Best Way to Swap Headers on 88 TC?

[marquis_82_withneons]

being a 5.0 and all, there are def mustang headers in store for the Towny. however, being as i ONLY have experience with the tried and true carb setup, i have NO clue where to start with the exhaust swap for the EFI TC.

mine were had enough to swap on my Merc, and that was after the previous owner swapped on a carb. i punctuated on this by removing every part of the emissions bullshit i could. even with that out of the way it was difficult to get the headers in with the A/C in the way.

secondly. my dad has an 88 Fox and has Saleen headers with an offroad H into borla duals. he has a low and pulsing idle due to the fact he hasnt changed any of the computer or MAF sensors. i know the stangs have the O2 sensor and im assuming the Towny does too. so that may also present a problem.

the reason for the swap: the exhaust is shot. its got 3 leaks, 2 of which are BAD. one right at the muffler, one near the back and the pass. side manifold is leaking either at the head or the downpipe. were planning to get factory mustang shortys just as i did to replace the cast manifolds because they suck. since its not a carb i cant straight pipe it like im used to. so we'll probbly be on the lookout for an offroad H to delete those cats because fuck the ozone.

so heres the questions guys.

is there ANY problem with these ROUGH plans?.. what kind of problems are we looking at having to deal with as far as sensors and idle and what would you all say is the preferred or easiest method to swapping those headers on?

thanks in advance, help is always greatly valued.

rant is over

[fmansfield444]

It shouldn't be too hard at all. The only difference is that the townie will have O2 sensors that will need to be put Ito the new down pipes or a bung put on the headers for them.

I don't have an h pipe on my EFI car I just have 2 straight down pipes bolted to the shorties. o2 sensors on the down pipes.

Also there was a pipe for the smog pump on mine which I just took out, not sure if you'll have that problem. And there was a vacuum quick warm up flap for me, but again you shouldn't have that problem.

Ideally just get a complete front exhaust setup from a mustang or a mark 7, and I can't say (because I don't have one) but a mustang h pipe should have o2 bungs. You may need to extend the wires to them a fit a panther though. Which isn't hard at all.

[marquis_82_withneons]

thats exellent, i was just worried about the idle being weird is all because i know there has to be similarities with my dad fox and the lincoln and we really dont need that extra headache.

did you take the manifolds out the top or bottom?

[fmansfield444]

I had the car on ramps and drop the whole old exhaust including manifolds through the bottom.

The shorties I put the drivers side on through top, but the passenger side I had to wiggle in through bottom. I had someone else finger thread the bolts in as I held it, then I got up and torqued them down.

I tied the gasket to the header with a piece of string through one of the bolt holes to keep it in place as I worked it into place. Of you do this just take the string off before tightening it up all the way.

[marquis_82_withneons]

sounds easy enough... but thats still not gonna be fun

[fmansfield444]

Yeah man worst part is dealing with rusty bolts. But take an impact gun to it and it'll be easy

[marquis_82_withneons]

did you have any probs getting to the header bolts?.. i was lucky on mine. ill probably just spray the shit out of them with liquid wrench while its still warm.. hopefully thatll help. did you run duals out teh back?

[sly]

unless the heads of the bolts snap off

[tjc78]

unless the heads of the bolts snap off

Yes, and on a 25 year old car.... very possible. I guess you could also try some heat if all else fails.

[mrltd]

In all my experience, I have yet to see one of the manifold bolts break. Studs yes.

[zoomie]

I put bbk 1515 headers on with no issues, a 302 is a 302, but if you dont have smog stuff deleted the pass side might give you a bit of an issue, cuase stuff in the way....but i dont worry about it, no smog, no ac ,no cats no problem. last set up i had was a set of down pipes from a offroad pipe and then had a pipe bent to match one of the ones i had cut off a few extensions and glass packs,wasnt too bad at all

[fmansfield444]

did you have any probs getting to the header bolts?.. i was lucky on mine. ill probably just spray the shit out of them with liquid wrench while its still warm.. hopefully thatll help. did you run duals out teh back?

No they end at the axle for now. But like Zoomie said, passenger side will be more of a bitch because of a/c and emission stuff. I did have the bracket that holds the oil tube break but no big deal.

[marquis_82_withneons]

sounds good to me.. i believe were pulling the smog shit off today. so that ill help for the headers in the future. and by future i mean a few weeks.

ill be honest, i know NOTHING about engines aftert the carbs dissappeared.. i wasnt terrible worried about the install. just wanted to make sure there wasnt any breakables if i had to persuade the headers in.. doubt i will though. i was mainly worried about how it would idle and all that you know given the the engine will be breathing that much better. and the fact we have a new cone air filter on so less restriction there too. you know with all the sensors and shit i just didnt want the computer screwing up the running of the car and all..

after all its not even mine hahaha
thanks for the input everyone. this gave me the confidence i needed to do it. iw as getting skeptical there for a bit.

[marquis_82_withneons]

update.. got ALL the smog shit removed. air pump is still on but is all unhooked, all the tubes and crap are gone and got from teh muffler back all taken off.. THAT SUCKED!.. will post pics of the muff later. i was frustrated so it suffered some damage.

anywho. headers are soon to come and 2 1/4 pipes all the way to the axle with thrush glasspacks.

[fmansfield444]

When you get them post a vid of the thrush glass packs because I've been contemplating putting some on my vic