Pacesetter header install

[Wolf Spyder]

I'm installing this Pacesetter header
From another thread I believe that this is the one for the GT. When I went to test fit it I could not get it in place. The bottom flange is contacting the side of the car and the oil sending unit while the top rear is hitting the cowling. Here is a photo of the area.
Any hints on getting this in?

BTW while I'm waiting for replies I'll be cleaning off the grime. Any thing else I should do while I'm at this point?

THanks!

[cherokee]

I would say now that you have the intake and all off you might look at motor mounts. When I had the wifes car apart I also found the the wires for the oil sender where in pretty rough shape (I guess from the heat) I replaced both of those items just because it was easy at the time.

[Tru-Craft]

When I get home I will take a look at my header. It did need some minor "big hammer" adjustments when I installed it 20 years ago.
Also look at the throttle linkage bushings while you have all this room to work.
Lyle

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Tru-Craft When I get home I will take a look at my header. It did need some minor "big hammer" adjustments when I installed it 20 years ago. Also look at the throttle linkage bushings while you have all this room to work. Lyle

. . . uh, and while you're at it, remove the block coolant drain plug and do this too!

[markandson]

Mine fit on the 2.2 when I was test fitting it this past summer. It did come extremely close to the inner fender, so I heated one tube and bent it tight up against all the others. I do recall having to remove the engine cross-member in order to get in in place. At the time this was extremely easy to do since the car had no, and still has no , front suspension.

[BQS4]

Now would also be a good time to paint the timing marks, the one on the block window, and the BB on the flywheel. As for fitting the header, I'd remove the OPSU (oil press sending unit) and the bracket where the block and trans meet. Also, if it's still there, there's a heat shield that can be removed for more clearence.

[Tru-Craft]

Just looked at mine. They are made by "Quick trip headers", Pace-setter.
The only problem I see is the area around the bracket that connects the motor/bell housing, it's really close to the collector and I had to bend the tube a little.
From what I have read, the headers fit better in the early production run and got worse later on.
Mine is not close to the oil pressure sender.
It is a pain to get in place, my notes say, remove hood latch rod, valve cover and the bolt that holds the engine support to the body.
Lyle

[Wolf Spyder]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . uh, and while you're at it, remove the block coolant drain plug and do this too!

Otto,

Can you explain further?

[GT Tim]

I had to pursuade mine with a hammer.It was a pain in the butt.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Wolf Spyder Otto, Can you explain further?

Sorry for the confusion, nothing to do with installing the header, rather with installing an easy opening coolant drain plug for the future!

[baz]

while you recover from all the head banging while fitting a header have a read of the sticky thread "photo posting 101" in the general discussion forum to see how to to add photos bottom end of thread covers in forums

[Wolf Spyder]

Thanks Baz.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Wolf Spyder I'm installing this Pacesetter header From another thread I belive that this is the one for the GT. When I went to test fit it I could not get it in place. The bottom flange is contacting the side of the car and the oil sending unit while the top rear is hitting the cowling. Here is a photo of the area. Any hints on getting this in? BTW while I'm waiting for replies I'll be cleaning off the grime. Any thing else I should do while I'm at this point? THanks!

1. support front of engine from the bottom . . . not by the cradle
2. remove nuts from the tops of the engine mounts
3. pull out clutch cable from bellhousing and engine cradle
4. remove 3 engine cradle mounting bolts on each side and 2 additional cradle tab bolts from rear of cradle motor mount uprights, one on each side.
5. drop cradle, making sure to keep track of the two spacers used between the frame and cradle on the innermost mounting bolt on each side, and install header loosely by the 2 outermost bolts
6. reassemble cradle to chassis in reverse order

. . . ONLY!! way I've ever been able to do it with engine in chassis!

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . ONLY!! way I've ever been able to do it with engine in chassis!

There must be some real differences in these headers. I don't recall having that much trouble with either of the two that I've done. I think I installed mine from the bottom. I dimpled the #1 pipe to clear the intake and removed the block to bellhousing brace. I also had problems getting the header to seal to the head. I finally cut the metal on the flange between the front two and rear two exhausts. I was determined to fix it or ruin it. I did just that a year or two later when I added exhaust wrap to it. The second install I was able to remove enough material from the intake manifold to clear the #1 pipe with having to dimple it. I ground the block to bellhousing brace for clearance and reinstalled it.

HTH,
Harold

[Wolf Spyder]

Thanks to all that responded.

I got the headers installed and the car is running! I had to remove the block to bell housing brace, dimple the #1 tube to clear the intake, remove the heat shield on the underside and cut the flange from the header to get it to fit. I also had to remove the water inlet to get the old one out. Prior to installing I had to grind on the flanges of the header and the intake to get the bolts to line up. While doing that I noticed that the intake flanges were thicker than the header flanges. I cut and welded some spacers to the header to match them up with the intake. After that the fit was good and everything bolted right in.

Now all thats left is a trip to the mufflershop to get the header hooked up to the rest of the exhaust system.

[jordan]

Did you do this install for the look of headers or for some high RPM runs on the track? I actually have a pacesetter on my gt right now, but I will be ditching that for a modified stock manifold for my efi build. There is a definate loss of torque with the headers and there is a loss of HP as well, to the point that it can't be regained with the use of a non-ported cylinder head. A relativly stock engine will never see the advantage of a pacesetter.

[Wolf Spyder]

Well, come to find out there is blow by on 2 of the ports. I saw where some people have cut strips out of the bar that runs along the block to allow for better contact whith the head and that is the next step.

One of my buddies that races said that they do that to his race cars but the also double up the gaskets. What they do is use a hi temp gasket sealer between the two. This gives them better a better seal.

My question to the group is; has anyone done this with a GT and are the bolts long enough to get tight without stripping the threads in the head?

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by Wolf Spyder I saw where some people have cut strips out of the bar that runs along the block to allow for better contact whith the head and that is the next step. One of my buddies that races said that they do that to his race cars but the also double up the gaskets. What they do is use a hi temp gasket sealer between the two. This gives them better a better seal. My question to the group is; has anyone done this with a GT and are the bolts long enough to get tight without stripping the threads in the head?

Sort of! I've cut the strips between the pipes in my GT, I can't remember whether I double gasketed that engine or not. I have double gasketed a manifold in a Manta and it was fine.

Harold

[BQS4]

Here's another hint to help stop leaks. If you're using a paper type gasket, soak it in water, and install it on the head wet and bolt the header to it. When it dries, pull it off, coat it in copper hi temp sealer and re-install.