Raising engine /Header gasket access

[70sboomerguy]

Hello All,

I may need to jack up my 440 to gain access to the header gasket.

I need to gain 2 to 3 inches to remove the header off of the studs.

Is there more to it than removing the motor mount bolts & the fan shroud, perhaps transmission cooler lines?

Or, am I better off by slotting the new gaskets?

The headers conflict with the inner fender by about 1/2 inch when trying to remove them even with the collector disconnected from the H pipe.

Thanks/Dennis

[jeremy]

If you've got an automatic you may have to unhook the kickdown lever. May have to undo the fuel line.

[Nacho-RT74]

What about if you remove the studs? Sure would need a wrench and not a socket to use a double nut for the process, but dunno if there is enough room for spin a wrench around

Btw, kick down lever and shifter lever I guess… also maybe radiator hoses if they are molded.

[DynoDave]

The only heartburn I have with slotting the bolt holes is that you don't have a chance to thoroughly clean the two surfaces.

[70sboomerguy]

Hello Guys,

Thanks for all of the replies, I appreciate the help

I removed the nuts & lock washers from the passenger side header & then disconnected the collector from the H pipe.

I pryed a bit on the header and it separated from the head.

It was as I remembered it to be that the header would not completely come away from the bolts enough to drop in a new gasket.

I twisted and fanagled it for a bit and suddenly it dropped away from the head studs happy, happy, joy, joy.

This was a major league surprise and I had no such luck during my first effort when I put a remflex gasket in.

So, in went the copper Mr. Gasket, gasket, & the header went back on.

I haven't reconnected the header to the H pipe yet as I ran out of steam, but that will be tomorrow.

I'm hoping that I no longer will hear what sounds like a top end noise disguised as a header leak.

Thanks again for your suggestions, help & time.

God bless/Dennis