TTI Driver Side Header height at Transmission Cross member

[Toxic Orange 493]

I just installed the engine in my '68 Coronet last week and I think something is causing the rear of the driver side TTI header to be too high. When looking at the header from behind the transmission cross member, the header is slightly above the cross member. So when I tired to installed the header adapter that comes with the TTI headers, it hits the crossmember. The end of the header is also no where near the center of the area where it passes under the crossmember. Though I have no idea where exactly it should be located in relation to the area of the crossmember that curves up, but I would expect it to be closer to center. The passenger side header is good without any interference issues.

When I set the engine on the K member, I had the mounts all loose on the block and tightened them up after it was set down on the K member. At first I thought the engine might be shifted toward the drivers side, but I took measurements from the frame rails to the center of the crank per the TTI instructions and its dead on their numbers.

I think my problem might be either the motor mounts are too tall or the transmission mount is to tall. I used the PST polyloc engine mounts and an Energy Suspension poly transmission mount. I found one post where someone said they used a poly transmissin mount and found it to be 1/4" to tall.
Does anyone know what the correct height of the transmission mount is for '68 with an 833?

As I said I think I have a problem with either my engine mounts or transmission mount. But before I go dropping the engine and transmission back out of the car, I was hoping to see if I could the correct height of the transmission mount and see if anyone has any other ideas of anything else that I should check first.

Thanks!

 

[Beekeeper]

What does the passenger side look like?
Also there’s measurements on the TTI
website showing where the engine needs to be for the headers to work.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Here is a picture showing both and then just the passenger side. I did the measurements and it needs to move towards the passenger side slightly less than 1/8" to be exact to the TTI numbers. I am not sure if that will be enough to get the drivers side to clear though and then I am worried the passenger side will be to close to the cross member. I guess I have some adjusting to do.

I don't think there is, but is there any movement in the K member around the mounting bolts to the frame? Could it also be shifted at all?

 

[gkent]

The end of the header is also no where near the center of the area where it passes under the crossmember.

I have NEVER seen a set of headers that had the outlets centered in the trans crossmember openings !! Yours look normal to me

 

[RemCharger]

Is it a B block
Is it an RB block
Stock chrysler exhaust port location
Raised exhaust port location
Tti part # match intended application
Info would help others relate their experiences

 

[Cranky]

Do you know how much down in the rear the engine angle is? Can't remember the factory specs are but around 4 degrees is what I think it is. Both 95 and 96 Dakotas are right at that and the bed side rails are 1-1.5 degrees high in the rear so the engine angle is more like 5 if the bed rails are in line with the frame....

 

[hunt2elk]

I have TTI's on all 3 of my cars, and none of them are perfectly centered in the arch. The adapters have an angle built in to clear the support. If I remember correctly, the drivers side is always tight.

 

[Cranky]

I have TTI's on all 3 of my cars, and none of them are perfectly centered in the arch. The adapters have an angle built in to clear the support. If I remember correctly, the drivers side is always tight.

Yeah, most of the brands I've used over the years were really close on the driver's side.....kinda sucked if you were trying to run header extensions and usually ended up looking like crap under there.

 

[33 IMP]

I'm a butcher. If it were me, I'd find a solid anchor point on the passenger side of the car, loop a ratchet strap over the driver side collector, and pull it to where you want it. They are just header tubes, not sacred relics.
I have a set of headers where the collectors hung too low, especially on one side. Stuck a floor jack under em till they were where I wanted. Problem solved.
Edit: oh, and they make s bends and collector rings to solve such problems too. You aren't the first.

 

[Beekeeper]

I have a set of TTI on a hemi in my bee
and you couldn’t get more centered in the cutouts if you built them in the car. The left side collector flange was angled down slightly but left to right is spot on. If the problem was mine i would break out the welder and grinder and work the adapters to correct it or use a ratchet strap as mentioned above and tweak on them.
I’m not defending TTI in any way because they could do better but I still say they fit the best when it comes to our cars.

 

[gkent]

If it were me, I'd find a solid anchor point on the passenger side of the car, loop a ratchet strap over the driver side collector, and pull it to where you want it.

How much were those headers ?!?!?

