Headers on 351W in -84 Cougar

May 11, 2006, 05:41:31 PM

Hey there. I have just rebuilt my -84 Cougar from 3.8 V6 to 351W. But since I got the engine from E-150, I found out during the installation of the engine, that the driver's side exhaust manifold hit the steering column linkage, so I removed the manifold (Exhaust manifolds on E-150's have the exhaust outlet almost on the middle of the manifold). My question now is, will Flowtech's headers for Mustangs with 5.0 fit my car, (I can get hold of a pair of flowtech mustang headers cheap) or will Mac headers for Mustangs with 351W fit my car? And before you ask, yes the car do have a column shifter.

Do Not Try To Use Flowtech Junk!!!

Reply #1 – May 24, 2006, 06:32:55 AM

I have a 1978 Fairmont, 302, C4 (164 tooth ring gear), and column shift. The numb-skull at Flowtech (Holley) tech. support swore up and down that the long tube headers for 79-86? Mustang would fit right on my car...."no problem!" :flip: Well that was BS

!!! The headers have "slip tubes" and the idea is that you're supposed to be able to cut the where they indicate (small cuts started) remove certain tubes, install the header, and then slip the tubes in place after. What a disaster!!! The driver's side header ended up against the steering column and up against the motor mount....would not fit. The passenger side was worse!!! The collector was butted up against the starter buldge on the transmission and was also up against the motor mount...nowhere near bolting up to the head!!! I screwed around for more than half a day trying to get the headers to fit; I even unbolted and raised the motor (which the tech. assured me I would not have to do). They would not fit, not even close, no matter what I tried. I ended up selling them and using stock 5.0L Mustang headers.