Morimoto Projectors \| MGW shifter \| Red Calipers Build Journal

03-21-2012, 12:00 PM	#9
J-ROD-210 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS RJT A6 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Antonio,Texas Posts: 675	Oh,when i took the bolts off I cleaned them real good with wire brush. Hmmmm,I used the barbeque pit wire brush It worked just fine __________________

03-21-2012, 11:02 AM	#2
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	PIMP IN DISTRESS

03-21-2012, 11:47 AM	#7
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	m.b.s headers and plenty of jackstands. my helper bailed after two hours im 2 days in now. i looked at the bolts and i can see the treads some of them not as sharp but they dont look stripped to me

03-21-2012, 11:55 AM	#8
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	just hope i dont gotta get a tap and re thread them.

03-21-2012, 12:02 PM	#10
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	thanx man this is kicking my butt so the bolts should screw almost all the way in by hand right?

03-21-2012, 12:10 PM	#11
J-ROD-210 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS RJT A6 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Antonio,Texas Posts: 675	Dont know where u at but if your close. I wouldnt mind going over and giving u a hand. Off from work today and just chillin __________________

03-21-2012, 12:19 PM	#12
Synner Drives: cars Join Date: May 2011 Location: Oversneeze Posts: 4,544	Are you reusing the stock bolts and if so did you remove the thread lock on it? I put antiseize on new stainless bolts because the stock ones fought me the whole time coming out and the threads looked like crap.

03-21-2012, 12:21 PM	#13
jcollins91106 Drives: 2010 2ss m6 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: staten island, ny Posts: 511	What I did was put the pita ones in first and they threaded in easy with a short well socket and a flex adapter...I would take the bolts out and blow the hooles out with compressed air, their might be a little crud in there. __________________ 2010 2ss M6, TSP 1 7/8 Long Tube headers,dual electric cutouts, 3" pipes all the way back to magnaflows. elite engineering catch can, custom painted engine cover,CAI cold air intake, apex cold air racescoop, jannety racing 470 hp kit, custom JRE hot rough idle blower cam, jannety racing dyno tuned. pfadt lowering springs, lsr short throw shifter, custom sub setup,sony 7" indash nav, interior stiching dye, 20% tint all around, HAVOC spoiler, tail light black out, chevy emblem black out, seibon BBII carbon fiber hood,Front and rear bowtie blackouts. 461 rwhp and not done yet!

03-21-2012, 12:42 PM	#14
yessitsfast Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: pluto Posts: 78	sorry took so long to reply the fight continues! yes they are stock bolts the ones that came with the headers are cheap looking and feeling so i reused stock gaskets and bolts. another member recommended scrubbing the bolts clean i will try that and maybe some pb blast

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