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Topic: Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question (Read 4761 times) previous topic - next topic

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Does anyone here have a 5 speed and long tube headers? I am going to install a set and was wondering if there's any issues with header to clutch cable?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #1 –
http://forums.corral.net/forums/general-mustang-tech/1157643-clutch-cable-long-tubes-what-do-you-guys-do-87-93-a.html
^^^ this might help. Do a bit of reading, maybe look at post #16

-Kyle
1986 Ford Thunderchicken, 5.0 AOD w/ Shift kit,  354,XXX miles. 1-Family owned. Original engine+trans.
8.8 Disc Rear w/ 3.73 Posi. CHE Control Arms. '04 Cobra brakes all around. 2000 Cobra R wheels. Tubular front LCA's. MM Steering Shaft. Unlocked Speedo, Lowering springs, Eibach sway bars front and rear. Ram air intake.

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #2 –
I read it. Seems like the answers go back and forth. I'm sure a few members here have long tubes.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #3 –
I have BBK 1-3/4 long tubes on my 5.0 with stock bellhousing and a t5. Zero issues
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #4 –
Sounds like a lot of those headers are for automatic trans equipped cars.


86' T/C 4.6L DOHC
16' Chebby Cruze 1.4L Turbo
17’ Peterbilt 389 600hp 1850ftlb Trq 18spd

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

“Heavy Metal Mistress”
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Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #5 –
I had LT's when I had my 5.0 and T-5 in my '83 and had zero issues but I did wrap my clutch cable in header wrap.  Same thing I did when I put the 351W in the car, thread is here and scroll down to Post #5:

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?38519

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #6 –
Vinnie. I contemplated LTs as well. I actually have a set that came with a parts car. When I looked at the pros and cons, I decided the few HP in difference wasn't worth the effort as I don't race this one. Shortys and the X pipe give me enough along without the hassle we're talking here and ease of service. This comming from a guy who lived to race! When I built this, I constantly had to pull back on cam, intake, gears, heads etc, as I went this route on my Comet. The Cougar is nice to get in,turn on the A/C and get 26 mpg as compared to the Comet that takes Av gas, gets 11mpg doesn't have an ounce of insulation in it!    LOL ��
84 COUGAR/90 HO, 1.7RRs, performer RPM,700DP, equal length shorties, stainless EXH ,T-5,Hurst pro-billet, KC clutch, 8.8/ 4.10s, line-lok, bla ,bla, bla.
71 COMET/289,351w heads, 12.5 TRWs, 750DP, Liberty TL, 9"/6.00s, 11.9x @112 , bla,bla,bla.

Never shoot your mouth off, unless your brain is loaded! ....I may get older, but I'll never grow up!....If you're not laughing, you're not living!  :laughing:

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #7 –
Well if you get them in let us know how they fit. I've contemplated long tubes, but that would require converting to a floor shift. Plus I'm not sure the long tubes would clear the stock engine mounts, so then I'd have to swap to a Fox Mustang K-member. Probably why I still have shorty headers :hick:.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #8 –
I should also point out that access to the starter can be a huge pain in be ass with LT's. Overall running unequal length shorties is the simplest and provide easy access to plugs, don't foul most components, and the torque/hp gain is just not that much for all the effort to install LT's. I would have gone this route on my old 302 combo knowing what I know today. The 351W is a whole other beast so that is why I opted for LT's.

I would say that if I was starting from scratch and if the LT's were available I would go that route. On an existing build that had stock Mustang shorties I would drop in the unequal lengths (or equal lengths if I found a good set cheap) and be done with it. If the plan was a power adder or stroker down the road then I would again debate the LT's as they respond better as the mass flow rate through the exhaust increases.

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #9 –
I had long tubes on my '91 Mustang GT T5 car with 0 issues with clearance. I did, however, thermal-wrap my clutch cable and bent the standoff bracket (the one that bolts to the frame) to tuck the cable closer to the framerail and further away from the primary header tubes.

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #10 –
In traded a minty set of headlights for a brand new set of ceramic coated long tubes by BBK, brand new and the box also has gaskets and fasteners. I figured why not? I'll give it a try. I hope to install them in a week. I'll grab pics and do a small write up on the headers and the installaion. I also have a BBK H-Pipe to go on as well. If everything works as it should, I'll pull my BBK shorties and current H-Pipe and shelve them.

I'm currently using a three piece off road H-Pipe (maybe a year old), and really like it. The three piece design allows a bit of flexibility when installing, and I can pull the T-5 without dropping the whole H-Pipe, just the down pipe from the driver side header.

I do understand that swapping a starter may be a bit more time consuming, but, I figured that since I built the car from the ground up, moving a header to swap a starter wasn't that big of a deal. LOL.

I'm going to read up on BBK header gaskets. I actually use felPro factory style gaskets with my current headers. never had an issue. I've used "header" gaskets before  and the ones I had literally broke apart.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #11 –
The BBK gaskets that came with mine lasted about 3k street miles before they burned out. I put REMFLEX gaskets after that.
Brian R.
88 2.3t Ranger
83 TC  gt40p motor,Vortech,TFS1 cam,long tubes,MS PnP,T5,8.8,17x9 Cobra 17s

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #12 –
I believe I'll grab a set of better gaskets.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #13 –
The headers are on. Actually easy to install. I did have to unbolt the motor mounts from the crossmember and lift the engine about two inches to install them, but no big deal. They seem fine except for one thing, maybe it's normal, maybe not.....the car feels like there's a bit more vibration in the floor. It may be the way it is with long tubes as opposed to the shorty headers. It feels like there's a bit more torque down low. I'm going to do a tune up, then see what she can do.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Long tube headers and a 5 speed.....question

Reply #14 –
this is why we mod'd the k member.  follow the copper brake line down and note the missing metal on the k member.  the gussets on both sides are cut away.

with all the other bracing we did on my son's 87coug, taking these small pieces away is moot i think.

looking under a car with the stock k member, these gussets take up a huge amount of exhaust pipe exit opening.

with the gussets gone, there is so much more room to make anything end up working out.