Pulling the Starter with Headers
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 1
From: Tucson
Pulling the Starter with Headers
67 F-100, 352
I just spent a miserable six hours changing out my starter. Yea, I know it's supposed to be a 15 minute job! Anyhow, I have headers but I don't know what kind. What I do know is there is absolutely no way to get the starter past the &*^%$#% headers. I had to disconnect the headers, drop the entire right side of the exhaust system and disconnect the left side from the headers to get the thing out and in. The "in" part took me two hours. I almost was ready to raise up the engine to get a little more room. Anyhow, I got it done and it works but now I need a new header gasket and some work done on my exhaust system. My advice it you have my kind of headers (whatever kind that is); Forget it and buy a hand crank!
jor
I just spent a miserable six hours changing out my starter. Yea, I know it's supposed to be a 15 minute job! Anyhow, I have headers but I don't know what kind. What I do know is there is absolutely no way to get the starter past the &*^%$#% headers. I had to disconnect the headers, drop the entire right side of the exhaust system and disconnect the left side from the headers to get the thing out and in. The "in" part took me two hours. I almost was ready to raise up the engine to get a little more room. Anyhow, I got it done and it works but now I need a new header gasket and some work done on my exhaust system. My advice it you have my kind of headers (whatever kind that is); Forget it and buy a hand crank!
jor
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 255
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From: "tween the cotton and tob
Pulling the Starter with Headers
And the good news is... if your headers are running anywhere near the starter... you'll likely be doing this job again as the heat from the collector will kill yur starter. As with anything that isn't OEM, there will be a trade off. Unless you are turning some rpms on a regular basis and have above stock HP.. stay away from headers. But if you must.. do some serious homework and buy the right ones. Some will say they haven't had a problem and others will cuss em. Its my opinion that the 352, 360 and 390 were meant for one thing.. low end grunt torque and headers won't really help you there. Just my two cents.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Pulling the Starter with Headers
Jor, Every man ought to have one set. Gives you a different outlook on life. Took me 8 hrs the first time, starter lasted two weeks, and I changed it in 6 hrs that time. MORE EXPERENCE! 
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John
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John
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In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: Denver
Pulling the Starter with Headers
in order to not make yhis a yearly experiance you need to make a heat shroud to stop the heat of the headers from getting to the starter. Also I would suggest getting a starter w/ lifetime warrenty. The sad part is that they don't pay you for your time.
Robert
72 F-100 W/ 86 5.0L W/AOD
krazdndenver(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
www.geocities.com/krazdndenver
Robert
72 F-100 W/ 86 5.0L W/AOD
krazdndenver(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
www.geocities.com/krazdndenver
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Pulling the Starter with Headers
Personally I have found that it is easier just to get right in and dirty up my hands. On mine the quickest way is to unbolt the headers and take the motor mount out and jack up that side of the motor. It sucks but it has to be done. I got really good at it becasue a few months back I was having starter problems and i put 3 starters in in a month before I just swung for the gear reduction. I personally love my Hedman's, kind of hard to seal up but they really outperformed my old manifolds. It is still torquey but like the upper Rpm's a lot more now, the motor has quite a bit of work done to it though. What kind of header's do you guys run and what do you think of them?
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 721
Likes: 1
From: Floyd, Va
Pulling the Starter with Headers
I am apparently the only lucky one. My standard starter just slips by my headers. Starter change=20 minutes. The easiest set of headers ive ever had.
Tony Warren
Nebraska
Tony Warren
Nebraska
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,130
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From: Brea CA
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More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 721
Likes: 1
From: Floyd, Va
Pulling the Starter with Headers
Ive had two pair, both made starter changing easy. When it was a 2wd i had hedmans, when i put the motor and body on the 78 4x4 chasis, i bought flow techs. I have to say that i had more trouble with the hedmans as far as leaking than the less expensive flow techs.
Oh, and by the way, the headers for the 4x4 were for a 76 chasis.
Hope this helps someone.
Tony Warren
Nebraska
Oh, and by the way, the headers for the 4x4 were for a 76 chasis.
Hope this helps someone.
Tony Warren
Nebraska
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 244
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Pulling the Starter with Headers
You wanna talk about a pain in the butt !!!!! I have a 300-I6 with Headman headers. I have been fortunate enough to replace my starter once. This involved disconnecting the exhaust system, loosening the engine and jacking up one side. I made a heat shield out of aluminum material. Just wrapped it around the starter. I used galvanized pipe under it as a spacer from the starter. It all holds together with a couple of large hose clamps.
With that heat shield set up, I drove this truck everyday for the 3 1/2 years I was at Auburn University. Still going with no problems.
Chris
72 F100 stepside
300 I-6
With that heat shield set up, I drove this truck everyday for the 3 1/2 years I was at Auburn University. Still going with no problems.
Chris
72 F100 stepside
300 I-6
