Broke header! Need options and costs

[HighDesert-T]

I have seen it a lot on this board but can't seem to locate the threads without doing a page by page search. The #2 header is cracked on this thing. Does anyone make new ones? If so does anyone have the contact information and costs.

Thanks.

 

[Ttype83]

You can have yours welded for about $30 or you can get a completely rewelded one from Mike McCoy for about $100 w/exchange.
You can use headers from a 84/85 as well.

I had the drivers side rewelded #5 and bought a rewelded passenger side from mike.

There are stainless steel ones that are the best I have seen, but for $895 for the pair...I'll wait

HTH
Jim

 

[HighDesert-T]

Thanks, I saw the 895 a pair and was sweating it. Now all I have to do is pull that thing out I guess. Good time to change the plugs and wires as well.

Thanks for the assist.

 

[fc227]

I crack mine every year. I just got though TIG welding the passanger side header yesterday.
This Time I used RTV for the header gasket (held for over a year last time) , I tired of replacing those every six months.

Do you know how to weld ?

 

[HighDesert-T]

Not good enough for this type of job. A guy down at the local speed shop is real good at it and I will take it there next week. Is there some trick to getting this thing out or do I have to remove/loosen both pipes. Noticed the valve cover are leaking a little too, might as well get a lot of work down when these pipes come off. Wish I could get to the PCV valve. Who the hell puts one under the turbo where you can't get to it?? Automotive engineers, just wann smack em sometimes.

 

[fc227]

What I did was remove the up pipe. Stuffed a rag into the turbo & the header outlet. (so nothing falls in).

Then unbolted the cross over pipe on that header only. unbolted the header. I had to loosen and move the ac compressor to get it out.

 

[HighDesert-T]

There was room in there with the down pipe still installed? Seesm like a tight fit otherwise. I will give it a shot, the less removed the better.

 

[Ttype83]

To replace the PCV, remove the carb first. This will give you the room to work. Use the gasket from a 82 T to replace the EFE unit under the carb(if it's still there).
Jim

 

[HighDesert-T]

I have removed the carb to get to the PVC, it still was not accessable. Tried getting that thing out of there for over an hour, no joy. Since the car is going to be down all this weekend maybe I will have another go at it. Any tips other than pulling the carb? This thing sits right under the turbo!

 

[fc227]

I removed the passanger side fender when I did my header repair. it just made things easier for me. becasue the battery is mounted on the drivers side on my car.

Now that I think of it made be easier to remove the downpipe on a stocker. My downpipe is a real tight fit. becasue it is a 2.5"custom pipe.

 

[HighDesert-T]

All I want is 10 minutes alone with the person or persons that was responsible for the idiotic design of this thing. Am finding out you basically have to dismantle everything to get to the header. ARRRRGH!!!!!

 

[Ttype83]

I think that when I replaced my that I also had the EGR off, That was a pain too. Remeber to put the EGR back on before reinstalling the carb...that really sucked.

 

[HighDesert-T]

FINALLY. The header is off. Only been a four day evolution. Only been working on it a couple of hours a day in the evening. Whe it is 114 and the car is not inside you work in the evening. Turns out the #2 is cracked on both sides of the weld and the crack almost runs from the weld to about an inch down the pipe. Glad I didn't have this guy try to weld it while it was on the car. Shame of it all is that you have to basically pull the whole front end off the car to get to this thing. On a postive note if allows me the opportunity to clean behind all that stuff too. The A/C let go while the previous owner had it and it made a huge mess that was never cleaned up.

Time to change the plugs, wires and distributor while it is all apart. Cannot believe more has to come off to work on the distributor. As a friend said, they were dark years for GM. With respect to all the SMOG.