OK...I now have a bit of time to share my experience in purchasing and installing the freshly coated JBA headers on my 5.8.

The main reason for purchasing the headers was a JBA newsletter telling me that the one time low price was going to last until a given tie and then prices would go up.....so i ordered them and got them uncoated.

I then coated them with Cermakrome and wow...what beauties!!

Be sure to have the passenger side EGR tube bung ground down about 1/16 of and inh to allow space for EGR screw in bung, L shaped tube as not doing so will create clearance issues with alt mounting bracket. as me how I know.

first and foremost...I jacked the truck's passenger side up and removed the front wheel....and then I removed the plastic fender well. removing air injection tubes, EGR tube etc....

tip: tie the air injection piping up and away from the exh manifold...remove the intake manifold support bar altogether for freedom of movement. take this bar and take it to a table top grinder and grind the left edge until you are 1.5mm away from grinding into the lower mounting hole (non slotted).

then clean up and repaint and set aside for later.

remove manifold and throw as far as possible. (keep that center stud
that the supports mount on you will need it!)

clean head mating surface with alcohol and razor or both....
cut original exh studs at the collector with dremel tool

line header mounting surface with copperseal silicone...using thin layer...

line head side of gasket surface with 1/8 bead of copper seal and place on head using studs on each end of head to keep it in place and press until good
adhesion is achived. leave in place for about an hour.

place header onto gasket using temporary studs to help with alignment.

start some header bolts (provided with headers) and snug them into lace (be sure to add antisieze onto threads before installing them)

remove temp studs and install bolts....be sure to use the original stud where the intae manifold support mounts...(grind the washer down a bit to reduce diameter for headers clearance) Also use a 1 inch tube of aluminum or stainless to help with clearance to make up for amount of cast iron missing (headers flange is uniform and is 3/8 inch) (this beats bending and cutting their provided brackets....believe me)

torque to spec....then add anti sieze to EGR threads upper and lower and install the L shaped hose...

reinstall air injection vacuum lines etc...this would be a good time to inspect the rubber vacuum elbows/lines for cracking/age....and replace them.

reinstall fender well and wheel...torque wheel to spec.

driver size you only need to remove spark plug cables, and coil bracket...
as well as the oil breather tube for the oil filler tube on valve cover.

remove manifold and save the stud used for the oil dipstick and coil bracket mount....as this will be reused as well.

prep the surface and new gasket as necessary....

grind the washer on original stud down to size as needed....insert a 1 inch stainless or alum tube to create a spacer due to 3/8 header flange....

install header torque bolts/stud to spec and position dipstick and coil bracket onto stud and install a nut ontop of the brackets and torque....

be sure to reinstall things in right order like plug wires etc....double check you vacuum and crank engine over and listen for exh leaks...if none then warm the engine up some light smoke will come of the new gaskets burning in....if excessive turn engine off and look for the source and address as needed.... then once excessive source of smoke is taken care of warm engine up to op temp.....turn off for 20-30 min....and retorque bolts and studs....and away you go!!!

note: This post is an experience I wanted to share and in no way represents the ONLY way of doing it....I am not responsible for damages incurred


parts used:
JBA smog legal headers
2 original bracket studs
table grinder
high temp paint
std stuby wrenches
std reg sized wrenches
copper seal gasket silicone
antisieze thread lube
phillips screwdriver
flat head screw driver
dremel cutting tool

result: almost no loss of off line throttle response and a good increase of lowmid to mid torque. also noticed smoother running slightly better mileage
and a pulsier sound....The bassani Y pipe added more to this effect!!

cheers!!

 

Hey Capone,
What is the Cermakrome,and where do you get it?
I'm assuming it's ceramic paint, is it rattle can applied? How much do you use?