ford racing shorty headers

[robwidner]

Hey i've got a 2007 shelby gt 500, and just installed a set of ford racing shorty headers. my question is this: we can't seem to stop an exhaust leak on the driver's side rear of the headers. we started at the middle and tightened outward above and below on the header flange. we have since loosened and retightened and can't seem to get the leak to stop. are ther any tricks, i don't know about. any help is appreciated.

[LSXKILLER]

Hey i've got a 2007 shelby gt 500, and just installed a set of ford racing shorty headers. my question is this: we can't seem to stop an exhaust leak on the driver's side rear of the headers. we started at the middle and tightened outward above and below on the header flange. we have since loosened and retightened and can't seem to get the leak to stop. are ther any tricks, i don't know about. any help is appreciated.

 

 

 

Use the stock metal header gaskets and put copper RTV on both sides of the gasket. Be careful not to put so much rtv that when you tighten everything up excess doesnt squeeze into the ports and affecting exhaust flow. However, are you sure its not the collector leaking? Because some leak there too. While you have it back apart ypu should also put copper RTV on the ball and socket wehn you bolt the xpipe back up. Do both collectors.

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Hey i've got a 2007 shelby gt 500, and just installed a set of ford racing shorty headers. my question is this: we can't seem to stop an exhaust leak on the driver's side rear of the headers. we started at the middle and tightened outward above and below on the header flange. we have since loosened and retightened and can't seem to get the leak to stop. are ther any tricks, i don't know about. any help is appreciated.

 

 

I put a set of the FRPP Ceramic Coated Shorty's on my 2010 and had a clearence problem on the left (drivers) side header along the bottom edge. The problem was that the header (near the collector section) was hitting the oil cooler (aluminum) mounting tab that the black engine coolant tube that comes around the back of the engine connects to. I mocked up the header by putting it in place by using a couple of the OE exh. manifold studs stratigically placed in the head then marked the TAB with a black sharpie marker. I pulled the header back out and cut a pretty decent sized chunk from the corner of the mounting tab out. Not enough that I cut through the threaded mounting hole (to hold the cooling tube tab in place) but enough to allow the header to just *barely* clear the tab and allow it to sit flush on the exhaust flange on the head. Problem SOLVED.

 

If I hadn't found that prior to installing the header I would have had the same problem you describe, without any doubt...An exh. leak at the rear of the header flange on the bottom edge. And just to be safe, just to be sure, just in case...Get a straight edge (I have a large framing square that would work if I didn't already have a true straight edge for checking heads) and check the header flange for warping due to manufacturing. It happens, I've seen it many times and it's easy to fix. Any decent automotive machine shop can run it across the head surface decking machine and make it flat as glass for very little cost (or send it back and get another if that's your preference!).

 

Either way, use the old wood workers motto: Measure twice, cut once. And ALWAYS double check your own work or work done by others (like the machine shop I mention above).

 

I used a 90 degree angle head die grinder with about a 2"-3" diameter cut-off (chop saw) wheel on it. The die-grinder is available at Sears, the cut-off wheels & arbor at Harbor Freight (or Post Tool, Northern Tool, etc.). The grinders aren't TOO terribly expensive and you can always use one so it's a good investment for your garage (which is what I tell my wife!). It does however require compressed air so it can justify a compressor for your garage too! The chop saw blades are cheap, probably in the 10-20 dollar range for a box of 10 or so. You *could* use a electric die grinder or drill but the angle head really really REALLY makes it nice and quick. If your budget is a issue you could do it for a minimum price with just a simple hack saw blade (they make a handle for this type of use) but to be more than honest with you it would be a *real* pain in the ass to do it that way (a lack of room is your enemy). The die grinder cut and cleaned up the cut in about just under a minute or so and it was a clean/crisp cut without any knuckles bleeding on my end of the job..

 

When you are done, the header *JUST* clears the tab and might even rub against the cut edge of it just a little bit....but it doesn't hold it off of the head flange anymore so you get a nice tight fit and I'm happy to report, NO leaks from anywhere in the exhaust system..

