Problem with Duff's ceramic header

[Mountain Ram]

I won't complain about pics of your rig... I still love that color.

On the the headers, I have installed a few sets of headers, long and short, but not Duffs. They are all a tight fit, but i wonder if the bolt hole issue and bell housing issue are related. Having the body off, I would have made sure there was no contact anywhere.

 

[JAFO]

Yep. Hind sight is 20/20 every time. I'm 56 and have had many sessions in the school of hard knocks. Next set of headers will get more inspection. My interaction with Duff's was a bit frustrating in that the tech said he tried all their other headers in stock and found no fit issue. I wanted to say "Well send me another one because this is a piece of shit", but he never offered and I never said it.

 

[ZOSO]

I have a set of duffs headers that have been on since the mid 90's. Only issue with them is they always leak. no other fitment issues but they are bolted to a 351w so its wider and taller.

 

[bronconut73]

I wish you had a better experience with Duffs. I really love those folks and everything they do for the eb community.
I have been running some chrome Duff headers since around '92 or so....
Minimal rust, no leaks.

Again sorry for your bad experience,......

 

[Firedog67]

I just installed Duff headers and no issues at all. No visible contact areas and bolts lined up.

I am very pleased with mine

Sorry it doesnt help your situation
Nice build!

 

[jasonb]

I just started to install my Duffs headers last week. The drivers side went on relatively easily, but I had a really hard time getting the bolts all started on the right side. Once I got them started, I couldn't get them tight. It looks like the bolt hole spacing is not quite right. I got frustrated and walked away. I will say that they look like they fit the chassis/engine/trans really well. They are not hitting or rubbing anywhere that I can see. I have a C4 trans though. I might end up pulling the right side back out and opening the bolt holes up just a bit. I bought these headers when we were Tennessee in August of 2015. So maybe they had a bad run of them? I will try to get them to tighten up, but if I can't get them I will call Duffs and see what they will do. My service there has always been top notch.

 

[bronconut73]

I just started to install my Duffs headers last week. The drivers side went on relatively easily, but I had a really hard time getting the bolts all started on the right side. Once I got them started, I couldn't get them tight. It looks like the bolt hole spacing is not quite right. I got frustrated and walked away. I will say that they look like they fit the chassis/engine/trans really well. They are not hitting or rubbing anywhere that I can see. I have a C4 trans though. I might end up pulling the right side back out and opening the bolt holes up just a bit. I bought these headers when we were Tennessee in August of 2015. So maybe they had a bad run of them? I will try to get them to tighten up, but if I can't get them I will call Duffs and see what they will do. My service there has always been top notch.

Duff has an install instruction/procedural trick.
You have to start with the two toughest clearance issue bolts that way you have some wiggle room. Pushing the bolts all the way through the flange so you can turn them. Once they are both slowly tightened down with the bolt head close to the flange the whole time.
Then you can put the other bolts in.
At least that's what the instructions said 25 years ago when I did mine....

 

[JAFO]

I just started to install my Duffs headers last week. The drivers side went on relatively easily, but I had a really hard time getting the bolts all started on the right side. Once I got them started, I couldn't get them tight. It looks like the bolt hole spacing is not quite right. I got frustrated and walked away. I will say that they look like they fit the chassis/engine/trans really well. They are not hitting or rubbing anywhere that I can see. I have a C4 trans though. I might end up pulling the right side back out and opening the bolt holes up just a bit. I bought these headers when we were Tennessee in August of 2015. So maybe they had a bad run of them? I will try to get them to tighten up, but if I can't get them I will call Duffs and see what they will do. My service there has always been top notch.

Exact same issue I had. And when I went to remove the header it was a bit of a pita. I don't like having to install or remove something in some strange sequence. That to me is a poor design. Reminds me of watching those dorks on Orange County Choppers. They would build some bike and to get the rear tire off you'd have to remove all the fenders and all sorts of stupid design decisions. I'd be curious how other headers install. But we don't have the luxury of trying things before we spend our hard earned money.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I don't like having to install or remove something in some strange sequence. That to me is a poor design..

