Originally Posted by t.mcginley.jr

This brings me to present day, I wanted to check my ebay header for flatness, because I would hate to have an exhaust leak and since I only paid $120 for it I wouldn't doubt if it's a little off.

Side note, this header is for a pre-2000 XJ with the larger exhaust ports in the head and no precats. My stock 2000 exhaust manifold wouldn't have bolted up without leaking. These headers can also be had with the larger ports AND flanges for the precats, but I can't comment on fitment.

So I bolted the header to the head as you can see a few pics up, and this is what it looks like up close on the #2 port:



Clearly it's not flat. I'll have to figure out a way to mill it, or drop it off at a local machine shop and have them do it. Granted this was only with the 2 end studs bolted up and none of the middle ones, but that's a decent sized gap.

Also, I'm replacing all my brake lines while the engine is out. The master cylinder to rear axle hard line is rusted to hell, and the rest aren't much better. I bought a 25 foot roll of that Nickel-Copper brake 3/16" brake tubing and a harbor freight bending tool. It's 9000 times easier to do this with no engine in the bay

More updates to come!