 

That could very well be your problem so I'd start by checking there first. Ford Racing gives you a small button head screw to replace the OEM hex head bolt that holds the tab in place but even that's not enough room to clear the header. It's not the bolt that's the problem, it's the tab the bolt screws into. But having said that, I *did* use the button-head too and it IS needed (at least on a '10).

 

And as much as others want to try to sell you the long tubes, I'm *totally* happy with the looks, the sound and the performance of the FRPP Shorty's. I'll be the first to admit that's there's not a whole lot of question that the long tubes WILL give you more overall HP but I weighed the "cost vs. benefit" and having seen another Cobra with LT's on it, I'm not willing to sacrifice road clearence for the small amount of HP I'd gain from using a set of LT's (my car is lowered nearly 2 inches). I kept my OEM catted X-pipe in place but added a set of the Roush off-road extreme cat-backs to the car and I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. It's the perfect sound for me...not too loud but loud enough. Inside the car with the windows rolled up it's perfect. Outside, from what I'm told by others it sounds totally BAD ASS going down the street. Oh, and there is NO DRONE!

 

I don't know if you're the same guy that posted in another thread about installing the headers and was asking about needing to pull the motor mounts but that's how *I* did it. I'm a retired tech so I already had the engine support bar that is needed to hold the engine up and allows you to pull the OEM K-member completely out from under the car. Then I pulled the starter motor out (piece of cake) and pulled *both* motor mounts and brackets off of both sides of the block. That gave me ample room, ROOM TO SPARE let alone just enough room to do the job. I reported here on TS Forums that it was by FAR the easiest header install I've ever done but in all fainess that is mainly due to the fact that I'm overly familiar with older cars that require snaking the clutch cross-shaft through the primary tubes, working the stearing box around to eliminate interference, etc. etc. etc. on a car.

 

Just don't let it intimidate you. It's NOT that difficult and as a matter of fact, with the right tools it's a piece of cake (IMHO). The hardest part of the job was pulling out all of the OEM exh. manifold studs. I don't have a "female" torx socket the size of the stud ends but if I did, it would'a been a cake walk too. I had to use the old "double nut" trick to pull the studs. That's where you put one nut on the stud and then run a second nut down the stud and jamb it against the first one to lock it in place and then use the bottom nut with a ratcheting box wrench to pull the studs out, one by one. It's primitive but it gets the job done and you don't mess up the studs in case you need to reuse them to put OE exh. mans back on the car.

 

Someone else said they were going to try to use the OE studs and nuts but I didn't feel there was enough thread left with the thicker header flange FRPP puts on their Shorty's and there were at least 3 nuts that you can't get on the studs due primarily to interference with the primary tubes so I bit the bullet and took FRPP's advice and pulled the studs out, then installed the supplied header bolts using lock-tite anti-sieze (GREAT shit, by the way!!)..

 

And FWIW I hope you got the coated version! They're a *little* pricey initially but they are WELL worth the extra cost in the long run. You can keep 'em looking like brand new with a bottle of "Blue Job" and a Scotch Brite pad. Someone else posted a easier way in the thread I referenced above but I can't remember what it was or how to do it. I probably ought'a look and write it down in my GT500 notes. If you're interested, it was in a thread I was part of so if you search my posts you could probably find it, at LEAST a couple of months back.

 

Okay, so having said all of that and more than likely scaring the B'GEEZUS out of you...Good luck with the install and like I said, don't let it intimidate you or you're already beat before you even start the job. It's really not a big deal and actully quite easy, as far as header insalls go.

 

Oh, and I *did* pull the stearing rack forward a tad to get the steering shaft up and out of the way. It will sit up on the "shelf" the frame creates where the top of the K-member carriage bolts fit down through. That's a MUST DO (for ease of installation) but you don't HAVE to do it if you desire not to. It just gives you a tad more room and with headers, the more room th better off you are.

 

If you run into a problem or get in a bind, e-mail me at phill.pollard@comcast.net and I'll do my best to guide you through whatever problem you run up against.

