I recently installed the factory HO headers on my cat along with an aftermarket offroad H-pipe, sounds great btw, but one major problem reared its ugly ugly head. The column shift linkage doesn't clear the headers at all. I was luckily able to finangle it enough :hick: to be able to drive it temporarily but a floor shifter is essential for this install or some modification of the likage rod coming down from the column. Also the HO headers have a different bolt spacing then the non HO manifolds so an aftermarket H-pipe will not bolt up to the factory manifolds:punchballs:. So now i'm buying an aftermarket floor shifter swith a cable so I don't have to take out the valve body:shakeass:. Has anyone put one in their car?
All i had to do with long tubes was move the pivot on the k member a few inches forward not a hard or bad modification.
Mine will not allow me to move it enought to clear the headers. So for now the pivot rod is resting on one of the studs, until I can get a new shifter.
I did a V6 to V8 swap and was able to use the factory HO headers by just adding 1in spacers b/t the trans bell housing and pivot bracket.The bracket on the K member is in the V6 location. There's no binding and it shifts great.
I just moved the mount for the linkage around a bit. If you get greative and play with it, and the on the H isn't welded on ( Mine wasn't) then you can just swivle it around a bit to clear it. I have about 3/8" clearence from the exhaust tube to the shifter linkage. But if you want floor shift anyways, more power to ya bro
New motor mounts can get you the clearance you need. ;)
Is this an AOD then? If so...the bracket that bolts to the framerail, next to the column, can be drilled for new mounting holes. I had to do this on the convertible when it still had the column shifter. IIRC I moved the lever down about 1/2" or so. The trick is to keep that shift lever bar perpendicular; if it tilts much, the shifter will bind. Also, if you do this and run through the gears, make SURE you have all the low gears. I was missing 1 for awhile, on the shifter, until I monkeyed with that bracket some more. Oh yeah, I had to put some header tape on the shift lever bar for added protection from the header...otherwise there was a hellacious squeak. ;)
If you still want to put a floor shifter in, I have instructions on the site here (http://www.coolcats.net/tech/advanced/floorshift_aod.html).
I actualy just put a Summit off road H pipe in with my FMS stainless shorties and I got it to clear fine with no mods to the linkage. All I did was remove the bottom stud from the header and used a short bolt with a nut on the top facing the motor. Works fine and no leaks. I'll see if I can get a pic for you tomorrow.
Same here is you need
Pics not the greatest but if you use a bolt, nut, and washers on the lower part of the header collector instead of the stud it will clear the shifter linkage. Put the nut on the TOP FACING THE ENGINE.
(http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/1206000-1206999/1206962_80_full.jpg)
I'll just get the B&M hammer, cable shifting ftw. I could not absolutly not move the linkage enough to get it to clear the which is welded. All I really need to do is take off the rod that comes down from the column, add maybe 1/4 ince to it and it would clear. But whatever I have this hole in my console where a floor shifter is supposed to go so why not? And If I use an aftermarket cable style shifter I don't have to take out my valve body or fabricate some fancy linkage for the XR7 shifter plus the XR7's handle is in rough shape.
The old thread's back there somewhere, but I think the search function lost it the last time the database went kerflooie.
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(http://www3.telus.net/neat/pics1/aod_linkage.gif)
(http://www3.telus.net/neat/pics1/linkage-under.jpg)
Hmm my FMS stainless GT-40P shorties and 2.5" H pipe fit fine around the linkage. All I had to do was use a bolt instead of the stud on the lower part of the collector. Could be because I have brand new motor mounts though.
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/84fila/000_2351.jpg)
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/84fila/000_2352.jpg)
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/84fila/000_2353.jpg)
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/84fila/000_2354.jpg)
I got the shifter in and it looks great I didnt actually have to drop the valve body to flip the linkage on the tranny around It really was pretty easy.
Pics?
thanks for this, im gonna try it this week and see how it goes, i wanna drive my car again, its been like a month:mad:
All I dod on mine was drill 1 new hole about 1/2" above the front bolt on the triangle bracket and used that as the new bolt hole. On the trans I used 2 lugnuts as spacers to move the other bracket out. After that I just adjusted the shifter and all is well. No welding nescesory.
do you have any pics of what you did, and what kind of setup do you have, im guessing headers and hpipe rite
Yes, HO headers and H pipe. If I get a chance later I'll put the car up on a lift and snap some pics.
Why are you guys having so much trouble with interference? My stuff fit fine and all I had to do was swap out a stud on the header exhaust for a nut and bolt. The shifter gets all gear positions as well.
thunderjet, i have tried everything, i changed thestud to a bolt it still hit, i got it bolted up once but it was just to much of a bind and i couldnt get it out of park, so idk, maybe its somthing else idk, mine is just hitting way to much
When I had my Cougar I tried a set of Mac long tubes on it. They went in and bolted up, but I discovered a serious flaw with my first test drive - every time I floored it the rocking of the engine would knock the car into neutral. After a trip around the block I took 'em back off and installed a set of Mustang shorties and H-pipe.
I've solved that problem in my T-Bird for when I eventually install long tubes: I ditched the automatic altogether :D
I guess it could be the way my headers point down :dunno:
I'm not sure I should evn THINK about posting my solution....I know I did once I cant remember the results....but I'd have to be prepared for some intense heckle incoming fire :evilgrin:
im down to hear what you did, i wont bash ya
Hehehehe what I did was grind a notch out of the horizontal shaft, a little more than halfway through the thickness, and I cut off *one* of the six sides on the nut almost all of the way so looking at it from the side the threads look like nasty pointy teeth :hick:. Aaaaand just tightened it enough so that the missing side would be facing the shaft LOL. Fits like a glove theres more than 1/8" inch of clearance at all shift positions!
That's basically how mine looks except I just removed the stud and used a bolt and nut :D Plenty of room for the shifter.
well i dont guess thats too bad, atleast you get to drive it haha, well im going to try something, thanks for that, it dont look that bad honestly, and who will know its like that haha
Its true....I felt silly but at the same time ingenious because, well, 5/6 of the strength of the bolt is still there!!! :hick: Has worked great, still nice and tight, and the movement of the shaft is no problem.
well that sounds good enough, i mite try that if i cant get it another way,
i just made new brackets to fix my headers / column shift problems. i will upload some pictures later showing how i did my brackets.
yes please do, im going to try start on mine today after work, and would like to see your pics
the setup i made works with the c5 transmission so my v6 can use longtube headers.heres my pictures. they are before and after photos. will get more photos of these brackets on the car later.(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0003.jpg)(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0004.jpg)(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0006.jpg)(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0014.jpg)(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0013.jpg)(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii52/blackcougar84/PIC-0012.jpg)