I started the install of some JBA shorties today. I'd just like to say thanks to the Ford Engineers who put the top bolt of the starter in such a great place. Seriously, it was almost too easy. I can't think of many things I'd rather do while laying on my back under a car besides remove that top starter bolt. I can't effin' wait to put it back in. What really made it special was that while I was cramming my hand into that tiny space that's surrounded with sharp edges, I dropped my 13mm socket, and it fell right onto my eyeball.
What sucks is that the starter bolt will probably seem like a breeze once I get to the manifold studs.
A swivel socket attachment is sounding like a really good idea right now.
On a positive note: PB Blaster is the cat's ass!!! Not one problem with any nuts (that were reasonably accessible) breaking loose. Let it sit and penetrate for a bit, and once you break the nut loose it'll come off using your fingers.
Got the starter and midpipe out in about two hours. Not too bad workin' alone on jackstands. More complaining to follow, probably.
__________________
'99 GT - My increasingly expensive DIY project car... Vortech V1, Moser 31-spline axles, FRPP diff. w/ 4.10 gears, Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter, Shany Custom pipes, JBA shorty headers, Powerslot rotors, Tokico D-specs, H&R Sport Springs, Steeda Strut Brace, MM X-duty Lower Control Arms, Autometer Phantom Boost and Wideband AFR guage, Rear seat delete, Royal Purple, NGK, BFG
headers are not exactly hard, but considering the poll asked which one was more frustrating, i have to say the headers. considering i work in the field, technical doesnt make it hard to me, but i do get easily frustrated with all the little things that make header installs a *****. like dropping a socket onto your eye... ive done that before too
headers are not exactly hard, but considering the poll asked which one was more frustrating, i have to say the headers. considering i work in the field, technical doesnt make it hard to me, but i do get easily frustrated with all the little things that make header installs a *****. like dropping a socket onto your eye... ive done that before too
Yup...frustrating is the key word here.
I've done gears. It's got some technical difficulty. It took me forever because I was careful not to mess it up. I'm only just beginning the headers and I'm already half pissed off.
I haven't voted yet.
__________________
'99 GT - My increasingly expensive DIY project car... Vortech V1, Moser 31-spline axles, FRPP diff. w/ 4.10 gears, Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter, Shany Custom pipes, JBA shorty headers, Powerslot rotors, Tokico D-specs, H&R Sport Springs, Steeda Strut Brace, MM X-duty Lower Control Arms, Autometer Phantom Boost and Wideband AFR guage, Rear seat delete, Royal Purple, NGK, BFG
I agree,
I voted for the headers under the impression that the person doing either install has the tools and knowledge. The headers are frustrating to get to the bolts, etc. The gears aren't that bad to do.
I did mine once and if you know how to use a metal base dial indicator and torque wrench, it isn't that bad with a manual and specs to follow.
__________________
"Ignore that whistle, it's just a vacuum leak."
2000 Mustang GT:
Saleen Series IV Twin Screw, Chicane I/C, AFCO Extreme H/E, 2.8" pulley, FMS 42# injectors, Dual Catted 2 1/2" UPR X Pipe, UPR LCAs/UCAs, 2 1/2" Flowmaster American Thunder kit, 90mm LMAF, 112" Goodyear Gatorback, Kenne Bell BAP, Mosaleen idler, T-56, Detroit TrueTrac w/ 373s, Demolet 100mm CAI, SCT XCal2 with JDM Engineering 93 Octane "Race" tune.
Headers are definitely more difficult and frustrating. Gears aren't so much difficult, they just require some precision tools and setup.
__________________
That hunk of junk? Yeah, well I've made a few special modifications to that yellow 99 Gt, it makes the Kessel run in 12 parsecs and eats turbo japs and poops chevy's
After nearly losing my mind and wanting to throw a 13mm wrench through the garage door, I have voted for headers. I was about ready to drop the K-member out of this thing...
Hahahahaha!!!! I thought the top starter bolt sucked. That's almost laughable now. The top manifold stud closest to the firewall on the passenger side was my arch nemesis today. I could barely get a wrench on it. I kept jacking that side of the motor up a little at a time till I could, but couldn't break anything but my knuckles with the wrench. After crawling under the car 6 million times to fetch the dropped wrench, I tried from the bottom with a swivel and socket. Came right loose.
My next favorite thing is being crammed under the car, and I set a tool down. When I look for the tool again, I can't seem to find it anywhere, or if it's a socket, I bumped it, and it rolled across the floor, out of reach. So I spend five minutes lookin for the tool you I set down.
God I love wrenching... Today I managed to get the passenger side manifold out. The instructions say it's a 6 hour install for the headers (This must be in a perfect world where manifold studs run through grassy fields with puppies instead of coming all the way out of my block.) I say it'll take 6 hours when monkeys fly out my ass...
__________________
'99 GT - My increasingly expensive DIY project car... Vortech V1, Moser 31-spline axles, FRPP diff. w/ 4.10 gears, Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter, Shany Custom pipes, JBA shorty headers, Powerslot rotors, Tokico D-specs, H&R Sport Springs, Steeda Strut Brace, MM X-duty Lower Control Arms, Autometer Phantom Boost and Wideband AFR guage, Rear seat delete, Royal Purple, NGK, BFG
2001 mustang gt, 4r70w,upr o/r x pipe, flowmasters, mil eliminators, 70mm pp tb, K&N CAI, BBKU/D pulleys, max motorsports CC plates, max motorsports string rack bushings, X2ball joints, F cntrl arm bushings, UPR frame connectors, Tokico hp shocks and struts, Steeda frnt sway bar, Steeda sway bar brackets, sway bar endlinks, Steeda bumpsteer kit, BBK spring isolators, H&R ss springs, UPR rear upper and lower control arms, UPR upper axle bushings, UPR reinforced torque boxes
A gear install is best left to the professionals, so headers would be harder/more frustrating since the gear installer would be the one to put up with the frustration to install the gears.
__________________
2008 Grabber Orange GT premium, 5 speed manual, 3.31s
Diablosport Predator Tuner and Bamachips tunes (93 Race, Torque, and Preformance), Boom Tubes
Kooks LT headers and catted H pipe, Steeda UDPs, delete plates, UCAs, LCAs, and Panhard brace, all waiting on time to install them
yaaa a little while back i started a thread in the tech section asking how the F(*& you get that starter bolt out... that evening i went out and bought a full 1/4 set and a 1/4 swivel... i too, like JC316 am now a veteran as well but my best time now is about 3-5 min not 1... some ppl just had a LOT more practice... lol anyways....
i voted headers without a DOUBT i would do gears on your car 3 TIMES if you would do headers on my car ONCE!! all the head bolts are my main issue... the h-pipe, eh it sucks bad but not THAT bad... starter... *meh* cake walk, header/manifold bolts OH MY GOD im ready to shoot myself....
sillyrabbit, i feel your pain... i have PAID ppl just to stand there and get a socket/wrench i dropped... just to save my sanity... my best wishes for the rest of the project...
__________________
"Its not about what you can BUY, its about what you can build" anyone can buy a really cool car, but u dont ever get the satisfaction from it as you would building it yourself 1994 Mustang GT 5.0/T5 Sold 1998 Mustang GT 4.6/T45 *soon 5.4 S/C* Flows cat-back, CAI, Ford Racing 3.73 gears, Torsen Diff, short throw shifter
Harder install: Headers or Gears? 
Today I managed to get the passenger side manifold out. The instructions say it's a 6 hour install for the headers (This must be in a perfect world where manifold studs run through grassy fields with puppies instead of coming all the way out of my block.) I say it'll take 6 hours when monkeys fly out my ass...
