Crites Headers Installation

Finally got started putting these in my 65 Galaxie.

First thing I noticed out of the box was about a 1 inch section where the # 6 tube part of the main collector was not welded. It would be a major leak as I could see clear through it. Good thing I have a welder. Easy fix.
Next. I broke one exhaust bolt in the head. Oh well, nothing can be easy. Move to the other side for now.
Other side unbolts smoothly, plenty of room up front by the oil filter, awfully close to the power steering box though, and, # 7 tube does not fit. Tried the rebending thing, got it closer, ugh. 5 hours later, and I don't even have one side connected up yet. Stay tuned.......
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Sorry so much trouble[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bicker.gif[/img]If it were me as soon as I saw the unwelded part they would have been shipped right back.At $300 + thats unexceptible.
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Mine are almost touching the steering box and the oil filter but fit very good.
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Well. Finally finished. I wish the Left side was as easy as the right side was. What I found was the last 2 pipes (closest to the fire wall) on the left side hit each other, and clearance to the steering pump was tight. The right side was clear all the way. I did need to move my transmission lines, but that was easy enough.
For the broken stud, First I welded a nut on the end, and tried to torque it off, only to brake it off shorter. Screw it, I welded a stud to it, put on the pipe, and put a nut on the stud. I plan on doing new heads down the road anyway.
After attaching the current exhaust (quick fix) to her, I fired her up. Leaky collectors, kinda new it was gonna happen based on the pipe angle from the old exhaust, That'll be fixed soon enough. A local shop just did a 65 Galaxie exhaust, so, it will get 2 1/2" to the mufflers, and 2 1/4" tail pipes. 40 series Flowmaster mufflers.
I tell ya, what a difference in power!!! She can breath!!

When you put the 4 pipes in the collector did you leave the bolts on the head loose?Much easier that way.AS for the leaks I (this sounds stupid but...)wrapped heavy tin foil around the collector joint then wrapped the normal header wrap around that.The tin foil wraps nice and tight around it thats why I did that first and this fixed 98% of the leak.If I may I would suggest using 2 1/2 all the way out the back.Why choke it back down after opening it up?
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When you put the 4 pipes in the collector did you leave the bolts on the head loose? Yes.


Much easier that way.AS for the leaks I (this sounds stupid but...)wrapped heavy tin foil around the collector joint then wrapped the normal header wrap around that.The tin foil wraps nice and tight around it thats why I did that first and this fixed 98% of the leak.

The leak is not at the collector/ header joint, but at the splice behind the collector joint. I used a re sealable gasket (can't remember the name) of an aluminum type material. Collector is 2 1/2", pipe is 2 1/4 inch, and nasty old, and at the wrong angle to boot, but good enough to get it to the muffler shop.


If I may I would suggest using 2 1/2 all the way out the back.Why choke it back down after opening it up

Spacing. I guess the did one (65 with a 390) all the way back 2 1/2 to factory specks, and it rattled somthing fierce. 2 1/4 gave it more room over the axle. Anyone else runinto this on a 65?

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Unless the shop has a mandrel bend set up, uses "U" bends that are cut and fitted...a normal pipe bender will crush the pipe trying tomake that tight a radius turn, causing more restriction, when trying to get a 2 1/2 pipe over the rear axel and snaked past that upright gas tank, shocks, coils and panard bar. It is real "busy" under the back end of the 65. Funny how that extra 1/4 in. can make so much difference going over the axel.


I watched guys at 2 different shops trying to get 'er done on mine. We finally took it to a shop run by this cranky old bastard....took about 1 1/2 hours to finish. He wouldn't touch it unless he did the whole job over, from headers to tail pipe. Running 3 in. to the muffler, put the mufflers as far back as possible before making the turn to go over the axel, then 2 1/2 out the muffler..
Still, my way of thinking about this is....by the time the exhaust has gone thru the muffler (loses a lot of heat energy) the difference between a 2 1/2 or 2 1/4 is not that much if you are running full exhaust to the rear bumper. The exhaust gases have cooled down quite a bit by then. If you had to neck it down to 2 in., 1 7/8 or less, then I would be more concerned. I have the same skepticizm when I hear about picking up 15 - 20 horsepower from a "Cat-back" system on the fox-body and up Mustangs...the muffler restriction, has a lot more to do with exhaust flow than the pipes...unless you bolluxed the job.

Got the exhaust done today. 2 1/2' pipes, 2 1/4" tailpipes (stock design), and Flowmaster 40 series Mufflers. Sounds and goes NICE!

I am sorry that you had a hard time installing your headers I would have been doing this [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bicker.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bicker.gif[/img][img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_bicker.gif[/img] if the headers I had gotten wasnt welded completely. Mine went on fairly simple I did have to do some modification on my frame mount on the drivers side by the number 6 header tube to get mine to fit on that side. Other than that the rest of the tubes was no problem.
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