Header Removal Tip #2465

[Kevan]

Plan on seeing a full DIY article for header/exhaust manifold removal & installation, but in the meantime I figured I'd help out with a VERY important tip for those attempting this fairly easy project.

REMOVE BOTH POS. AND NEG. BATTERY CABLES!!!

Why?
Because the header gaskets are like a deck of aluminum cards, and they fall apart when you remove the headers/manifolds.

So what?
The attached pic shows what.

When the 'cards' fall on the driver's side, they WILL fall DIRECTLY onto the POS terminal on the starter.
The picture is NOT staged.
That's how it landed when I pulled the last bolt out.

REMOVE BOTH POS. AND NEG. BATTERY CABLES!!!
Or you will have a serious arc'ing party happening.

I'm going to look into some type of rubber boot to protect that connection, not only from falling header gasket 'cards', but also from the elements.
Updates will be in the DIY article.

Be safe out there folks!

 

[eucharistos]

thanks for the tip and pic

 

[Viper Specialty]

hahahaha, been there, done that.

Want to know what else is fun? Wear a gold necklace, lean over the car, and tighten that terminal. While you are doing that with wrench in hand, have the necklace fall out of your shirt and touch ground.

Let me know how your new tattoo turns out, lol!

While 12V isnt enough to zap you in most cases unless your hands are sweating or you have some serious surface area and pressure on what you are holding... necklaces, bracelets, and rings multiply the surface area contacting the skin, and will get VERY hot, VERY fast if they touch ground, enough to leave a burn mark in the shape of whatever you are wearing. So... I hope you like Figaro, 'cause you wont be taking that one off for a while!

 

[ROCKET62]

While this is a good reminder to disconnect the battery before doing any work - there is no need to disconnect both cables. Even with this situation pictured, IF the negative cable is disconnected from the battery (and was not touching the negative terminal at all), there would be no sparks, arcing or anything as there is not a completed circuit.

BTW - isnt getting the stock exhaust manifold out a real treat? My biggest tip is to make sure to cover the valve covers with some duct tape to avoid any scratching.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Same for a Gen2. My drivers gasket fell in the same spot and turned red. lol

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

While this is a good reminder to disconnect the battery before doing any work - there is no need to disconnect both cables. Even with this situation pictured, IF the negative cable is disconnected from the battery (and was not touching the negative terminal at all), there would be no sparks, arcing or anything as there is not a completed circuit.

That was what I was thinking.

Just a guess Kevan, but did you disconnect the terminals at the battery or the terminals in the engine compartment?

 

[Kevan]

While this is a good reminder to disconnect the battery before doing any work - there is no need to disconnect both cables. Even with this situation pictured, IF the negative cable is disconnected from the battery (and was not touching the negative terminal at all), there would be no sparks, arcing or anything as there is not a completed circuit.

That was what I was thinking.

True.
I was going for utmost safety.
An extra 20 seconds could save someone with some kooky wiring a lot of headache/pain. You know how some stereo shops can be....

BTW - isnt getting the stock exhaust manifold out a real treat? My biggest tip is to make sure to cover the valve covers with some duct tape to avoid any scratching.

Ahhh, young Jedi....but engine bay headers do not come in or go out of; wheel wells they must.


Actually, I haven't tried it on one of the cars yet.
But on the trucks, going through the wheel wells is ABSOLUTELY the way to go.

Just a guess Kevan, but did you disconnect the terminals at the battery or the terminals in the engine compartment?

In the Viper trucks, there's usually just the one battery connection: at the battery.