engine removal

John if you buy the mount from e-bay and they are wrong then you are stuck with them but a auto store will take them back...

sounds good, i'll be there, my doctor said my MRI revealed that ihave disc degeneration in my back, and i cant lift heavy things any more, and it is fealling much better than at the van nats. i'll just have to take pain meds for now on, and a pain patch, but my mommy said i could go, lol

dix wrote:John if you buy the mount from e-bay and they are wrong then you are stuck with them but a auto store will take them back...

thats for sure, i find them at a part store,,

Send me your address I just talked to three river vans they will mail you out a flier for butler. don't worry if it gets there late. no big deal...

john bain 801 Nth 3rd st. toronto ohio 43964 thanks dix

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HED-79036/
i still need to find out if someone has tried these headers, thanks for any help..

we will talk to scottie at butler

I'm not seeing those headers fitting the dog house and going around the starter

The info i have is dynomax headers 85035 or wlk-85035 but summit says not in stock and want to sell you somthing else. but these headers look like they go around the starter.  http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-85035

Oh, I dont know if youre running an automatic but BE ULTRA SUPER MIRACULOUSLY CAREFUL WITH YOUR SHIFTER CABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was with mine, and somehow, when it was lying under the van with nobody touching it the end STILL magically broke off!

Be careful! They're not easy to find OR replace!

what ever headers i run i'll deffantly wrap them in header heat wrap. all the dodge vans out there i dont understand why i cant find what headers to use, i'm sure i'm not the first guy to run headers, everyone seams to be running stock manifolds,

Why no headers?
1. Heat. they exit right near the doghouse to floor junction, putting out a LOT of heat.

2. The typical buyer is interested in higher performance and is willing to deal with increased maintenance. Headers typically require more effort to change plugs, require more frequent gasket changes and retorquing fasteners, and recoating. Vans don't see a great deal of performance driving, and they are more difficult to access. This limits the market.

3. Headers are designed, built and sold for profit. This has been defined as a large market with money, so they tend to be made for current models that are in great numbers and sold to people with good income. It's rare for older vehicles to get new designs. There must be enough demand and willingness to spend to make business sense. There have been only a few older car/truck headers marketed lately, and they tend to the high end (TTI musclecar, LS and 3rd gen hemi swap headers). Vans do not represent a big wallet, gotta have the best segment.

4. Also, no current product must fit the segment. Headers must fit the engine and the body/chassis. ALL decent mopar small block headers will fit the engine/starter/auto trans. Some may require a bit of work or a modern mini starter. Some may require the oil filter adapter (A body style).
So you have to find a header that will fit the van. If you remove the doghouse  sides and measure the area, you will find that most headers will fit the top area. Most tend to turn out and down quickly. Obvious exceptions include fenderless or fenderwell style and T bucket headers that extend out from the ports sideways or up. So that leaves the underside of the van.
Since most cars are even tighter here, you have to look at where you may run into issues. Stuff like clutch and 3 speed linkage, wiring that can be moved, and how far they extend down. Truck headers tend to swoop back more and hang down further. If you look at the header company sites, they often provide better pictures than Jegs and Summitt. However, the big guys usually have a better return policy so you can order and try new ones for fit. Always check the return policy!
I got an old set of car headers and they fit fine, except the shift rods. They were different side-to-side to fit a car, which was not astethecally pleasing. However, they would be the cheapest way to go and once you know they fit, easy to find. I plan on switching to auto, so they would work for me. I may go big block, which will add to the heat, clearance and fit issues.

Another source is the rod market. Ignore the open fender stuff and look at the full fender offerings. They offer headers that tend to be tight to the engine so they fit a wider range of engine/vehicle combos. Here is the best known company.
http://www.sandersonheaders.com/Chrysler-Small-Block/
Either of the block hugger style should fit, although the swept back ones would require the solenoid and other wiring at the back of the doghouse to be moved. The center dump style will fit darn near anything with common engine mounts and starter. Remember, in a van, you are not worried about steering, frame rails, crossmember, torsion bars, or all the other stuff.

If you are feeling like you want to 'roll your own' or have more time than money, you can also do your own. Here are flanges
http://www.summitracing.com/search/make/DODGE/engine-size/5-9L-360/engine-family/Mopar-small-block-LA/Department/Exhaust/Part-Type/Header-Flanges/

A van would be one of the simplest headers to build, because of all the room and that they are hidden from view so a difference side-to-side won't be as noticeable. If you plan on wrapping, even the welds don't need to be pretty, just leak-free.

I know this doesn't give you the easy "Just buy part No. XXX, they fit perfect and are cheap!" answer, but If you look things over, I hope I've given you enough info to figure something out.

A few other things;

Headers always use bolts. Get good ones and check clearances! you often have the install and tighten the tight ones first, of they will jam up when the header is tightened down.

Buy quality headers and gaskets/sealer. You will appreciate a better fit, a thicker, flat flange and better access to plugs and header bolts. Leaks suck!
The end holes in the heads on SBMs go into the water jackets, that's why they are studs stock. You gotta seal them up well.
If you run the exhaust underneath, it should be simple.
If you are running sidepipes, remember that the engine rocks. Multiply that by the distance from the engine to the rocker and you can see that you need to either strap that engine down or build in some flex. Also, if the headers extend back (long tube style), you will need to loop the exhaust back up to the front.

thanks Rod for all the good info. i think i'll buy the headman headers that are coated and wrap them in heat wrap, i dont live near any muffler shops to have an exhaust made up, so thats the reason for headers and purple horney mufflers, i hade a 67 chevelle with that set up on a small block and it sounded great, i'de like my van to sound like it, if the headers wont fit without much cutting and bending i'll send them back first and come up with another idea, i just thought there were more people useing headers, if you buy the locking type header bolts you have no problems with them comming loose and my van is only driven to car shows and once in a while to the lake, maybe 400 miles a year, so they would last me my life time for sure, my garage is heated in the winter and i have a de humidiffer, all my toys get the best care, lol my wife says i need to move to the garage, lol

http://www.ebay.com/itm/310393512011?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
these sound awesome on headers, just use hangers at the end of them, and were the hook to the headers,

nope, it's the easiest way to change an engine in a pickup.




and I only hit the door frame once. but it did take the paint when it did...

thats a nice truck you have jkr, thanks for the pictures,
john

Since I don't have any cargo doors I also took out the SB with trans through the pass door opening. And put the BB with trans the same way bolted together. You can do that with a B block but not the RB, it is just a tad too wide.

Here was mine coming out