Is there a way to check and tighten the header bolts without taking anything off?

[1994Vib.RedGT]

If so, how, I cant get a socket on those bolts, and most of them would be damn near impossible to reach.

 

[BlackVert]

yeah they are a pain to get to, especially if you have un-equal length shorties

i used a little closed end wrench. on the passenger's side they can be a pain to get to if you leave the intake track in place.

 

[Dan95-5.0]

i though equals were the ones that were the pain?

i run un-equals and they arent bad at all. the only one i have problems with is the one on the drivers right in the front because i still have A/C. even that one aint that bad. just takes a little more time then the others.

i use a plain jane wrench too

 

[SeventyMach1]

I have un-equals, too. Not too hard.


Just get a ratchet, socket, and swivel. I also used a regular wrench (along with the "hook another wrench to the open end" torque method. Works pretty good. The one closest to the PS pump will be a pain, though.

 

[mustangt562]

If so, how, I cant get a socket on those bolts, and most of them would be damn near impossible to reach.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=FMS%2DM%2D9432%2DA51&view=1&N=4294840126+0&appfilter=1

 

[1TallMF]

i though equals were the ones that were the pain?

Yup.

 

[Zero Signal]

Wrench is the only way. Also, you should put spring washers on those suckers, then you will know they are tight just by looking at them and they won't loosen on you ever. But I would only use them with 1" bolts rather than the 3/4" ones which only get 3 threads into the head.

 

[BlackVert]

i though equals were the ones that were the pain?

lol that's what i meant to say ... i was dead tired last night

 

[Green 94 5.0]

yeah they are a pain to get to, especially if you have un-equal length shorties

i used a little closed end wrench. on the passenger's side they can be a pain to get to if you leave the intake track in place.

i second that. i keep an 11mm box end wrench in the car at all times.....you can easily get them tight enough with that, and it can reach all of the bolts (some with a little struggle) without taking anything off of the car.

 

[CManT1914]

i second that. i keep an 11mm box end wrench in the car at all times.....you can easily get them tight enough with that, and it can reach all of the bolts (some with a little struggle) without taking anything off of the car.

I put new header bolts on when I did my heads/cam last summer so they must be different sizes cus mine are 7/16". No matter. If you're gonna use a ratchet you're gonna need a 1/4" drive, a 3/8" drive will not fit on there. Either way, an open end wrench works just as well most of the time, and I can get to all of my bolts without removing anything. A trick to keeping them tight is to put lock washers (someone referred to them as spring washers) on them. This works VERY well, as I have NEVER had a bolt with a lock washer back out yet. When I swapped heads/cam last weekend I put lock washers on every header bolt. I don't think they're coming loose, lol.

 

[Stanger007]

I'll second those lock washers.

A crowfoot will help you get the hard to reach ones as well.