Help I can't get my Headers off

Black-Sunshine · 01-12-2001, 08:37 PM

I have a 289 with a viscous exhaust leak. I believe its a bad header gasket but I can't check. The bolts used to hold the "Ford Motorsport" headers on are like nothing I have ever seen before. they are similar to a torx head but there are more points than any torx socket has. A regular old 12 point socket will work on these bolts but some of them do not have enough clearance for even a 1/4 drive socket. This exhaust leak is driving me crazy. Can someone tell me how to get these things off before I do something silly like sell my car.

thunderbolt · 01-13-2001, 04:22 PM

My experience with header bolts is that you need a combination of sockets and wrenches to get to the bolts. You will have to go at some of them from the top and some from the bottom. 12 point closed end wrench should work as well. By the way, what gasket are you using? Is it paper of factory metal backed? Header bolts also require constant tightening; less after the first month. But I checked mine daily for a week, then weekely for a while. Now they have set in and I check them about once every 4-5 months.

Gearhead999 · 01-13-2001, 04:26 PM

They are a 12 point external torx head type bolt. Get good gaskets and make certain that the header flange is flat, file it if you have to, and install Stage 8 bolts. Once they are in and the keepers are installed they "don't" come out.

01-12-2001, 08:37 PM	#1
Black-Sunshine Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Laguna Niguel Ca Posts: 46	Help I can't get my Headers off I have a 289 with a viscous exhaust leak. I believe its a bad header gasket but I can't check. The bolts used to hold the "Ford Motorsport" headers on are like nothing I have ever seen before. they are similar to a torx head but there are more points than any torx socket has. A regular old 12 point socket will work on these bolts but some of them do not have enough clearance for even a 1/4 drive socket. This exhaust leak is driving me crazy. Can someone tell me how to get these things off before I do something silly like sell my car.

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01-13-2001, 04:22 PM	#2
thunderbolt Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 380	My experience with header bolts is that you need a combination of sockets and wrenches to get to the bolts. You will have to go at some of them from the top and some from the bottom. 12 point closed end wrench should work as well. By the way, what gasket are you using? Is it paper of factory metal backed? Header bolts also require constant tightening; less after the first month. But I checked mine daily for a week, then weekely for a while. Now they have set in and I check them about once every 4-5 months.

01-13-2001, 04:26 PM	#3
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	They are a 12 point external torx head type bolt. Get good gaskets and make certain that the header flange is flat, file it if you have to, and install Stage 8 bolts. Once they are in and the keepers are installed they "don't" come out.