This is just to help out other newbies like me not duplicate the nightmarish time I had installing shorty headers on my 06 GT.

The headers come with no gaskets but I reused the old ones with what seems to be no leaks on the passenger side. I say that because I gave up on the Driver Side until I read more threads as I barely survived the passenger side.

I used a lift as well as transmission jack. First off READ the instructions. I didn't.
1. Remove the battery tray and battery. Pretty easy
2. remove starter (you can probably let it hang) and set aside
3. place a phone book on a jack and place right below oil pan I used a block o wood and now have a smashed oil pan in the shape of said block o wood.
4. Make sure the car cooled down, I didn't burned arm, bandage go back. came back in an hour and it was better but still warm.
5. remove motor mount bolts and jack up engine slightly and it should roll toward the drivers side and expose the four bottom bolts.
6. If you used a lift you will find unless you are 10 feet tall you cant reach the top bolts of the manifold. So I would suggest undoing those first. I had to reattach motor mount and lower down to get those from the top then repeat. Don't do that.
7. Then remove studs some will fit but the middle ones will contact the header after you bolt them all up. I know this because I did this bolted up the bottoms and the middle studs were contacting the header making it impossible to tighten down. this will save you from uninstalling header *again* but be careful not to strip one like I did then you have to double nut or use a stud remover tool. Also put in the top bolts first toward the firewall. They are the toughest. I did them last and really had to pry with a crowbar to get the clearance to put the last bolt in.
8. Instructions say use RTV, I didn't as its a metal gasket and I figure thats good enough for ford without good enough for me.
9. open end rachet is a life saver do not attempt without it or you will hate it.
10. remember to put the o2 sensor back. I didn't and it sounds like a really bad exhaust leak and your engine smokes...a lot.
11. Also don't cross thread the motor mount bolts into the engine. Always start by hand or you will now have three bolts holding on to your motor like me.

whew. as you may tell I have never worked on a car before but read all the threads how simple it seemed to be to put in a pair of headers convinced me to try it. I am probably the definition of newbie and I will say if your first mod is headers hire it out. It ended up taking me 10 hours to do one side. I am driving around with only one side headers on and will maybe try the drivers side after my bleeding hands and burned arm heals. I may stick to working on motorcycles. Seems a little easier.

HOpe this helps someone. btw is it bad to run only one half of a header set?

Scotty

 

Wow Scotty!

Sorry to hear it was such a bummer to install the shorties. But, as you mentioned, you should read all the instructions thoroughly before doing anything. I think that alone would save you a lot of stress.

I did FRPP shorties 5 years ago and it was a long drawn out process in my driveway on jackstands, took me two days working alone. One of the reasons I went shorty was I mistakenly thought the install would be easier, but the hard part is tha same for long tube or shorties. Oddly I had a harder time with the passanger side than the drivers side.

A few weeks ago I paid a shop $400 to install long tubes and it was well worth the money and only took the shop about 4.5 hours start to finnish. You will need to do something about the oil pan damage if it is messed up very badly.

 

Yeah, the longs and the shortys are really a pain in the are. But I guess you learn for the next time. if the drivers side takes me as long it will be also a two day ordeal for me too. In retrospect $400 is a bargain.

Scotty

 

My suggestion, find a shop that'll install your driver's side header and be done with it.

When I and a few others helped Leo (Leo_06GT) install his JBA shorties, the drivers side was equal if not more of a pain compared to the passenger side.

 

Oh come on it was fun and we laughed are azzes blue! It was a project and there were 6 - 7 of us? After the pizza and beer we were only at 50% efficiency. It seem like the longest day! Then someone left a deep socket in the K-member for me Leo and Kevin to find and remove.

Seems so long ago!

Here's a link of that nighmare>

 

X2 Yes, hire a pro to do it. It is not worth the headache. Installing headers especially on the S197's is a PITA as the fit is very tight.