anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Ever see this happen on a header that has 3 flanges, instead of a 1 pc flange? Both sides, must have warped at on etime because the bolt holes and ports are off by like 1/4". I was thinking just heat them up and bend them over with the portapower. What do you folks think?

-- Joe

ljnowell

ive never had anything like that, but once i used flowtech headers. Out of the box they were so warped that unless you put all the bolts in and slowly tightened each one a little and went from bolt to bolt they would work. Literally if you started at one end, by the time you make it to the other the bolt holes were completely missing the holes in the head. it sucked.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Hrmm. Well these are hooker headers. They have flanges sorta like SLP, 3 individual flanges.. oh well. Guess I'll fight with it. They are like $600 new so I'm not throwing them out.

-- Joe

ljnowell

I would think a little persuasion would do it. Ive never tried to straighten them when they were that far off. If you have an old cyl head, maybe you could put it on a bench and use a torch, heat the hell out of it and try to attach it to the head? I dont know if it would damage the header too much or not. Or maybe it just needs a little manual persuasion with a long pry bar?

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

I don't want to pry it on the engine since the heads are alum, and my experience with alum heads is the threads like to pull out.

I do have some junk 327 iron heads on the shelf, I can bolt it to that, heat it up and pry it a little I guess. I'm kinda surprised these are so far off. and both identical.

At first I thought, "oh joe you stupid idiot, these are LT1 headers the LT1's must have different exhaust bolt pattern", but some searches here reveal that folks with LT1's use normal SBC headers with no problems..

-- Joe

bluegrassz

iTrader: (3)

Did you trial fit the headers before putting on the wrap?

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Wrap? no wrap here. I bought them used. They're plane, almost polished steel.

Lets see if I can't attach a picture. If you're looking at the header, the left and center primaries will bolt up, the right primary is too far INWARD towards the center to catch the bolts. Both of them are warped this way. really strange. I paid short money for them, but new from summit they are $615.

-- Joe

bluegrassz

iTrader: (3)

Sorry about that. I had wrap/warp both on my mind.

You might put the center primarys on a table vertically. Then use a port-o-power or sizzor jack to spread it apart.

I have a set of Hedmans with a single flange. I had to cut the flange between the primarys and do the same thing. Worked great.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Well then, that is what I'll do. Once of course, I get over this freakin cold.

Thanks for the reply guys. TGO is great.

-- Joe

jwscab

you'll probably just have to fight it. This will happen to cast iron manifolds as well. I've had to use a nut/bolt like a jack screw to get them lined up. Bolt the center flange on, then use a spreader to get them right OR, since you have a set of heads laying around, get them on and spread, then weld a strap between them to prevent this from happening again.