Now, MY turn to get SCOLDED--Multiple Header gaskets???

I allways retorque after getting them hot....I may have cheap headers......best I remember they are Doug Throley Brand.......

 

I cheated, and here is what I did...

These are the aluminum DeadSoft gaskets. They are 4 layers thick each, at about 1/16" thick total. Since they are already layered, I figured what is the difference between 4 and 8? So I used the copper spray to stick both together, and put them on. They gave me about 1/8" extra clearance, which is plenty to get the spark plug boot clearance I needed. It was amazing how much these things torque down...once you get the bolts tight, they keep on squishing for about 4 revolutions of the bolts, maybe more. Seemed like I was tightening forever.

Ran fine, No leak. Will retorque a few times as they heat and cool.

Did a junk-yard run with the wife and could not find anything that I could use for a spacer-flange. Found one mustang with headers, but they had a separate flange on each tube, and those tubes were tiny, maybe 1" or 1-1/4". They looked like long tube or 3/4 tubes. Had to be aftermarket, but just the smallest primaries I have ever seen. Maybe custom made?

By the way...no nasty jokes about my power-steering pump spacer. It WORKS Someday, I may find some aluminum tubing or something I can replace that with.

 

What about investing in a custom made wire set to alieviate nearly all of your problems......I myself would consider purchasing each individual wire seperatly...

 

hey guys here is the skinny on header gaskets and headers if anyone is intrested. most "quality" headers have "windows" on the the inner part of the flange.these are beads of weld that are usually ground flat to bite into gasket around each port so you need soft gaskets,in other words,regular exhaust mani gaskets wont work that well. hooker uses this method as well as doug thorley.thorleys are made better than hookers because they use 14ga. tubing and 3/8 thick flanges,they are built like tanks.hooker uses 16ga tubing and 5/16 thick flanges,you do the math! as far as gaskets are concerned i've always used a composite gasket with a imbeded metal core. i apply a 1/8 bead of ultra copper silcone around each port on each side of the gasket and let it "skin" up a bit. a little trick i learned is to tape the gasket to the header to make the install a little easier.some gasket makers have little hooks on the end so you can put the two end bolts in and simply drop the gaskets in place.using a spacer or multiple gaskets is usaully not a good idea,better chance of leaking.it seems to me that a spacer with affect the way a header fits in the engine bay because now the header is being pushed out and down a little more than it did before.this means trouble for those of us with already limited space. i think accel makes the "shortie" plug,and this might take care of the clearance issues you have, if not, you might try to call doug thorley @ (951) 739-5900 for sleeves that will protect your spark plug boots. btw, ray is right about re-torquing your bolts after the first 500 miles or so, or you can use the stage 8 lock bolts, they work great! stage 8's # is 1-800-843-7836. just my 2 cents,your mileage may vary. Jamie

 

I am using the Accel shory plugs ($13 each!!!) and will retorque before I drive it again, as I drove 10 miles last night on the first-time torqued gaskets. Then I will re-torque after 500 or so miles.

As for space, I have plenty on the driver side, where I did this. The passenger side is itching for space, so a single gasket will be put in there. I needed the extra space on this side, so the second set of gaskets.

Now that I have extra space, I don't think I need the wraps for the plugs, since I now have a good 1/4" clearance between plug boots and headers. Before, they just barely touched, but enough to get them hot and crispy.

I think I have solved this problem until the gaskets burn through...

 

Only Hooker's Comp series headers are 16 gauge.
The Super Comps are 18 gauge!
They say it is because they are "race only" items and customers want weight savings. As opposed to durability needed for street cars.
Not saying they are wrong or right, just buyer beware.
Dave

 

Seems like those GT-40P's are being a PITA for you,$13 ea plugs(ouch!)hope you get it all worked out.

 

Got it all worked out. Once you get used to it, it really isn't a problem. It is much easier to pop off the header and swap plugs than it was to change the plugs on the stock heads with the shock tower in the way.

 

cool beans, also just wanted to thank you for the excellent documentation your doing. i just was looking at your pictures and noticed the bracket for dropping the steering cylinder. all along i thought it was the pump that bracket lowered, since i havent done the header conversion yet. now that i have seen that itll save me later when im putting mine on(sometime next month)

 

I take lots of pictures as I go along, both for future reference, and because I am making a website that is basically a very detailed version of a "diary" of the buildup/restoration. I can go back and learn from my mistakes, as well as keep track of who I bought items from (so I can call them back for other parts!), and keep track of investment expenditures. Many of the pictures I post here are on my website.

Warning, though, it is a free geocities site, so if 2 or 3 people try to get on at once, it will quickly shut down and tell you that I have reached bandwidth. I am in process of moving it to the server at work and getting it on the internet, but this is a slow process.

 

A diary, eh? Hhhhhmmmm......

Diary of a Cheapass Madman. Should be a real bestseller.

I'm sorry....I had two bowls of Assholios Cereal this morning and I can't help myself. :evilsmile

 

You don't happen to work for Doug Thorley do you

 

yeah i was looking at the pictures on your diary site and was wondering why you took the one pic, when it dawned on me. i have the bracket but there were no directions and it was listed as a steering drop bracket. your site saved me having to make a new thread. now when im ready to put it together i know what to do. BTW, is that bracket lower than the bottom of the header? it sure looks like it. you said your headers hit once in a while, but does that bracket ever get scraped?

 

Shadow, that is "Diary of a Cheapass Madman Wino-Ricer". Just thought you might want some clarification

That drop bracket is about an inch higher than the bottom bend of the headers. So that is 3-1/2" clearance for the header tubes, and 4-1/2" for the bracket. Actually, the tubes have not hit bottom yet, but the flanges for the headers and the cutouts, which are further back and away from the front tires, are what I am hitting. The front tires keep the tubes off the ground, but the flanges drag every now and then.

 

Sorry...my mistake. I was trying to give you some credit but.......

"Diary of a Cheapass-Wino-Ricerwannabe-Maverickowningtype-Madman"

Or something like that.