Okay friends, after all the worry I posted about the engine position in the compartment, the headers not fitting, (still a problem), I plowed forward and everything fit with stock exhaust parts. Sure the stock exhaust is close on both sides, about 1/8" from the frame on the passenger side and 3/8" pipe to lower control arm mount on the driver side, same as it ever was. I would stay away from JBA headers unless the replacement they are sending works, I'll keep you posted. Everything else was fine, the cooling fan lined up center in the shroud as it should so I'm thinking if you guys look down the center of your engine compartments you will find that your engine doesn't sit center or I have something very weird going on.

Stupid me, I dumped half a gallon of coolant into the radiator before I realized that I'd forgotten to put the radiator plug in so I have half a gallon of coolant on my garage floor and have to wait until tomorrow to bring the engine up to operating temp. It cranked right up as soon as the empty fuel rails got primed and I let it run about five minutes tonight. It's hitting on all cylinders but I'm wondering why the valve train seems so noisy. How long should it take to pump up new s.s. roller rockers and lifters? I put two full turns of preload on them which should have been plenty and is what is required by the seller, (Hughes Engines), I was going to do one and a half turns but thought better after reading their cam install guide, (I also bought one of their cams), I can't believe two full turns isn't enough preload. I'm thinking/hoping I just haven't let it run enough to pump up the lifters but I'll keep ya'll posted.

Good night, Capricorn

 

almost every RWD car/truck has the engine offset to the right ~2" because of clearance for the steering gear on the driver side.... any headers you buy that claim to fit the application should take that into account already.
IDK what headers are on my 93 Dakota (318) as they were put on by the PO but; yes the right side hangs over the control arm more than the left making it a PITA on that side for access to the upper control arm bolts when time comes it needs an alignment, (which isnt very often) but they fit and the stock original Y pipe is bolted up to the headers.
There have been some articles in the various car magazines over the years that I have seen, (like Car Craft Hot Rod etc) of guys doing custom builds and "centering" the engine for weight bias.
but consider this; if theres only 1 person in the truck it has to be the driver. and gas tanks are usually biased to the driver side... so that being said there's your "counter balance"

 

Wow, I took the truck out for a test drive and I can't believe the difference in torque and the way it accelerates. After I filled the coolant system up I fired it up and there was hardly any valve train noise but the idle was a bit shaky and still is but I'm going to attribute that to a new computer and maybe a bigger cam. It set three codes right off the bat but they didn't turn on the light again after the initial crank-up so I'm guessing they aren't hard faults so far. I only wish I could have installed the headers.

I appreciate the response Volaredon, I wish I knew what headers will fit if you guys will give me a clue. Maybe the replacement JBA will fit, really all that was wrong was the flange connector was twisted in a bad orientation so the pipe flange wouldn't bolt up without frame interference and I paid over $500 for these things so they should fit, right?

Anyway I feel confident I can get to work now on Monday.