My headers wont clear center link in steering linkage help

[kyser-soza]

ok so i am almost done with my car test fited my headers and they catch on my center link they are anti reversion headers for 2002 and 320 i.

So i was going to bolt them to an extra head i have and am going to try and bend them a half inch any other ideas on how to bend them ? i am afraid i might break off the head studs trying to bend the headers. all four pipes are joined right where i need the bend they are welded with a cone making them one tube right where it catches.

[c.d.iesel]

are you sure? it's not touching the "idler arm" bolt???(photos please)

you will not bend it as you suggest

but better results by heating and gently tapping

with a hammer at the point of contace to make a

indent to clear.

NEW motor mounts and trans mount helps sometimes

before you do anything else

[kyser-soza]

ok i am going to try that too. i have brand new mounts all the way around.

[mossyboy6]

Where did you buy the headers?

There is someone on ebay selling headers "for the 2002" that you have to install rack and pinion steering for.

[kyser-soza]

i have had it for a long time it is for a 2002 320 i standard. it looks just like every other header ive seen and its brand new.

[dubois]

Even with the super expensive Supersprint headers you have to heat and tap to make them fit, just like CD says.

[Ian]

I also had to go the "gentle dent" route on the headers for the S14 in my M2. There is just not much room down there between the frame rails and the center link. The hammer approach will work!

[TobyB]

A 320 and a 2002 can't really swap exhausts...

so one might reasonably think it fits one and not the other.

One trick that might help-

if you can leave it loose and rock it to one side or the other to get it to fit,

you can try having a machine shop mill the flange at an angle.

It doesn't take much to move it quite a bit to one side or the other.

But it sounds like it's too deep, and that's not always easy to fix.

I had one that I had to disconnect from the flange and then rotate each

tube a bit to get it to drop below the bodywork- it just wasn't made right.

And there are a ton of different headers out there- a Stahl will fit...

t