Please help-Motor and tranny are in....351swap headers rubbing!!

Stang_ROTY · 07-14-2001, 01:48 AM

For the last 3 weeks straight I've been busting A$$ trying to get this car together.We finally got the motor in yesterday and the driver side header is rubbing against the steering shaft. I had a Flaming River rack in it yesterday and took it out for the orignal power steering thinking that the manual rackwas the problem. Now I have the power steering back in it and it's still rubbing a little on the steering shaft. I have Energy Suspension mounts...does that have anythin to do with it??? What can I do to make sure my steering shaft won't break????

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Finally DONE!!
93 GT, 393 stroker, Dynamic Roller Mite C4, 8 pt cage,
Sothside Machine bars & Sub-frames, 3.73's,
'69 351W block w/SCAT crank.

jimberg · 07-14-2001, 01:33 PM

Have you hooked up the h-pipe yet? I'm asking because it is possible that they didn't send you 351 swap headers. If the H-pipe won't match up to the headers, you've got the wrong ones. My headers definitely clear the steering shaft. I'll get a picture of how much and post it later today.

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351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-15-2001, 05:49 AM

I think granatelli motorsports makes both a manual and power steering rack shaft that is very skinny, but strong meant for interferance situations, but your best bet as jimberg said is to check that you actually have the right headers first. Good luck, hope you figure it out.

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'84 Mustang 5.0 LX
My car

82 GT · 07-15-2001, 10:15 AM

I have BBK shorty headers in my 82GT with a 351w and they just clear the steering shaft by less than an inch. They are for the 351w also. What kind of headers do you have?
The parts store gave me 302 headers the first time and I couldn't even get them to clear the shaft. The 351w header tubes are routed different because of the steering shaft.

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'82 GT 351W C-4,BBK headers,Carter 625 carb,Comp.Cam,Flowmaster exhaust.
1988 GT...T-5,bone stock

Stang_ROTY · 07-15-2001, 10:17 AM

What I found out is that the Flaming River rack wasn't designed for a 351W swap. So that was my first problem.

Secondly, I'm gonna have to get someone to cut up my H-Pip and modify it slightly. I'd rather spend the money on modifing what I have rather than paying shipping fee's to return the H-pipe. I took your advice and checked the part#. It was BBK15510. I called the BBK tech. and they said to line up the tranny. Once I lined it up and bolted everything down with the power steering rack in it the headers cleared...but barely. Today I'm going to bolt in the colling system for the engine and tranny. Thanks for the advice on Granatelli. I'll get ahold of them.

jimberg · 07-15-2001, 12:03 PM

The 351 headers are routed differently since the block is wider. They have to snug up tighter to the block so they will match the h-pipe. If you have to modify the h-pipe my making the flanges farther apart to make them fit, you definitely have the wrong headers.

Oh, here's how much clearance I have (I hope you can see it. It's really rusty.

):

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351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

Stang_ROTY · 07-15-2001, 03:21 PM

Mine look real similar to yours. thanks for the pic. where I had a problem was not near the u-joint is was near the indent on the header for the shaft. I wonder if it has to do with the rack or my motor mounts. My rack is 2.15 turns lok to lock and the mounts are Energy Suspension. What do you think?

jimberg · 07-15-2001, 04:00 PM

I have the convertible engine mounts. I thought the Energy Suspension motor mounts were similar in construction. Are they lowering mounts or something?

Here's another shot from the angle I think you're talking about.

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351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

[This message has been edited by jimberg (edited 07-15-2001).]

jimberg · 07-15-2001, 04:31 PM

Just another thought. Do you think you engine could be in a little rotated? You know how the mounts on the k-member are slotted? Is one mount stud riding a lot higher than the other? Passenger side high and driver side low.

Heh, nice clear shot of my 02 sensor up there.

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351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

vande97 · 07-15-2001, 09:43 PM

Just a thought, i just grabed the torch and heated the header pipe up a little and took a crowbar and bent the header in a little, it worked like a champ and everthing cleared fine

slider · 07-15-2001, 11:21 PM

vande97
how did you heat the header?

Stang_ROTY · 07-16-2001, 11:33 AM

Yeah, how did you heat the header and what would that do to my jet-coating?? By the way..I checked my instruction sheet and it says that the driver's side inlet on the h-pipe might need to be modified to fit the headers. Shouldn't they of put that in their ads???

vande97 · 07-16-2001, 04:14 PM

I am not sure if you want to do that to your header if it is jet coated, i am not sure what it would do to it. I just used the asetalean(spelling??) torch wipped that baby down in between the fire wall and the header and heated it up then put the crow bar in there and very GENTLY pushed untill it cleared you dont want to use much force because if you do then you might put a hole in it then you will be really pissed off. but you have to be quick when you drop the torch also because you hold it one spot to long and say good buy to wiring also . this is not a job for the unexperienced..

