Header Install on 96-04 Mustang GT

Header Install on 96-04 Mustang GT
Anyone done this? I'm going to be installing Ford Racing Shorty Jet Hot headers, H pipe(no cats) and magnaflow exhaust this weekend. I'm dreading the headers. Has anyone on here done it yet?

if it's anything like mine it'll be a bitch to get them in the right position. took me a couple of hours just to get them bolted up to the block due to the tight confines of the engine bay

Re: Header Install on 96-04 Mustang GT
Anyone done this? I'm going to be installing Ford Racing Shorty Jet Hot headers, H pipe(no cats) and magnaflow exhaust this weekend. I'm dreading the headers. Has anyone on here done it yet? Hey man, I've done about 20 installs and its definatley not fun at all. If you want a hand...etc let me know. Hit me up with any questions as well. In order to do it right, you really need to drop the K-member. It takes a magician and the perfect set of angled/swivel wrenches to even attempt a header change with the k-member in.

We did it on Nundawg's car during the PI swap hardest thing was the dipstick. :lol:

I not going to do mine. I 'll just leave the stockers on. If your going to do them at least do long tubes.

We did it on Nundawg's car during the PI swap hardest thing was the dipstick. :lol: Well no shit if you pull the heads off the car. lol I can do the entire install in about 3 hours...from start to finish.... my first one took me all night. I charge one Coors Light per hour.

I not going to do mine. I 'll just leave the stockers on. If your going to do them at least do long tubes. I considered longtubes but After looking at Dyno info, I opted for the shorties. The longtubes create a little more HP but TQ suffers. The short tubes seem to maintain better TQ across the spectrum. I also considered the shorties should hold up better when the front end comes back down to the ground 8) .

What can you do in 3 hrs?

What can you do in 3 hrs? the whole job......on the ground 8) rich & myself have done this job entirely too many times :lol:

here's some help for ya...... 1 - Take the front wheels off - 13/16 deep well socket

2 - Take off the front sway bar - 16mm socket & brace wrench (i use an adjustable for the post coming off the a-arm) for A-arm bolt 15mm socket for the bracket, on the frame 3 - Take calipers off & zip tie out of the way - 12mm socket & 16mm open ended wrench 4 - Disconnect brake line from inner fender. It's a connector right behind the upper inner fender, you can follow it from the brakes & find it. 4 - Take tie rod pin out & take tie rod nut off - 18mm socket 5 - Take a hammer & knock the crap out of the tie rod end to knock it out of the brake assembly - big ole hammer 6 - Take loose the bolts on the farthest part back on the k-member. The part that's actually going into the 'floor' of the car -15mm socket 7 - Take out the brace on the back of the k-member - 15mm socket 8 - Take the bolt out of the steering shaft & disconnect it from the steering rack - 13mm socket w/ 6" extension 9 - Take off the steering rack - Front 18mm deep well, Rear 15mm w/ 6" extension 10 - Slide the steering rack off the posts on the k-member. Zip tie the steering rack out of the way.

11 - Place a jack under the A-arm & support the A-arm. Go one or two pumps past just touching the bottom of the A-arm 12 - Take loose the top strut nut - 13/16 open ended wrench & a thick screwdriver 13 - Let the A-arm down SLOWLY with the jack. There is alot of pressure behind that spring so be careful. 14 - After the A-arm is completely relaxed you'll most likely need to pull on the spring some to get it out.

Now I take the A-arms off, to make taking the k-member down easier, but this part is not necessary if you don't want to do it..... 15 - Take A-arms out, 2 bolts - 21mm socket outside bolt. 24mm socket inside nut. 16 - Support the motor & tranny. I use a jack & a large block of wood, like so

17 - Take the motor mounts loose - 21mm socket w/6" extension 18 - Support one side of K-member with a jack stand & take it loose 2 bolts - 18mm socket 19 - Let that side rest on the jack stand & move on to the next side. 20 - Take opposite side loose & lower to the ground. Then take the original side down off the jack stand & slide the K-member out of the way.

21 - take loose all headers bolts - 13mm socket

Dude I know how to install headers I thought you were saying you could do a complete PI swap, with the headers. We only had trouble with the dipstick because we damaged one getting it out, and the other one was inncorect for the swap.

Dude I know how to install headers I thought you were saying you could do a complete PI swap, with the headers. We only had trouble with the dipstick because we damaged one getting it out, and the other one was inncorect for the swap. my 1st post was to tell you what he was talking about in the 3 hours. the 2nd one was to help the thread starter, not you ;)

Dude I know how to install headers I thought you were saying you could do a complete PI swap, with the headers. We only had trouble with the dipstick because we damaged one getting it out, and the other one was inncorect for the swap. my 1st post was to tell you what he was talking about in the 3 hours. the 2nd one was to help the thread starter, not you ;) nope Charlie is right.... the HEADER INSTALL in 3 hours flat... usually longer if someone brings beer.

I hear ya beer usually slows us down too. :lol:

If there is a way to wiggle those f*ckers on without dropping everything, I'll find it. Damn. That looks like an ass load of work!

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