 

 

HTH,

Phill Pollard

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Use the stock metal header gaskets and put copper RTV on both sides of the gasket. Be careful not to put so much rtv that when you tighten everything up excess doesnt squeeze into the ports and affecting exhaust flow. However, are you sure its not the collector leaking? Because some leak there too. While you have it back apart ypu should also put copper RTV on the ball and socket wehn you bolt the xpipe back up. Do both collectors.

 

 

If you use ANY kind of sealer on your engine (no matter where on the engne either) be absolutely sure it is Oxygen Sensor safe. And evn then, be careful using it.

 

Silicone will poison a EGO sensor in a heartbeat. If it is silicone based, I totally recommend that you stay away from it regardless of what it says on the label. Bottome Line:They ain't gonna give you a free UEGO or EGO Sensor if your old one goes bad.

 

You can't clear or clean a poisoned EGO sensor either so in most cases using sealer (regardless of where, too) just cost you a UEGO or a EGO sensor and if it's a 5-wire (UEGO) sensor, they are NOT cheap. Hell, for that matter a standard heated EGO sensor isn't just pocket change any more.

 

Personally, *I* prefer to be safe vs. sorry so I tend to be overly cautious on such matters.

 

 

Your Mileage May Vary/YMMV, to each his own and all that good stuff,

Phill Pollard

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Use the stock metal header gaskets and put copper RTV on both sides of the gasket. Be careful not to put so much rtv that when you tighten everything up excess doesnt squeeze into the ports and affecting exhaust flow. However, are you sure its not the collector leaking? Because some leak there too. While you have it back apart ypu should also put copper RTV on the ball and socket wehn you bolt the xpipe back up. Do both collectors.

 

 

I thought about using the OE metal gaskets when I recently put my headers in but decided against it.

 

Has anyone here actually tried it and if so, did you have good or bad results with them? How about "heard" any stories from others that have tried using OE exh. man. flange gaskets?

 

In most cases the header Mfgr's. recommend using soft/paper gaskets or gaskets other than OE type gaskets dus to the sewlling (or that lack of allowing them to swell) that occurs and which will eventually work theselves out.

 

I really just wondered if there is/was anyone that actually DID IT yet , not just talked about doing it.

 

 

TIA,

Phill Pollard

[LSXKILLER]

I've used the stock metal gaskets with copper rtv on both my shortys and now my dynatech longtubes. there is nothingbetter than the stock metal gaskets. Paper gaskets will eventually blow out sonner or later. As a side note on many turbo applications copper RTV is used with no gasket at all.

 

Never had a problem with the Permatex copper RTV affecting O2 sensors.

[wingsnut]

Use the stock metal header gaskets and put copper RTV on both sides of the gasket. Be careful not to put so much rtv that when you tighten everything up excess doesnt squeeze into the ports and affecting exhaust flow. However, are you sure its not the collector leaking? Because some leak there too. While you have it back apart ypu should also put copper RTV on the ball and socket wehn you bolt the xpipe back up. Do both collectors.

 

 

When you say "stock metal header gaskets" are you referring to the gaskets that come with the FRPP headers or re-using the stock exhaust manifold gaskets the car came with? I got my FRPP shorty headers used with no gaskets or bolts so I got these gaskets http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BBK-1402/ and some Stage 8 header bolts from Summit racing, hopefully this will work out.

[07SGT4578]

I just bought a set of shorties for my GT/SC. Both my mechanic and my exhaust guy said it is best to use the stock studs, and stock metal manifold gaskets. I hope to have them on by the end of the week.

 

 

Edit for spelling.

[springer]

Try the Remflex gaskets. I just installed a set on my 1983 GT with the Ford mini-headers They are graphite, withstand heat to 3000 degrees . Unbelievable gaskets, better than any I've used thru the years, and I've used many!

 

Here is link to their web site. http://catalog.remflex.com/

 

And here is a link explaining why they work so well. http://catalog.remflex.com/category_s/154.htm#The_Science