Mopar Big Block Wire Retainer Kit Instructions

[MoparGuy68]

I have one of these kits on order, that was shipped out a couple days ago from Classic Industries. I'm assuming there will be no instructions, and I've not been able to find good enough photos showing the exact location of all 7 pieces.

This should probably be a sticky for people that have never owned a factory stock big block Mopar or a big block Mopar period, prior to attempting to install these pieces.

I'll list where I think they should go, or a question mark if I am unsure. Then you guys that know this stuff well, can correct me. The parts are labeled with the letters seen below in my photo.

A - Attaches to 1st driver side exhaust manifold stud
B - Attaches to 1st passenger side exhaust manifold stud
C - Attaches to 3rd head bolt on driver side
D - Attaches to 2nd head bolt on passenger side
E - Attaches to passenger side bolt on water neck
F - Attaches to 6th (last) passenger side exhaust manifold stud
G - Attaches to intake manifold rail on driver side

 

[turbine68rt]

66-68 bracket guide
http://www.hoffmanswinnerscircle.com/Wire_Kit_Guide_1.htm
69-up guide
http://www.hoffmanswinnerscircle.com/Wire_Kit_Guide_2.htm

 

[cosgig]

A,B, E and F are correct. G is pictured, C goes under the head bolt on the drivers side under the 2nd plug, my car does not have one in the same location on the passenger side.

 

[Ranger16]

Boy, I'd love to get one of those kits, but removing 50 year old manifold bolts scares the **** out of me.

 

[MoparGuy68]

Thanks guys. I have updated my photo key with the correct information. I'm not 100% clear where G is actually bolted down, as the plug wires are covering it up in cogig's photo. Is the intake manifold in the photo stock cast iron? My intake is a aluminum Mopar Performance M1 dual plane. I think I know where it should go now.. I'll post a pic of my engine later to confirm.

 

[turbine68rt]

G bracket uses the outermost valley pan rail bolt. It's pictured in both sets of guide photos in post #2.

 

[MoparGuy68]

In the photos you can see 8 large engine head bolts, painted orange.

Some of the wire retainers, C & D, need to be anchored by those BIG orange bolts (bolt #3 for C on driver side head and bolt #2 for D on passenger side head). I also have a dual heat shield that needs to be held in place by two of these orange bolts (#6 & #7) on the passenger side head.

If I remove bolt #3 for C and bolt #2 for D (one at a time, and torque back to spec one at a time), will this likely disrupt the head gasket and cause me to have to remove the entire engine head?

Same thing if I remove bolt #6 and #7 on passenger side (these two cannot be done one at a time)? Both of these two bolts are required to hold the single double shield in place, so they would have to be removed together and torqued back down together.

My exhaust manifolds are being ceramic coated (inside and out) with Cerakote Titanium rated to withstand 2000 degree heat, so MAYBE I wouldn't need to mount this double heat shield for plug #6 & #8, if loosening two adjacent head bolts would detrimentally disturb the head gasket?

 

[pushrod]

The wire retainer kit I purchased from Joe Suchy had a instruction.sheet. I would think yours will also.

 

[69bfan]

All of the better quality kits come from Todd Hoffman at Hoffman's Winners Circle. You can view his website as listed above for the different kits that he reproduces and the application for the various components as based on year model and engine configuration.

 

[MoparGuy68]

All of the better quality kits come from Todd Hoffman at Hoffman's Winners Circle. You can view his website as listed above for the different kits that he reproduces and the application for the various components as based on year model and engine configuration.

I got #8065 Exhaust Manifold Fastener Kit from Mancini Racing this past Friday. None of the 12 studs will screw in my heads. In another thread I already explained what is wrong with them. I see this Hoffman's Winners Circle has the same #8065 kit, even the photograph is IDENTICAL to the one on Mancini's site (not just looks like it, but is literally the same photograph). If I bought another #8065 kit from this Hoffman I feel I'd have the same damn problem with the studs..

 

[69bfan]

The factory studs for a 383/440 are 3/8 x 1 9/16 with the following thread pattern, 0.50 UNC and 0.80 UNF. Pretty much what you will find from Hoffman's, AMK, Auveco, NAPA, etc.

Are you running factory heads? Have the heads been retapped due to broken studs previously?

 

[MoparGuy68]

The factory studs for a 383/440 are 3/8 x 1 9/16 with the following thread pattern, 0.50 UNC and 0.80 UNF. Pretty much what you will find from Hoffman's, AMK, Auveco, NAPA, etc.

Are you running factory heads? Have the heads been retapped due to broken studs previously?

I've only had the car for 5 months. The heads are factory cast iron 383/440. Headers were on the car when I bought it. When removing the headers, I noticed all the header bolts were tight coming out. The header bolts that were in there test fit properly on 3/8 - 16 nuts, that was how I checked them for size. I ran a Summit Racing 3/8 - 16 Coarse Rethreader/chaser tap through all 12 holes in the heads. A lot of grime and dirt came out on the chaser. After doing this my newly purchased Moroso 3/8 - 16 header bolts screwed right in, no problem. So did four 3/8 - 16 to 3/8 - 24 automotive studs purchased from ACE Hardware, they screwed right in as well. So did the old header bolts that came out of the heads.

The studs included in the #8065 Exhaust Manifold Fastener kit, will NOT screw in. After only about one turn, they stop with heavy resistance. After comparing the threads to the Moroso bolts and ACE studs, the #8065 studs have thicker threads, creating the resistance. My Summit Racing 3/8 -16 rethreader/chaser die, screws onto my Moroso bolts, ACE studs, and original header bolts with no problem. This die will NOT screw on the #8065 studs.

How does 3/8 x 1 9/16 compare to 3/8 - 16? Are these different sizes? Or are you saying they are 3/8" x 1 9/16" long? The ACE studs are 3/8" - 16 on one end and 3/8" - 24 on the other with overall length of 1.5". I have no idea if any of the threads were retapped, other than my chasing them with the Summit chaser. I do know that all my other 3/8 - 16 bolts and studs will screw into the holes. The other end of the Mancini studs appear to be 3/8" - 24 and my 3/8" - 24 Summit chaser die screws onto them without a problem.

Here is a link to the thread I made about the studs no fitting. I included photos of the Mancini studs along side the studs that do fit, for comparison. The thread spacing looked identical to me, it was just the thickness of the threads, with the Mancini threads being thicker.