Ok.

So I have my one busted up header out, took a sawzall and a length of time I'm not willing to disclose to get it out.

Now the plan was to just slide the new one up nicey nice from underneath.

HAH, no.


Now it looks like the easiest thing to do would be borrow a plasma torch and cut a 4" wide piece out of the inner frame


Now, since I know thats not a viable option I made a sorry atempt at moving the engine.

Now, this is where I want to know what to do.

I put a piece of wood under the oil pan and jacked, I tried loosening up the motor mount bolts a little and didn't have much luck (pain in the buttox to get a socket in that little spot)

Now, assuming I loosen the bolt for each motor mount what holds the engine in? If I have a jack under the back of the oil pan can it fall at all or will the tranny hold it?!

I'm nervous about this. Back in the day when I worked at the machine shop we used to have a hydraulic cherry picker (which I helped wire up with an electric remote control) cranes hanging from the foor etc; and a mechanic to give me a hand.

Now im in the driveway with hand tools no air lines and not even a good quality jack.

PS I'm crawling under the truck without jacking it up, just stock 235/75/15 tires on my f150 and I can maneuver, im a lean guy...but the headers wont fit through.


So I needed to get a ride to school today, and I am needing a ride to work. Tomorrow I have to get it done, i've got the starter off so much exposed I hope it doesn't rain.

And I broke a spark plug because I didn't want to take them out and just took off 2 of the wires.


Ya, its not that I was being LAZY so to speak just that my lack of equipment/area to work makes me try to hurry so to speak (and not take out to much stuff if possible)


So any help is good help.

I'm all ears.

Chad

 

Wouldn't it be easier to go top-down with the header? I assume you're putting in a set of full-length headers?

 

Ahh top down.

Thinking like we were.


Been there. tried that. Got much closer with the down-up.

However I still am nervous about moving the engine.


And when I look out the window all I see is plasma torches dancing in front of my eyes.


Honestly there are three things that are preventing me from getting it in.


1) the engine (sorta)
2)the inner frame cross bar (dont know the technically correct term, its kinda under the tranny/engine )
3) the bellhousing from where I took out the starter.

Yes, the starter resides in my cab atm.

And getting a ride to work sucked.

C'mon generate me some ideas so I can do it in the morning :*(


Chad

 

Are you sure your headers are made for your truck? When I put them on my 79 250 4wd They slid right in no problem..

 

when I put them on my 79 supercab f-250 4wheel, they were a 2 piece header that was seized, so i had to lift the motor and take the motor mounts completely off, and the frame perches, also the starter. It was a real pain so I put fenderwell exits on my hiboy this time. Made things a whole lot easier. Good Luck.

 

where did you get your fenderwell headers at, what brand are they, I am looking for a quality set for my f-150 4x4 with a 400, thanks,
Bill

 

They are cyclone brand. My dad picked them up at a swap meet over ten years ago for his shortbox, and he then realized they were fenderwell exit. I'm not even sure if cyclone is still in business, I would like to sell mine if i havent already got the exhaust done, because I think they might interfere with my new tires. I got some eagle alloy 589's this week for a graduation gift. They have alot of offset but I'm still not sure that 33's will fit. Without a tire on, the wheel almost hang out of the fender, ohh they are 16x10's.

 

My truck is a 79 F-150 2WD. These are for a 1979 F-100 2wd. They are flowtech's by holley.

The front ends were identical on F100/150 just spring rates...

Anyway,

When you took motor mounts off and what not did you have to actually lift the engine or just move it alittle. Ive still never actually taken the motor mounts off myself and I dont really no waht to expect when I do (Im going to have it jacked up obvisouly but does it slide around or do I have to really push on her to make her move?

CK

 

Chado, if you unbolt the motor mounts, you can jack the engine up about 3 inches, maybe more. It is pretty stable in that when I was replacing my motor mounts, it didn't move at all. However, when you are jacking it up after unbolting the mounts, keep an eye on the firewall and all of your wires and hoses. (Disconnect the radiator hose).
That is the extent of my first hand knowledge...if you'd like, I think I have some pictures of my motor mount job, so you can see what the motor looks like when jacked up.

Now, on to my second-hand knowledge. When you finally get the header into place, you have to install the header and the starter simultaneously, or neither will really fit in as they need to.

-Patrick

 

Your second hand knowledge might of just saved me alot of time.

Thanks,
CK

 

Remove your fan to keep from running it into the radiator and fan shroud when you lift the engine.

 

hey chado that section of cross member that your talking about can be unbolted and removed. Hopefully it goes in easly enough after your headers are in!

 

Now this may sound stupid, but don't unbolt that crossmember if the engine is jacked up off the motor mounts!! The crossmember sits on top of the bottom edge of the C rails, and if you disconnect it, or the tranny mount, with the engine jacked up off the motor mounts, the engine's gonna move and you won't like it.

Try jacking the engine up and MAKING SURE it's rock steady. Then completely remove the motor mounts, mount towers, and starter. You should then be able to mount them through the top, if they were actually made for your application.

 

Finished install...been in for a little while but I just took pics today, thought I'd show you guys.

Ended up needing help in the end anyway because flowmaster headers suck. Honestly I'm not recommending them to anyone. The one side WHEN it got in touches on both sides, it had to be bent out an inch so that I could shift through all the gears! Anyway, I'm not that skilled so a friend of the family hobbiest for many years (building his own model T street rod atm...made his own doors so sweet)

Anyway here ya go:






People aren't joking when they say the paint doesn't last. I dont even know if it was attached when I left the guys driveway lol

 

One of the "poor boy" methods I have used to support an engine is to place a 4x4 across the engine compartment. Get some big eye bolts 3/8 min, 7/16 or 1/2" are better. Drill a hole or holes thru the 4x4 depending upon whether you want to support one side or both of the engine. Then rig the engine with chain. You can use nuts on the eye bolts with a washer under them to raise the engine. You will need to support the engine when you have to adjust the chain.