Installing coolant mod

[mrspeedy69]

I'm in the middle of installing the cobra engineering head coolant mod but having trouble getting them into the heads.

Motor is in the car. I put them in the freezer for a couple hours and I still can't get them in. Any tips or tricks to get them in?

 

[olympic]

Try some silicone grease on the o-rings and heads?

 

[shurur]

If this is the hcm with the fixtures on the back of the head, I'm just amazed that you got the crack pipe and the freeze plug out with the motor still in!!

 

[Dave.O]

I am assuming you pulled the transmission.
I had a problem with clearing the egr pipe. I used a pry bar to massage the pipe then used Vaseline on the oring. Getting it to line up required some time, just keep working at it


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[shurur]

I am assuming you pulled the transmission.
I had a problem with clearing the egr pipe. I used a pry bar to massage the pipe then used Vaseline on the oring. Getting it to line up required some time, just keep working at it


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The firewall must still make it tight...just taking my heater return line out was a bear...thinking about replacing that with something else..still would like to replace the crack pipe..heater supply fixture oring...

My dash, ac accum and intake are off now..

All that plumbing back there appears to be a engineering design afterthought...

 

[Dave.O]

Hmmm, I don't remember it being that complicated a couple years ago. Remember it being straight forward, Just keep at it.
I have this on my 99 and a second gen hcm (the one that comes out the the top of drivers side head) on my 03 and the cobra engineering one is 1000x better in fit/finish/quality. Although both work


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[mrspeedy69]

Yeah trans it out and the egr pipe is out as well. I'll try some Vaseline and see if that helps.

 

[mrspeedy69]

I put them in the freezer overnight, put vaseline on them and they will wont go in. Even used a heat gun on the head and they wont go. I tried using the locking braces to get them to go in and that doesnt work. I'm at a loss on what to do.

 

[olympic]

Will they go in if you take the O-rings off? If no, you need to contact the manufacturer because something is off. If yes, then you just need to find a way to get some leverage on those fittings to pop them in. Maybe a piece of 3/8" threaded rod, one end up against the firewall, the other end in the HCM fitting then use a nut and washer to slowly push the fitting into the head.

I bought the MMR HCM and the fittings popped in fairly easy but my engine is out on a stand.

 

[shurur]

Maybe some slightly longer bolts would help to press/push the fixture in as you tighten the bolts. Then once it starts, you back those out and put the regular bolts in?

 

[mrspeedy69]

I'm going to try tonight to see if they'll go in without the o-ring. I did contact the manufacturer and he was kind of at a loss as to why. I tried getting a pry bar to kind of pry them in but it doesn't put pressure on them evenly and they want to go in sideways.

I did try to use bolts and with the aluminum locking arm screw them in. All it did was bend the aluminum locking piece and I had to bend it back.

 

[mrspeedy69]

So they fit in without the O-rings just fine. Took some sand paper to the openings to clean them up and still won't go in. Guess I'll have a buddy come over and see if he's any stronger than me to push them in.

 

[olympic]

Yep, sounds like they just need a good shove at the proper angle. Very difficult to do in that location. Good luck!

 

[rymax101]

I cleaned the port up with some 400 or 600 grit sand paper and oiled up the oring. put a pry bar on it and pushed it in.

 

[mrspeedy69]

I think I have it figured out but just waiting on James the guy that makes these to respond to confirm I'm looking at this the right way. I'll post once I hear back from him if I'm right or not.

 

[SVT_Troy]

Good to hear


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[mrspeedy69]

Well I guess that wasn't it. Here is what I thought. James told me the O-rings were suppose to be 3.5mm x 32mm. So I pulled the o-rings and measured them and it showed to be close to 39mm. I had one that is 31.7mm so I put it on the inserts and it popped right it, it was snug but not too difficult to get in. So I thought yes I figured it out. Emailed James and he said no the inside diameter is 32mm and outside is 39mm so that is what was on it. So I'm at a loss still cause I can't get these on.

 

[olympic]

As long as the O-ring is snug in the head it should be fine. The larger O-rings may "fit" but require an amount of force that can only be applied with the engine out of the car.

 

[mrspeedy69]

I'm going to try with the biggest o-ring I can get to go in. Then I'll pressure test the system and see if they leak.