07-14-2001, 01:48 AM	#1
Stang_ROTY Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Berkshire County - Massachusetts Posts: 735	Please help-Motor and tranny are in....351swap headers rubbing!! For the last 3 weeks straight I've been busting A$$ trying to get this car together.We finally got the motor in yesterday and the driver side header is rubbing against the steering shaft. I had a Flaming River rack in it yesterday and took it out for the orignal power steering thinking that the manual rackwas the problem. Now I have the power steering back in it and it's still rubbing a little on the steering shaft. I have Energy Suspension mounts...does that have anythin to do with it??? What can I do to make sure my steering shaft won't break???? ------------------ Finally DONE!! 93 GT, 393 stroker, Dynamic Roller Mite C4, 8 pt cage, Sothside Machine bars & Sub-frames, 3.73's, '69 351W block w/SCAT crank.

07-14-2001, 01:33 PM	#2
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	Have you hooked up the h-pipe yet? I'm asking because it is possible that they didn't send you 351 swap headers. If the H-pipe won't match up to the headers, you've got the wrong ones. My headers definitely clear the steering shaft. I'll get a picture of how much and post it later today. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-15-2001, 05:49 AM	#3
84stangLX Guest Posts: n/a	I think granatelli motorsports makes both a manual and power steering rack shaft that is very skinny, but strong meant for interferance situations, but your best bet as jimberg said is to check that you actually have the right headers first. Good luck, hope you figure it out. ------------------ '84 Mustang 5.0 LX My car

07-15-2001, 10:15 AM	#4
82 GT Import Slayer Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 2,241	I have BBK shorty headers in my 82GT with a 351w and they just clear the steering shaft by less than an inch. They are for the 351w also. What kind of headers do you have? The parts store gave me 302 headers the first time and I couldn't even get them to clear the shaft. The 351w header tubes are routed different because of the steering shaft. ------------------ '82 GT 351W C-4,BBK headers,Carter 625 carb,Comp.Cam,Flowmaster exhaust. 1988 GT...T-5,bone stock

07-15-2001, 10:17 AM	#5
Stang_ROTY Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Berkshire County - Massachusetts Posts: 735	What I found out is that the Flaming River rack wasn't designed for a 351W swap. So that was my first problem. Secondly, I'm gonna have to get someone to cut up my H-Pip and modify it slightly. I'd rather spend the money on modifing what I have rather than paying shipping fee's to return the H-pipe. I took your advice and checked the part#. It was BBK15510. I called the BBK tech. and they said to line up the tranny. Once I lined it up and bolted everything down with the power steering rack in it the headers cleared...but barely. Today I'm going to bolt in the colling system for the engine and tranny. Thanks for the advice on Granatelli. I'll get ahold of them.

07-15-2001, 12:03 PM	#6
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	The 351 headers are routed differently since the block is wider. They have to snug up tighter to the block so they will match the h-pipe. If you have to modify the h-pipe my making the flanges farther apart to make them fit, you definitely have the wrong headers. Oh, here's how much clearance I have (I hope you can see it. It's really rusty. ): ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-15-2001, 03:21 PM	#7
Stang_ROTY Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Berkshire County - Massachusetts Posts: 735	Mine look real similar to yours. thanks for the pic. where I had a problem was not near the u-joint is was near the indent on the header for the shaft. I wonder if it has to do with the rack or my motor mounts. My rack is 2.15 turns lok to lock and the mounts are Energy Suspension. What do you think?

07-15-2001, 04:00 PM	#8
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	I have the convertible engine mounts. I thought the Energy Suspension motor mounts were similar in construction. Are they lowering mounts or something? Here's another shot from the angle I think you're talking about. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible [This message has been edited by jimberg (edited 07-15-2001).]

07-15-2001, 04:31 PM	#9
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	Just another thought. Do you think you engine could be in a little rotated? You know how the mounts on the k-member are slotted? Is one mount stud riding a lot higher than the other? Passenger side high and driver side low. Heh, nice clear shot of my 02 sensor up there. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-15-2001, 09:43 PM	#10
vande97 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: okemos Posts: 205	Just a thought, i just grabed the torch and heated the header pipe up a little and took a crowbar and bent the header in a little, it worked like a champ and everthing cleared fine

07-15-2001, 11:21 PM	#11
slider Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: San Diego, CA, USA Posts: 86	vande97 how did you heat the header?

07-16-2001, 11:33 AM	#12
Stang_ROTY Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Berkshire County - Massachusetts Posts: 735	Yeah, how did you heat the header and what would that do to my jet-coating?? By the way..I checked my instruction sheet and it says that the driver's side inlet on the h-pipe might need to be modified to fit the headers. Shouldn't they of put that in their ads???

07-16-2001, 04:14 PM	#13
vande97 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: okemos Posts: 205	I am not sure if you want to do that to your header if it is jet coated, i am not sure what it would do to it. I just used the asetalean(spelling??) torch wipped that baby down in between the fire wall and the header and heated it up then put the crow bar in there and very GENTLY pushed untill it cleared you dont want to use much force because if you do then you might put a hole in it then you will be really pissed off. but you have to be quick when you drop the torch also because you hold it one spot to long and say good buy to wiring also . this is not a job for the unexperienced..