I Can't Believe I'm Asking This...

[KFCOrBust]

Very embarrassing to have to come here asking what I'm about to ask, I've pulled countless engines, trannies, rear ends and wrenched on many of my ****box cars over the years so I'm no noob when it comes to cars. A couple other random questions after my initial rant/dumbass confession.

Anyways...How in the hell are you supposed to jack up the car and set it on jackstands without the pinch weld folding over or the car falling off the jack? Maybe it's because I'm tired as **** from working my ass off all week and started my header/3.4 install at 6pm but I successfully dropped the car off of a jack for the first time in my life and nearly put it through the a/c compressor (jacking from the front, middle of the frame...Round. DUH) then I jacked up the car from the passengers side pinch weld where any other car is fine with it (using a 3 ton jack with a big flat jacking surface) and when I noticed that I was bending the pinch weld I lowered the car down... RIGHT ONTO THE JACKSTAND WHICH PUT A NICE HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF MY DOOR!

So then I had my friend jack the car up from the control arm while I tried to position the jack stand right where it should go on the pinch weld and as he lowered the car I saw the weld starting to bend again and had him jack it back up.

I'm pissed because the un-installation of the stock manifolds was going all too smooth, I was actually having fun working on car for the first time in YEARS until the jacking became impossible.

Also I'm not happy to find out that the MPS pulley from ZZP is an 8 rib pulley, that is mentioned NOWHERE in that products description, but I see in the 8 rib conversion pulley description it says you can't use them without the MPS. I can only assume I have to get the matching 8 rib pulleys now right?

Should I rtv the headers or just the slip joints? I got SSAC headers and the gasket seems pretty good but I don't feel like taking these *****es off after I get them on.

Thanks in advance.

[Bio248]

dont use the pinch welds for the jack stands, use the lower control arms. i always used a jack on mine to raise it up to get the bigger jack under the front of the car (i was lowered). shoot for the lower frame beam on the front end to jack it up, then put the jack stands under the LCAs.

the MPS only being 8 rib is fine. they are all like that for the most part. just run it on the inside/middle/outside as needed. the belt will move on its own for the most part and seat where it needs to be.

only RTV the slip joints. the flanges shouldnt need it.

[KFCOrBust]

Win. Thank you sir! I knew there had to be an easier way but tiredness must've clouded my brain. I'd go out there and do it now but I need to buy an O2 sensor socket in the morning...

Edit: Nice ninja edit! Yeah I wasn't sure on the pulley, this is my first blown car, my other boosted cars have all been turbo. I figured no rtv on the flange but like I said, I only want to do this once. Edit thanks. =D

[KFCOrBust]

One more thing....I can't remember which heater hose goes where...Does the top heater core hose go to the higher fitting on the engine? I can only assume because I have no idea which one went where as I took them off in the dark.

[TheOtherNick]

they are labeled I just noticed that when I pulled that apart recently. Can not remember which is which. If you hook them up backwards your engine will run hotter.

[matt5112]

Dont they sit in a way that makes it kinda obvious which is which?

[dagger]

When I jack up my car I just find the metal beam under the front end and get my jack under that. My jack has a round disk with 4 raised areas. I let the metal beam settle between the spaces so it holds better. When I jack up the car does move forward a bit because my jack doesn't move (wheels are seized). Then I just make sure to put the e brake on and then put jack stands anywhere I can find a nice chunk of metal. usually the control cars but depending on where I'm crawling under i've used points close to the jack as well.