Hooker 5115 install questions

[MEK-Dangerfield]

If you can spring for it, get ceramic coated headers. Uncoated headers make you passenger's compartment an inferno in the summer time. My first time driving to Carlisle, I had uncoated headers. I got a real good hot foot out of that.     I swear I thought my shoe had melted to the carpet. Ceramic coating is Sooo much cooler.


  Mike

[shadango]

Ok, you sold me on the coated deal....

(sigh.....price creep...LOL)

It sounds like the Dougs and the Hookers are about the same as far as ease of installation, fitting right, not hanging down too far, and being above the steering stuff....

i emailed the seller on ebay to see if they have the Dougs ready to ship.....crossing fingers.

[72bluNblu]

I've got a set of 5115's on my 318 Challenger. I bought them to eventually go with my 400+ hp 340, but they work just fine on the 318. I didn't notice any drop in bottom end, the factory manifolds are pretty restrictive so there's a pretty big bump going to the 5115's. The install was pretty easy, I installed mine from the bottom, I just jacked it up and put it on some 6 ton jackstands. No big deal. I didn't have to pull the engine mounts, jack up the engine, or do anything with the steering. On the driver's side I had to pull the starter to get them in, but I have the original starter (the 5115's clear the stock starter just fine.) I also had to pull the oil filter on the passenger side, but that was it. Starter and oil filter. I didn't take anything else off or mess with the steering linkage or engine mounts. They fit great, when my 904 is in park the linkage just barely touches the collector flange, but it doesn't interfere so I left it alone. I don't have the milodon pan so I can't say if they'll clear that or not. I posted a thread on my install here-
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=56645.0

but I basically just said everything thats there. Good luck with the install, I love the 5115's, they're awesome headers!

[shadango]

Did you guys remove the 4 exhaust studs at the outside corners of the heads and use the header bolts or did you reuse the studs?

Is double-nutting and trying to back out the best option ?

Thet wo rear studs came out no problem..the twofront ones are in there pretty good....tried gently moving with vice grips ...double nutting didnt work...

I may leave them in as-is....I would hate to break them puppies and open a whole can of worms...

[FJ5_440]

Try getting the studs good and hot with a torch or MAP gas, and then touching a cheap birthday candle near the head and stud intersection.  The wax kind of creeps in there, and the studs turn out with a vice grip.  An old timer at an exhaust shop told me about that years ago, and it has worked several times for me.

[shadango]

What are your plans for the car?  Cruising 90% of the time?  I'd go with the 1 5/8" tubes, I have them on my SB stroker, I'm giving up some but I street drive mostly so the high rpms don't come too often.  You want to keep the tq you have.

Tom

Were you going for the coated set?  Either way you're looking at 500+ for either the Dougs 1 5/8" or Hookers 1 3/4 /TTI 1 5/8-1 3/4 step.  They have them available uncoated as well.

For a driver I'd recommend the 1 5/8" Primaries with a decent 2.5" exhaust, you could go 2.25" with the 318 too.

I was going to get the TTI exhaust but got a local shop to build one for me 2.5" w/h-pipe and some chambered muffs for 600 installed and welded up.  About the same as the tti before shipping and then you have to install it.

Sounds good to me.

Hey, what tranny do you have?

THe footnotes in the Dougs catalog say that the 453s wont work with a 727.......which is what i have........

[72bluNblu]

Did you guys remove the 4 exhaust studs at the outside corners of the heads and use the header bolts or did you reuse the studs?

Is double-nutting and trying to back out the best option ?

Thet wo rear studs came out no problem..the twofront ones are in there pretty good....tried gently moving with vice grips ...double nutting didnt work...

I may leave them in as-is....I would hate to break them puppies and open a whole can of worms...

I just left the studs. Makes installing the gaskets way easier, you can just hang the gaskets on the outer studs and then work the headers into place.  My rear stud on the driver's side is broken, so that's the only one I don't know about, but its easier to get the nuts on the studs than it is to try and put bolts in.

[422STROKER]

Hey, what tranny do you have?

THe footnotes in the Dougs catalog say that the 453s wont work with a 727.......which is what i have........

I have the 727, you just need the mini starter which you have.

Tom

I had them on both actually 727 and 904.

[shadango]

I have the 727, you just need the mini starter which you have.

Tom

I had them on both actually 727 and 904.

So why the crap do they have that on their site!?? Hey,I am confused enough without vendors doing that...LOL

Thanks for the advice again! 

[shadango]

I just left the studs. Makes installing the gaskets way easier, you can just hang the gaskets on the outer studs and then work the headers into place.  My rear stud on the driver's side is broken, so that's the only one I don't know about, but its easier to get the nuts on the studs than it is to try and put bolts in.

Me thinks I will do exactly the same!  Why remove them and risk busting one....My rear studs came right out..thosefront ones aint budging. I dont want to temp fate.....I got all the bolts/ studs out except those too so screw it!

Of course the rear driver side was actually a bolt....I may buy a new stud for it....then, like you say, put all the studs in and use them for the gasket. SOunds like that would be way easier!

[422STROKER]

So why the crap do they have that on their site!?? Hey,I am confused enough without vendors doing that...LOL

Thanks for the advice again!

I thought the same thing myself, if you look around here a bit it was discussed a little.  It was finally figured out after I had bought them and installed them on the 904, I kept my fingers crossed for the 727.  Fit no problem at all.


Tom

[shadango]

Thanks!   The last thing I want to be doing is fighting a losing battle trying to install a part that wont fit!  LOL

I cant wait to get them on! 

[Chryco Psycho]

I would just leave the studs in place , saves having a coolant leak if you have to loosen or remove the headers

[shadango]

The manual says that if the studs back out you should use new ones...is that really necessary for sealing?

[72bluNblu]

Yeah I forgot about that... Those rear studs actually go into a water passage! CP is right, those should stay studs so you can seal them and not worry about the seal if you remove your headers or manifolds...