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Help, Shop header install fail

M151A2

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Thank God I'm able to do most everything myself. That would really piss me off.
There is NO excuse for a Technician to do that! Probably told the guy that sweeps the floor to mount those headers.
No doubt, the aft bolt will require a helicoil. Bad news is, the engine will need to come out to be able to get to that bolt.
Helicoils require drilling, tapping, and installing the helicoil. An easy enough job if it's in your face, an impossible job where it is located now.

Good luck and once done, NEVER take work to that shop again.
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wildcatgoal

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The misaligned bolt is the hardest one to get to in the installation process. Can be hard to get started, especially with visual confirmation. Not good.
 

Anthony 05 GT

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That cross threaded bolt with have to come out and at least chase the threads in the head. Doesn't look to good there. I agree, do not mess with it yourself or you could be blamed. Take it back to the same shop with the promise that you will be having another shop inspect their work after they straighten out the problem
 

Racerx009

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Thank God I'm able to do most everything myself. That would really piss me off.
There is NO excuse for a Technician to do that! Probably told the guy that sweeps the floor to mount those headers.
No doubt, the aft bolt will require a helicoil. Bad news is, the engine will need to come out to be able to get to that bolt.
Helicoils require drilling, tapping, and installing the helicoil. An easy enough job if it's in your face, an impossible job where it is located now.

Good luck and once done, NEVER take work to that shop again.
I wouldn't use the description of a technician!!! I don't think a tech could be that bad
 
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Racerx009

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Got my headers installed from a shop, was happy until I noticed an exhaust leak somewhere 3 days later, went back and left the car with them for the day. 1 day goes by I get a call and they say everything is good bolts have been tightened down. Seems good, hop in the car and drive home so far so good, car was at temperature. Shop worker said that I may need new clamps for my x pipe, okay no problem. Go home and order some off summit racing. Park the car for 3 hours get back in and start the car and theres a leak I heard previously. Hop out and reach down the passenger side of the engine bay and feel large plumes of air shooting out. I found the suspected leak. Seems like the shop may have not done the work properly as they stated and lied. I am disappointed and it looks as if one of my bolts for the header is bent. Contacted the shop owner and he promised me they checked every bolt, sent him the picture and his story changed, saying he would fix it 100% after I told him I'd go to another shop and have them look at it. What would you do? Would you try and fix it yourself?
Screenshot_20181007-121806_Video Player.jpg
Wow but that is poor workmanship pisses me off
 

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Car goes in tomorrow. I spoke to the shop owner and he said the bolts and everything went in smoothly when they did the initial install. Just want this to be fixed and my nightmare to be over. Could it also be that the bolt head is bent but the bolt is threaded properly into the aluminum block?
 
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Racerx009

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Car goes in tomorrow. I spoke to the shop owner and he said the bolts and everything went in smoothly when they did the initial install. Just want this to be fixed and my nightmare to be over. Could it also be that the bolt head is bent but the bolt is threaded properly into the aluminum block?
Dude he's full of shit I wouldn't go back to that shop. That didn't happen on it's own or by loosing up. I would go to another shop if you can find a speed shop or custom shop. Even worse go to a Ford dealership then sue for damages against the shop. But going back is a bad move!!!
 

TGGT

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Abbotsford, B.C about 30 minutes away from Vancouver, Canada
Best of luck to you. I was going to offer to help you out if you were in the SoCal area, but you are a ways away. If you do go back to the same shop be sure to thoroughly inspect their work or have someone else inspect their work
 

Cobra Jet

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Well, the “top” bolt (crooked one) without a doubt appears cross threaded, especially at the angle of it in the picture.

The “bottom” bolt (closest to camera), even though it appears straight, that one could also be cross threaded and the Tech probably left it as is, knowing full well he was in a bind (literally).

The other thing to be concerned with too (and can’t tell from the pics):

1) Header gasket may need to be replaced, because if it was damaged during install OR has now been ruined due to exhaust leak, even if the bolts were corrected it could still be an issue. I’d tell them you want a new gasket on that side.