I don't know if the headers you have are bad or not... But when working in a very limited area, you have to design everything just right- the OEMs have done this for years- usually in favor of quicker assembly and not in favor of maintenance.

On both of my current rigs, the header challenged me. One set was the Hedman long tubes on a 302 block (347)- wiggling them into the engine bay sucked. Then getting bolts started had to be done in such a way as to get the flange close for some after getting the bolt thru the hole. Then I either had to have a special wrench to tighten some of them or use socket head cap bolts and an allen head socket.

On my BC broncos shorties on my 351, the issue was again with installing the bolts and was similar to the long tubes- they were ceramic coated and easier to locate without scratching. These I did with no body forward of the firewall (crawler build).

Neither are a bad design and both are designed with proper flow dynamics over ease of install. Heck the BCB shorties have a much bigger primary tube, making it even harder! Patience was the key and I have very little of it.

One last note- with the leak at the back two tubes, I wonder if the back of the header was loose and it rested against the trans...

 

[68stang73]

If the header was resting on the bellhousing I'm thinking that is the cause of the leak.I'm sure they will make it right with you. They are great folks over there.

 

[JAFO]

I'll have to contact them. Just been a horrible few months. My wife's brother in-law was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer a few months ago. Family has been doing what they could to make him comfortable. Anyway he passed last Monday night. Funeral is this Thursday. Hope for life to start getting back to normal soon. Makes you realize every day is a gift. And don't put things off. He was a really great guy and it has been tough on everyone.

 

[Mountain Ram]

Sorry for your loss- prayers to you family in their time of grieving.

You are right though- every day is a gift!

 

[broncnaz]

I dont remember if its was Duffs or other brands of headers but the tight fit issue has come up before. One common fix was to bolt the headers up tight and use a lenght of 2x4 to tweak the headers to gain the needed clearance.
Its not easy to get a 100% exact fit rate on all aftermarket parts. especailly ones that require cutting and welding doesnt take much to throw things off a little.

 

[bronconut73]

I dont remember if its was Duffs or other brands of headers but the tight fit issue has come up before. One common fix was to bolt the headers up tight and use a lenght of 2x4 to tweak the headers to gain the needed clearance.
Its not easy to get a 100% exact fit rate on all aftermarket parts. especailly ones that require cutting and welding doesnt take much to throw things off a little.

Ya'know it was 25 years or so ago but I remember having to take a 2x4 and pry against the headers she they were hot to get the collector a little further away from the frame.....

Memory is a funny thing. I had completely forgotten about that until I saw 2x4 in Naz's post.

 

[JAFO]

I can try the 2x4 trick. A 2x4 has worked for other things, just wasn't thinking about bending the header. I guess because it was new and had a coating. And guess I thought I might crack something. I try to avoid making things worse. Wish I had noticed the fit before the coating had been rubbed off. So many little details when restoring a complete truck. Thanks for the replies. Looks like snow is coming and I need to get prepared for that. Get some gas for the generator, make sure the tractor battery is charged and get the blade on so I can clear the long drive.

 

[JAFO]

Sorry for your loss- prayers to you family in their time of grieving.

You are right though- every day is a gift!

Thank you. I will tell the wife. She had been staying with her sister all through the holiday helping her get through this. Was just so sudden. A few months ago Bruce finds out he has brain cancer. Then they discover lung cancer. None of the cancers responded to treatment and the week before Christmas the doctor sent him home so he could pass there. Just so sudden. 67 years old.
You don't want to wait to do stuff and what really matters is your family and your friends. Enjoy life, treat others good and make each day count.

 

[broncnaz]

The coating shouldnt crack mines held up pretty well since 96ish. I've had rocks get flung off the tires and dent the tube with only a small scratch in the coating. No chips or cracks.