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Hello!!!
I have been restoring a 77 f150 custom
302
At trans
2wd
Naturally I went with the hedman 89150 longtune headers I was hesitant at first that they would fit.
I had no prob with the driver side installation but immediately the passenger side had a lot problems with clearance I removed the starter and that did nothing and I loosened motor mounts and moved the motor up a bit
Nothing is working I am becoming very frustrated and I only need exhaust now for it to be road ready and inspection ready
I have recently found the JBA 1516s I am just looking for some feedback or any advice at all before I waste another 150+$$
Needless to say I have a pair of brand new hedman 2150 for sale to anyone who does have ability to install or the means that I don't have for a complete tear down installation
What exactly isn't "working" with installing the passenger side header?
I'm surprised that it isn't going in relatively easy... it's not like a 302 is huge when compared to say an FE.
Try jacking up only the passenger side of the engine while the driver side is loosely bolted. Basically, cant/tilt the engine over so the header can slide up and in. I wedge a 2x4 up against the pan rail to push up the engine... it's safer that way.
Custom where is it hitting? I just pulled my headers out of my truck. I loosened the passenger side completely, and still couldn't rock it far enough, I don't have a jack at the moment and my radiator is out, so I climbed down in between the grille and front of the motor and just grabbed the alternator with my right hand lifted/rocked the motor to the driver side and pulled the header up and out with my left hand. I pulled the starter out as well. I had the motor perch unbolted as well.
Everyone from hedman says it's installed from the bottom which I cannot see anyway possible with the crossmember in place , I am just blown away at the fact there isn't any shortys for this motor available to just avoid all these issues all together ,
Everyone from hedman says it's installed from the bottom which I cannot see anyway possible with the crossmember in place , I am just blown away at the fact there isn't any shortys for this motor available to just avoid all these issues all together ,
So you're attempting to install them from above? Have you tried installing them per Hedman's directions?
There are plenty of shorties for the 302W... prolly more shorty variants than any other engine out there.
I have tried both top and bottom , the top seems more practical at the moment but i have been at a stand still with it for a couple weeks now and i dont have any extra help , i cannot use block huggers because of the motor mount brackets which i will show in the next pic , i have considered jba 1516s but im not to sure they will work i need the style like the hedman 88400 but it says they are not compatible
The pic shows the driver side with the install of the hedman 89150 and it clearly shows block huggers will never work
Looks like you need to take the starter off, and unhook the motor mount on the passenger side. Lift the motor on the passenger side to get the header past the starter bulge in the bell housing.
I install and remove the headers out through the top, never from the bottom, I have a manual transmission though, so that may be the catch.
I really appreciate all of our guys help , I actually have the starter off and mounts as loose as possible last night I jack that side of the motor up and it still could not fit I beat the crap out if it to try and squeeze it down all that did was make a lot of noise an **** off the neighbors dog, I just decide to return these headers , hedman says the 88400 and 88600 will fit my motor so I ordered the 88400 from my local speed shop and will be picking up and installing tomorrow afternoon , I will post my outcome tomorrow , my gut told me to go with the 88400 from the beginning but everyone said they wouldn't work on the motor , we will find out I'll let you all know ASAP thanks
Take the radius arm cross member out to give you more room to wiggle it place. Then bolt it back in place after the headers are in place. The radius arm cross member may take a few light taps with a hammer to get out and back in but it will come out and go back. That's what I had to do. I didn't put Hedman brand headers on I used Summit brand, but I had to take the starter off, remove the radius arm crossmember and loosen the motor mount from the perch to raise the engine some and stick them in from the bottom. My truck is a 302 with C4 and has factory AC too, so I had to deal with the giant box under the hood also.
so I climbed down in between the grille and front of the motor and just grabbed the alternator with my right hand lifted/rocked the motor to the driver side and pulled the header up and out with my left hand.
You're the Man!! I can totally see it. I have friends like that. Now me, maybe both hands on the altenator and straight back dead lift, I could rock the motor on the driver side mount. But not one handed so as I could grab the header.
