Need help-Belanger Header Problem!!!!

[Viperchad]

Trying this post again....didn't seem to work first time. Here's the deal..installed Belanger side pipe kit and headers from Belanger. Passanger side looks great. Drivers side not so good...collector is touching frame and has about 1/16" clearance....touching when running. Passanger side has atleast 1" of clearance. Collector is hitting just before pipe bends down and along sill. Don't know why. System is bolt on...everything is on properly..installed by certified Viper tech. Could the headers be a defect? Collector? Flanged bent pipe? Can't understand why? Engine mounts checked out OK. What the hell else could it be? Why are the two sides so uneven? Haven't been able to get in touch with Lou Belanger. Any suggestions?

Thanks guys,


Chad *frustrated*

 

[KenH]

I installed Belanger headers on my '01 myself and the fit was perfect. I have heard that some other headers require that the motor be shifted on the motor mounts slightly to accomodate header fit on both sides. Perhaps your motor is offset slightly on the mounts and can be adjusted that way.

Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in.

 

[Ray R]

Although I haven't done this with a Viper, I will tell you about a similar experience I had with a Superformance Cobra Replica. The instructions that came with that car said that after installing the engine, header, and sidepipe assemblies, and before starting it for the first time, if the sidepipes were not aligned properly, to place a strap around the sidepipes and pull them into position so that they were even on both sides. Then start the car and allow them to get hot (engine at normal operating temp). I did as instructed, and the pipes stayed in place. If you've ever seen an engine on a dyno, you'll notice that the header pipes glow RED HOT. I'm sure at these temperatures, the metal will give enough to allow them to align.

Like I said....it worked on the Cobra...don't know about the Viper.

Good luck!

 

[Viperchad]

Mechanic has already tried to shim/adjust motor mounts.......no luck. still the same problem. Would have to shim too much.....don't want to risk it.

 

[Cudaman]

One side I believe the driver's wants to be toward the bottom of the whole that goes thru frame. The motor under load will torque up toward the center of that same opening. This will give the opposite(passenger)side room to move up(because of lowering other side. NO need to use shimms.


I had to do this on my car....22,000 miles of trouble free driving.

Oh by the way throw away the paper gasket Belanger sends with it.....use Mopar OEM metal gasket against the heads.


Cudaman

 

[FE 065]

Bottom of collector is hitting or top?

 

[Viperchad]

bottom

 

[PhoenixGTS]

You need to adjust your engine motor mounts. When Lou Belanger put my system on a few weeks ago we walked around the car under the rack when I picked it up. He showed me that whoever had installed the previous Edelbrock headers had used the slotted adjustability of the motor mounts to slightly lean the engine for more frame clearance of the drivers side. He and Damien moved the passenger mount back to normal and the Belanger headers fit fine. I was surprised as I had never seen an adjustable motor mount before. Here is a pic of the positioning on my Gen II (not sure how much different it is).

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[Viperchad]

my mechanic claims he attempted to adjust but had no success....mine is touching right on the frame in the same location of your picture (touching on bottom of round cut out in frame). the whole thing has been extremely frustrating.....hopefully today we can work something out.

 

[Mike Adams]

I have had to adjust motor mounts when installing headers sometimes. They tend to shift

 

[Viperchad]

we're attempting to fabricate a shim for the driver's side motor mount...which makes me nervous. I was told that you will be able to visually see the engine crooked in the compartment. The most frustrating part is the amount of money I now have in this whole project....it's getting rediculous. I never thought it would be so much trouble.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

we're attempting to fabricate a shim for the driver's side motor mount...which makes me nervous. I was told that you will be able to visually see the engine crooked in the compartment. The most frustrating part is the amount of money I now have in this whole project....it's getting rediculous. I never thought it would be so much trouble.

Something major has to be wrong. One of the beauties of the Belanger headers is that because of the tri-y stepdown the final collectors are of a smaller diameter which allows the header to be longer and fit into the sill hole better. You can see from the pic I posted that I have a good finger of width under my drivers side with more room on top so that the torque movement of the engine has room. the passenger side is the same spacing-wise only upside down. From what I remember the motor mounts had a good inch of travel so if that does not do it I would worry something is seriously tweaked. I know that does not help much, but at least it lets you know about one other car.

 

[Viperchad]

Well I finally got the car back today. Had a 1/4" aluminum shim made for driver's side motor mount and exhaust seems to be fine. Problem is that second shop took over the job after I encountered the rubbing problem due to a change in my original mechanics schedule...so when it was all said and done I spent well over $2600 for the materials (headers, cat, mufflers) and labor!!! Gotta love the damnnnn Viper tax ($80/hr)for labor. I could have done a Tubi on a f*****g Ferrari for that kind of money!!! The joys of living in a highrise without the time or space for tools to do things yourself. Hopefully this helps anyone in the future doing a full exhaust on a Gen I car. Next month it's off the the dyno...hopefully all these headaches will be worth it.