2) Is the header flange warped and not allowing it to seat flush against the head? If true, it might explain why those (2) header bolts are a problem. What brand headers are they?

If the header bolts are an issue and continue to back out after heat/cold cycles, you’ll have to get a set of bolts that accept lock washers or come with locking e-clips that prevent the bolt from backing out.

Usually with a new header install, initial installation of the bolts is torque to spec, go through an initial heat cycle by driving car normally - then retighten to torque spec. Allow vehicle to cool, drive again and recheck bolts by torque spec to make sure none have backed out. If bolts are not loose after 2nd retorque, they should not become loose or back out again. If you find they are loose again, that’s when you need the proper header bolts with clips.

It’s all dependant upon the header Manufacturer’s flange thickness and supplied bolts - some bolts don’t ever back out, while others can be a PIA causing leaks and frustrations.

For all of my prior LT header installs (including those on my 94 Cobra), I have used the ARP 12-point stainless steel bolts. I have never had an issue with ARP bolts backing out. The 12-point design allows more/better torque grip on the bolt and less of a chance of rounding or stripping the head than the common 6-point bolts.

Be sure to post your updates after taking it back to the shop. Hell, ask if you can watch Tech while he’s doing the job so you can check everything at the moment - instead of after.
 

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Racerx009

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Well, the “top” bolt (crooked one) without a doubt appears cross threaded, especially at the angle of it in the picture.

The “bottom” bolt (closest to camera), even though it appears straight, that one could also be cross threaded and the Tech probably left it as is, knowing full well he was in a bind (literally).

The other thing to be concerned with too (and can’t tell from the pics):

1) Header gasket may need to be replaced, because if it was damaged during install OR has now been ruined due to exhaust leak, even if the bolts were corrected it could still be an issue. I’d tell them you want a new gasket on that side.

2) Is the header flange warped and not allowing it to seat flush against the head? If true, it might explain why those (2) header bolts are a problem. What brand headers are they?

If the header bolts are an issue and continue to back out after heat/cold cycles, you’ll have to get a set of bolts that accept lock washers or come with locking e-clips that prevent the bolt from backing out.

Usually with a new header install, initial installation of the bolts is torque to spec, go through an initial heat cycle by driving car normally - then retighten to torque spec. Allow vehicle to cool, drive again and recheck bolts by torque spec to make sure none have backed out. If bolts are not loose after 2nd retorque, they should not become loose or back out again. If you find they are loose again, that’s when you need the proper header bolts with clips.

It’s all dependant upon the header Manufacturer’s flange thickness and supplied bolts - some bolts don’t ever back out, while others can be a PIA causing leaks and frustrations.

For all of my prior LT header installs (including those on my 94 Cobra), I have used the ARP 12-point stainless steel bolts. I have never had an issue with ARP bolts backing out. The 12-point design allows more/better torque grip on the bolt and less of a chance of rounding or stripping the head than the common 6-point bolts.

Be sure to post your updates after taking it back to the shop. Hell, ask if you can watch Tech while he’s doing the job so you can check everything at the moment - instead of after.
Again I wouldn't refer to the installer as a tech. That is a insult to real techs.
 

M151A2

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I wouldn't use the description of a technician!!! I don't think a tech could be that bad
No doubt. Whom ever it was, floor sweeper or junior wanna-be Tech, they should be fired on the spot and seek a more mundane job, like cleaning toilets.
 

Vegas5OH

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That back bolt is cross threaded 100%, im sure the other bolt is cross threaded as well. Im so happy i do my own work im irritated just seeing those pictures lol
 

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we reuse as many of the oem headstuds as possible, and the oem gaskets, with a little silicone on each side.

bolt will never be as good as the stud
 
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DeepakGTCS

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Just checked on the car. The bolt and threads were straight. The flange bent from the bolts backing out due to them not being tightened properly on initial install. The shop took the header off and corrected header and Re installed it. The gasket was perfectly fine.
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