I have a 2001 ram 1500 with the 3.9l engine. I upgrade the throttle body to one from a v8, installed a 180 degree thermostat, upgraded the plugs and wires and run synthetic oil. I haven't installed a cold air intake yet. I also have a set of headers for it which I've had pretty much since I've had the truck. I recently got around to trying to put the headers on but first had to make a block off plate for the passenger side header. Apparently some kind of sensor which I don't have was supposed to mount on one of the runners. Then I started checking to make sure all the bolts would fit. The passenger side seems fine but on the driver's side the #2 and #4 bolt won't fit. The exhaust tubes are bent too sharply making them too close to the flange to get the bolt in. I thought about maybe using a couple of short studs in the block. What do you guys think other than get a v8.

 

Can you start the bolts before any of the others are tightened down??

 

This what I'm looking at.

 

Wow, that's just not going to work..... Can you even get the bolts into the holes???

 

Nope, that's the problem. Even if I put some short studs in there I could only get a couple threads on the nut. Clearly who ever designed these never installed headers before.

 

Slot that hole... start that bolt, then slide the slotted hole around the bolt, then install the rest of the bolts.

 

I thought about that as well.

 

Don’t be afraid to dent the tube to give yourself a bit more clearance... it doesn’t hurt performance.

 

Yup, I was hoping this was going to be an easy/pretty install based on how the passenger side looks but I'm gonna need a big hammer. They're shorty headers so who knows how they'll line up with the y-pipe.