Lindsey Header
07-03-2011, 05:30 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
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Lindsey Header
Does anyone have experience with the one piece lindsey header? How is it to install? I've had the stock 2 piece exhaust manifolds on and off a few times, and even they are tricky with the engine in the car, would a one piece be worse? Have a small leak in the stock manifold that is going to need attention sooner or later.
07-03-2011, 05:45 PM
#2
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For the price they are good, installation is straight forward.
07-03-2011, 10:08 PM
#3
I just went through this with another one-piece header, and looking at this, you'll probably have to do the following:
#1, check to see if you can get the header in without removing the studs. I am guessing you won't be able to, and will wind up removing all the studs (carefully!) from the head
#2, assuming the studs are numbers from the front to the back of the engine in order, the second and fourth studs will need to be shortened about 3/8".
#3, fit the header into place
#4, slide in the exhaust gaskets metal side out and hand start the studs. The ones that you have clear access to (should be all but #2 and #4), you can double nut them and run them in, and then start but don't run down the nuts (you'll see why in a minute).
#5, hand start studs #2 and #4, and then put the nuts on them and hand start them as well. You'll almost certainly see that the nuts don't have clearance from the header tubes futher back, so you need to walk the header down by alternating tightening those two nuts, so that it inches the header down and still clear the header tubes. Tighten them all the way down until they are snug.
#5, tighten down the rest of the nuts til snug.
#6, torque, as best you can, the nuts to 15ftlbs.
Done! Major thanks to my good friend, Ben Wornall, for showing me that small block Chevy header install trick otherwise I'd have had a hell of a time myself.
#1, check to see if you can get the header in without removing the studs. I am guessing you won't be able to, and will wind up removing all the studs (carefully!) from the head
#2, assuming the studs are numbers from the front to the back of the engine in order, the second and fourth studs will need to be shortened about 3/8".
#3, fit the header into place
#4, slide in the exhaust gaskets metal side out and hand start the studs. The ones that you have clear access to (should be all but #2 and #4), you can double nut them and run them in, and then start but don't run down the nuts (you'll see why in a minute).
#5, hand start studs #2 and #4, and then put the nuts on them and hand start them as well. You'll almost certainly see that the nuts don't have clearance from the header tubes futher back, so you need to walk the header down by alternating tightening those two nuts, so that it inches the header down and still clear the header tubes. Tighten them all the way down until they are snug.
#5, tighten down the rest of the nuts til snug.
#6, torque, as best you can, the nuts to 15ftlbs.
Done! Major thanks to my good friend, Ben Wornall, for showing me that small block Chevy header install trick otherwise I'd have had a hell of a time myself.
07-03-2011, 10:36 PM
#4
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Wow, that's a great description! Also, its a little off-putting. I don't remember the 2 piece stock ones giving me that much trouble, although it has been a few years since I took them on and off. I definitely didn't remove any studs. Decisions, decisions.
07-03-2011, 10:54 PM
#5
These might also fit without removing the studs, you won't know until you try to fit them. The header I installed was not Lindseys, mine are an equal length design, so they have a bit more tube length that cuts down on the clearance. Regardless, I bet you'll still have the same clearance issue on studs #2 and 4 and the same basic technique will get them installed, even if you don't have to remove the original studs. Also, tho, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if at least a couple don't come out when you are removing the original headers. 
Don't sweat it, its not that tough a job.
Good luck, let us know how it goes!
Don't sweat it, its not that tough a job. Good luck, let us know how it goes!
07-03-2011, 11:22 PM
#6
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I'll be trying out the reverse-torx (male) head Saturn studs when I install my head & headers. I'm expecting to put just a few in before I slide in the headers, then slip in the rest after the headers are in place. The best thing about these things is no double-nutting. They are a tad longer, so I may shorten them all a bit before I get started.
07-04-2011, 10:54 PM
#7
If you shorten them, you will either cut off the torx side, or remove threads that go into the block, neither is really that great an option.
In reality, the stock studs work pretty darn well, I am not sure you buy much of an advantage with the Saturn studs. In theory, they sound great but once you actually do the install, you'll see that the stock ones are no more hassle.
In reality, the stock studs work pretty darn well, I am not sure you buy much of an advantage with the Saturn studs. In theory, they sound great but once you actually do the install, you'll see that the stock ones are no more hassle.
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07-04-2011, 11:23 PM
#8
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Yeah, I ended up cutting off the torx end. I had planned to use the torx heads in case I ever needed to pull the header without removing the head at a later date to do more mods, but I've pretty much got my list of mods complete with this round, so I'm not gaining much unless there is a problem and I've got to tear into it again soon.
