Hello Mafia, for those of you who have replaced their exhaust manifolds with catless headers, how did you reinstall the header studs? I've seen many forum posts about how to get them out of the block, but not many posts on reinstalling. I just got my second set of headers in place (first set had bad welds), including new OEM gaskets, nuts, and studs, but am having a difficult time getting the headers bolted to the block.

My issue is that the header studs do not want to stay in the block while I tighten the nuts. They are backing out as I tighten each bolt. Some of them I can get in about 50% of the way or so and get the nut tightened to spec. I can't reinstall the studs without the headers in place, because the space is so tight I can't slip the headers over them. Double nutting proved ineffective. I might try that again though.

I'm almost thinking about JB-Welding the nut and stud together in the right place so that the stud can't travel backwards and screw the whole thing in like that. Bad idea?