I just ordered some ceramic coated bassani headers and they got me for $465. I hope its worth it. I know im going to have to soak the exhaust bolts down with penetrating oil, but do I need to get some header bolts and are there any tips that would help with the install? I'm guessing the passenger side is going to be the hardest. Will I notice a difference in power...I already have the bassani y pipe and mandrel bent tailpipe. Oh and will it be louder too? Im confused on the flange thing...My bassani y pipe hooked up to my exhaust manifolds using a flange and the 2 studs from the manifold went in the flange and then a nut on the stud. The headers use a ball and socket connection. How is that going to work?

 

The Y-pipe attaches to the headers in the same manner but requires nothing but the collector ball seating in the flared end of the Y-pipe for the seal...(use some anti-seize compound (included) in there though in case you ever have to remove the Y-pipe. The Bassani headers will come with all the hardware to mount them to both the heads and the Y-pipe. They even include four o-rings to run onto the ends of the two end bolts so you can get them both started with the gasket assembly in place and they won't fall out as you push the header against the engine. The head-to-header gasket assembly consists of a stainless frame that supports four compressed graphite gaskets that basically crush and conform to the surface of the heads and the headers as you torque the bolts down. Make certain you do the retorque after I think its the first hundred miles but after that mine don't need retorquing but maybe once every 20-30k.

 

I recently put Summit Shorty-Headers on mine. I got them coated by HPC. About the same money as you paied. I cant tell the differnce, Power, sound or MPG. They look great, but I wouldnt do it again. Maybe the Bassani's are better for proformance.

 

I get my headers tomorrow and am pulling the old manifolds off right now and was wondering if the bassani headers have a spot for the EGR tube I pulled off? Also do I need to pull the fitting out of the old manifold?

 

Cant anything ever be easy?! I got the manifolds off and only broke one bolt, but the bolt is broke off flush with the head. Any ideas on how to get it out? Its the second to last one on the passenger side.

 

Center punch in the middle of the sheered off bolt (to give the drill bit a divet so it won't "walk" off-center on you) and a drill bit smaller than the diameter of the bolt. Then you can run a bolt extractor into it. Soak it with PB Blaster or some other good penetrating lubricant for while first. Not gonna be an easy fix but its "do-able"

Yikes, just re-read your post... "second to last one on the passenger side." Well that makes it all the more difficult. No drill is gonna fit down in there. Alas, I know of no other way to remove the remains of the bolt than what I have said. Perhaps someone else knows a method that will not necessitate removing the head to get the bolt out.

 

Well, if I have to remove the head, I might as well put some good aluminum heads on it... I hate aluminum heads, how about some high flow cast iron heads. Does the inner wheel well come out, or would it be more trouble than its worth?

 

I'm not at my truck right, but it may be possible to drill with a long drill through the inner fender. Or maybe a right angle drill. If you can get a torch in there, heat it and then cool it with penitrant. Wack it with a center punch lots. The punch will loosen the threds as well as giveing you a spot to drill as Greystreak said. I've had good luck with reverse drills. Sometimes when they catch they wind it right out.

 

I took the inner fender wheel cover out and got to it pretty easy but I'm going to have to get a heli-coil. Used an air drill no problem.

 

weld a nut to the stud with a wire feed welder .It's one way if you'r good with a welder

 

the stud is too far in the head, speaking of heads does anyone know about the World Products cast iron heads? They have 2 different ones for $940 a pair. They have a 200cc intake runner with 64cc combustion chambers 2.02 intake and 1.60 exhaust or a 180cc intake runner with 58cc combustion chambers and 2.02 intake and 1.60 exhaust valves. I don't know which would be better on the 351.

 

I got the headers on but cant mount the oil dipstick tube in the same spot because the header tube is in the way, any ideas? Also I ordered the ceramic headers but the finish looks chrome, do the ceramic headers look chrome?

 

Not sure about the ceramic finish appearance (mine are the chrome).

The dipstick tube was a minor issue for me as well, I tweaked it a bit with a tubing bender and mounted it as before. Didn't take a lot to get it to clear between the tubes of the header.

But then when I mounted the headers in the second Bronco, I took the time to make steel stand-offs so that the accessories that mounted under the exhaust manifold hardware could still be mounted as they were and stand off away from the header flange. Used a piece of 1/2" O/D steel tubing cut to length and bedurred. Painted 'em with black exhaust/barbeque grille enamel and they work just fine. Yeah, I had to use some of the OEM exhaust hardware but it sure made putting the metal tube from the smog pump and some of the other things mounted with the manifold bolts simpler to put back on.