header bolt suggestions......help please

[fhp1154!]

I've almost exhausted every trick I can think of to get the last bolt in my engine. Its the #8 cylinder "inside " bolt. the bend is so tight I can barely get a 3/4 long header bolt in the flange and getting a wrench on it is impossible. I've tried a allen bolt , not header allen, Ive cut the 3/8 head down to 7mm, closest I've come, but my crude grinding skills won't hold up to 12pt wrench.
Am I the only guy who's had this? lol

[erlihemi]

Stud?? 12 point nut? Will the header still go on and off in the chassis if you put a stud in that position. There are undersized hex heads available, but it sounds like your already at 3/8" head? A 5/16 bolt with 5/16 head maybe with a helicoil might work. Are these standard aftermarket headers. Obviously something should work. Leave other bolts loose and snug this one in first? Sounds like a minor ball peen adjustment to get wrench clearance or is the radius so tight you cant get the wrench on. Got a picture?

Good luck,

[Bob Cowan]

The one is probably the most difficult. Use a 6 point header bolt, not a 12 point. Then you can use a open end box wrench. Don't be afraid to dimple the header a smidgen for clearance.

[Railroad]

If you have zero clearance this will not help, but with tight clearances, tool modifications help. I have some ground down, off set box end wrenches that work well on header bolts.

[Mountain-Metalworks]

Leave other bolts loose and snug this one in first? Sounds like a minor ball peen adjustment to get wrench clearance or is the radius so tight you cant get the wrench on. Got a picture?


Don't be afraid to dimple the header a smidgen for clearance.

I've had great luck with both of these options when in similar situations. Depending on exactly where the interference is, putting this bolt in first as opposed to last usually works. In the end, "clearancing" that tube with a whack mallet works as long as they aren't super pretty ceramic-coated headers. For those that believe the myth that it will restrict airflow can watch the Engine Masters video below. Very informative, and if you're a fan of David Freiburger(of Hotrod and 4Wheel-Offroad magazine fame...) than you'll enjoy. While you're at it, watch the entire Engine Masters Youtube series, quite informative regardless of your brand preference.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azPKIjxmmdU

Good luck!

-TJ

[johnnybgoode]

I've had great luck with both of these options when in similar situations. Depending on exactly where the interference is, putting this bolt in first as opposed to last usually works. In the end, "clearancing" that tube with a whack mallet works as long as they aren't super pretty ceramic-coated headers. For those that believe the myth that it will restrict airflow can watch the Engine Masters video below. Very informative, and if you're a fan of David Freiburger(of Hotrod and 4Wheel-Offroad magazine fame...) than you'll enjoy. While you're at it, watch the entire Engine Masters Youtube series, quite informative regardless of your brand preference.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azPKIjxmmdU

Good luck!

-TJ

That's an excellent series!

[Norm B]

Loosen the other bolts and let the header move away from the head. This should allow you to get the head of the bolt tight against the flange, giving the most room possible for your wrench, as it starts into the cylinder head. Tightened all the bolts a little at a time to pull the header against the head. This method worked for me but, I had to use a round file to remove the sharp edges around the bolt hole just to get the bolt in the header.

Good Luck

Norm

[GoDadGo]

Which motor are you guys talking about?
Coyote, Windsor, FE or Other.
Just Wondering!
Good Luck!

[AC Bill]

Your engine may not be the same..

On my 302EFI engine, I used Remflex header gaskets, which require less torque on the bolts, as they only need to be compressed approx 50% to work most efficiently. They are a thicker than usual gasket which is why they still seal really good, with much lower torque. So because of their design, needing far less torque to seal them, I was able to use a mini closed end ratchet wrench.

Further to that, I used Percy Split-Lock header bolts. (They may be called Vibe Lock nowadays) Percy Split-Lock bolts are further secured into the head, with the thread expansion system they incorporate. This means that even using much less torque on the bolts, it would still not allow them to back out with vibration, (as standard type bolts have been known to). I believe only 15 ft/lb was required, which is obtainable even using the mini ratchet wrench. The expansion pin is tightened using an Allen Key, which you should be able to fit in there.

HTH..

http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/m0zdo4EJbqTGhPIHJSCH59A.jpg

http://3rdstrikeperformance.com/images/PercysBlackOxideHeaderBolts.jpg

[CraigS]

I have 3/8 bolts that have 3/8 heads. I have a 3/8 box end wrench that has been ground to about 1/2 thickness around the outer part of the box end.

[fhp1154!]

I've almost exhausted every trick I can think of to get the last bolt in my engine. Its the #8 cylinder "inside " bolt. the bend is so tight I can barely get a 3/4 long header bolt in the flange and getting a wrench on it is impossible. I've tried a allen bolt , not header allen, Ive cut the 3/8 head down to 7mm, closest I've come, but my crude grinding skills won't hold up to 12pt wrench.
Am I the only guy who's had this? lol

I have a windsor stroked with GASN headers,

[KDubU]

Yup #8 is impossible on Gas-N headers and a 351. I'm assuming you have a 351 stroked. The only way to get a bolt in there is remove the headers and dimple them with a ball hammer. I have this and that was the only way a bolt was going in. Sure you could also open up the hole on the header which may work but you still have to remove them. I bought three different types of bolts, multiple sizes and no luck. My specific problem was that any bolt had to go in at a 45 degree angle so not tool helped me, even grounded down wrenches.

[boat737]

Here's my threads from about 6 months ago. I ended up with Percy's bolts, but ARP makes a 5/16-12 point head/3/8" bolt that is the smallest bolt-head I found. (I ended up with 3 brand new, unused sets of header bolts trying to find the right combination.)

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?22871-Headers-and-header-bolts-and-wrenches
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?22928-Header-bolt-torque
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?22554-Header-gasket-vs-no-gasket

Everything I know about headers. (Which I stole from everything OTHERS know about headers.)