[mrtonegto]

65 A-body, trans. and BH removed, is this possible?

[71lemanssprt]

YES it is possible but you will hav e to loosen up the header to do it , better to remove or unbolt and drop down out the way.

[mrtonegto]

Trying to avoid messing with the bolts, been on there too long, dont want to deal with them snapping. Just want 6 more mos. from this engine.

[engineer]

if you don't loosen the bolts, can't get engine out. header bolts should come loose compared to stock exhaust manifold bolts. you did put anti seize on them when installed.

[mrtonegto]

Wasn't my build, dont know if anti seize was put on them. I doubt it, based on what else I found tearing out rest of drivetrain.

[bradley fideldy]

Had a 66 with headers......couldn't get the motor out with headers on......pulled the entire front clip even and it wouldn't come out. Didn't try loosening the bolts, but if I remember right it wasn't even close to coming out. Simply couldn't get the motor high enough before it hit the in the back.....but the headers wouldn't clear the front crossmember. If I remember right the headers would only go in from the bottom, even with the front clip off.

Not sure how valid all this is with a 65 though

[tempest455]

Jack the car up, go through the fender wells and get the headers off before you proceed.

[mrtonegto]

I dont see why it would different than your 66. I was hoping for some angle - but I guess not! I'll go easy on the wrench and if any give me trouble I'll try putting some heat to the bolt head, a long shot but better to try they shear one.
Who knows, might get lucky!

[71lemanssprt]

as i see it you have to remove the headers try these ideas to get bolts out 1, heat bolts up with torch then while warm (not glowing)try to remove them 2 cut the bolt heads off then remove after engine is removed. good luck

[mrtonegto]

Kind of tight, wouldnt it be? to cut off the heads

[Billy177]

soak em with pb blaster a lot as well

[b-man]

Remove the engine with the headers attached? Ain't gonna happen.

I can't imagine a more difficult task, with the bolts loose or not.

Buy some PB Blaster and soak all the header bolts. Fashion some wrenches to get at the difficult ones, cut some down or heat and bend with a torch to make it happen.

Gotta remove all the header bolts, and lift the engine out with the headers laying in the engine compartment.

[tempest455]

ARP stainless bolts seem cheap after you fuss w/ rusted headers bolts.

[engineer]

stainless bolts for headers not a good idea. Different thermal expansion with SS versus steel header flange and cast or alum. block for more leakage, not to mention galling and ability to pull threads out of block. prefer using anti sieze and standard header bolts.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Never have been able to get any Pontiac engine out of a stock chassis with the headers attached.

I have a bunch of 7/16" wrenches with different head sizes and angles just for the headers. It takes time, and sometimes you need to tighten the bolt just a tad before you loosen it. That seems to help with mine. When you put it back together, some anti sieze and buy quality bolts rather than the cheap autozone types.

[mrtonegto]

Thumpin, so what is a quality bolt. I've read no stainless - makes sense.
What are you using and where did you get them?
Open too for anyone with input

[tempest455]

You should probably tell ARP that. They probably only sell a few million a year!



http://www.arp-bolts.com/Catalog/Catalog.html

I have used nothing but stainless for the last 5 years and the ARP stainless w/ the rolled threads held better than any I used in the last 20 years.