Well, we got everything off and figured, well now to the easy part, just put the new ones in place and torque the bolts down... wrong.

First problem was the transmission tab that AF_HEMI had removed on his instructions, so we did that after realising it would really have to be done.

Then we put it all together, but the #6 bolt, pictured in AF_Hemi's instuctions would not go in. Upon further inspection we saw that even though all the other bolts were lining up, this one was way off, almost a quarter inch.

Another thing I still don't think makes sense is that there are two o2 bungs, but I only have sensors on one side, so I'm going to have to find some kind of plug... or did I somehow get a wrong pipe... I've double checked all the part numbers.

Last but not least on the driver side there is going to be a conflict with the fuel lines and some electrical... which it said nothing about in the instructions. It doesn't make any sense.

Anyone have experience with these headers on a 5.7L 2wd 2003 1500?

 

i used zip ties to keep the fuel lines and electrical connections off the headers. if you got them ceramic coated theres no risk of melting anything unless they touch. if they're regular ones, you may consider using a peice of aluminum and fabbing a heat sheild for them.

As for the bolt im not really sure. mine lined up no problem. Try just starting each bolt a turn or two and seeing if they'll all start.

As for the 02 bungs, mine came with only one on each collector. if you only have 2 o2 sensors its because you have the exhaust setup leftover from '02 (same as me). These headers sometimes have 4 o2 bungs to allow all 4 o2 from 03+ to plug in. Go to any exhaust shop and they have bungs that will plug the holes.

 

I'll get them figured out.

I think what I'm going to do, for the 2nd time now, is take the header off again and just make sure all the bolts thread freely in and out of where they go.. then put the header back on, starting from front and working back...

I got the ceramic coated ones, but just on the outside. The y-pipe, however is normal, just didn't see heat from that point being as big a problem as the headers.

I guess I just wonder if it is at all possible that Pacesetter, in their infinite wisdom, might just have on the one I got, screwed up and drilled just a little bit off of the mold.

 

its possible. who'd you get it through? take some pictures and send them pictures. they might send you another set

 

Put the gasket on the header and test to see if all the bolts go thru straight, or see if all the holes (gasket header) line up so if the header lines up good to the gasket (your template) then all the bolts should go in straight thru onto the head unless the header is hitting something down below as to not allow the header surface at the head to cant in and seat flush. Not familiar with the 2wd, so just a thought. Good Luck.

 

Hey if you dont mind me asking where about in West Texas are you?

Do you plan on running cats?

ZW

 

If its the front header bolt on the passenger side (closest to the radiator) thats for the EGR valve, mine did not want to line up at all.

If your truck has 2 cats then it should have the o2's on each side.

Also one issue I ran into with mine is that the passengerside o2 bung was at the wrong angle and when I dropped it on the ground before I installed the O2 sensor the bung was hitting the heat shield on the floor. Had to pound a good sized dent into the floor board to get it to clear with the sensor installed.

Pacesetters are godd headers however I think thier quality control is a little off

 

I have heard of that happening before on installs and having to be relocated/modified. Floorpan, thats OK at least you didn't have to Bang the header with a hammer like in the old Days (70s-80's) ha ha.

Also that reminds me was supposed to confirm if 03's got the egr up there, but as mentioned by AF earlier only O2 sensors x2 on pass side. We also (03's) only got one Cat at the start of the Y.

 

I'll take it off, because the gasket is Mopar... I saw the gasket that Pacesetter sent and figured it'd be better used for something else... I'll find a use for it -- but they seriously send a round peg for a square hole?

I suppose that if the gasket lines up with everything on the block, but not everything on the header that it must be off -- I got the headers through summitracing, 77c2211, and the y-pipe through moesracing.

That'll be a trip if they don't line up, the truck'll be down for a week... damn.

BLk05hemi, I'm in Lubbock. I'm going back and forth about cats, haven't looked what foulers entail into to much detail, but would probably like to just run a 3" glass pipe off the y-pipe, then dump it. With that in mind I could use the current 02's as plugs for the bungs.

Other thing I'm running into is that the heat protector deal on the cab on the driver side, not the metal but the fabric, broke one of those plastic deals with the previous owner and stretched itself out over the course of time.

I have not been able to get that thing to lay back down straight no matter what.... I'm wondering how much it would hurt or help just to get rid of it.

 

That's the bolt it is. Any recommendations, or what did you end up doing?