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Is it a B block
Is it an RB block
Stock chrysler exhaust port location
Raised exhaust port location
Tti part # match intended application
Info would help others relate their experiences

RB Block
Edelbrock Performer RPM heads
The TTI part number 440-178. Their website states they can be used with the Edelbrock Performer heads

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Do you know how much down in the rear the engine angle is? Can't remember the factory specs are but around 4 degrees is what I think it is. Both 95 and 96 Dakotas are right at that and the bed side rails are 1-1.5 degrees high in the rear so the engine angle is more like 5 if the bed rails are in line with the frame....

I do not at the moment. Will try to check.

I toke some measurements today based on the TTI website and it looks like I need to try to shift the engine to the passenger side about 1/8". That will help some. I think that is going to be my next step and then see if the pipe will clear. Sounds like it will be tighter than the passenger side.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

I have a set of TTI on a hemi in my bee
and you couldn’t get more centered in the cutouts if you built them in the car. The left side collector flange was angled down slightly but left to right is spot on. If the problem was mine i would break out the welder and grinder and work the adapters to correct it or use a ratchet strap as mentioned above and tweak on them.
I’m defending TTI in any way because they could do better but I still say they fit the best when it comes to our cars.

I was expecting them to be just like you picture. But it sounds like on an RB, they might not be that perfect.

I agree with you, I went with them becuase from everyting I read they do fit the best. I don't have any complaints about them, they fit, and cleared everything else on my car.

 

[Cranky]

RB Block
Edelbrock Performer RPM heads
The TTI part number 440-178. Their website states they can be used with the Edelbrock Performer heads

I'm thinking that's part of the problem. Been awhile since having a set of the Eddy Performer heads but iirc, the exhaust ports are a bit higher and then they are on an RB engine. For a good while the rage was doing the 400 with a 440 crank deal and well, that package worked real well and the 400 being the low deck and popular, the TTI's fit nicely with the Eddy heads and the stockers on the LD engines and were the go to headers for that....but check to see what the angle of the engine is. If it's not very much, it might be the easiest fix. If the rear end is in the car, it might be a good idea to check all of that before you go too far....pinion angle etc.

 

[Beekeeper]

I know this will be long winded but it takes me a while to try to explain things

The first time I installed the engine and K member my left side header was high just like yours. Keep in mind my car is level front to back and side to side at least as close as you could get with these crooked cars. Once I seen the left side header so high out come the level on the intake carb flanges and I find the left side a little high (imagine that) I’m using conversion mounts so I chalked it up to them being off so I drop the drivetrain back out.

I had worked on the passenger side mount previously because it was too high and created interference with the header and torsion bar so this time I work on the left side since it was obviously high now.
I get the engine level side to side by modifying the left mount and put the assembly back up in the car and the result was the pic I posted here and I checked my measurements by the ones on the TTI website and they are close enough.

It doesn’t take much movement in relation to the engine being level side to side to move the headers quite a bit.
I would try to verify that it’s close to being level side to side before proceeding also since the measurements TTI
provides are to the center of the crank you could be out of level side to side and still have good measurement.
I hope this helps you out some.

 

[hunt2elk]

My last several cars have had B-blocks and no header clearance issues. But now that I think of it, I had the same problem on a 69 Charger R/T with a 440 and those very same headers. I bent the drivers side in with a ratchet strap, like mentioned above, and was able to get the collector adapter to just barely clear the crossmember.

 

[Cranky]

I have a set of TTI on a hemi in my bee
and you couldn’t get more centered in the cutouts if you built them in the car. The left side collector flange was angled down slightly but left to right is spot on. If the problem was mine i would break out the welder and grinder and work the adapters to correct it or use a ratchet strap as mentioned above and tweak on them.
I’m not defending TTI in any way because they could do better but I still say they fit the best when it comes to our cars.
View attachment 1298437

Don't think I've EVER seen one that good!!!! That's one of those 'dayam' good moments!

 

[33 IMP]

How much were those headers ?!?!?

They were hooker adjustable super comps that were around $1000 when hooker stopped making them. I didn't pay that for mine.
I have also used a 10 lb sledge on a set of custom headers in my Cortina that were more than $2000.
It's just tubing.

 

[Cranky]

They were hooker adjustable super comps that were around $1000 when hooker stopped making them. I didn't pay that for mine.
I have also used a 10 lb sledge on a set of custom headers in my Cortina that were more than $2000.
It's just tubing.

Expensive tubing!! What was the Cortina all about?