Header Help!!!????

Aite guys seems like im running into alot of problems now that its about done. Now i've got a header leak at both exhaust flanges where the collector bolts up to the exhaust flange. Not only is this a leak, its awful!! is there any way that ya'll know of to fix this since there is a donut gasket in there and i think it might have gotten hot and blown it out? and im gonna put locking nuts on it since it was almost hand loose! also gonna use copper rtv around the new donut gasket to help make a better seal!!! but is there anything else i can do to prevent this again. i know i was expecting to have to torque them down every once and a while but not have the collector/flange seperate!!? its in front of the o2 and is causing is to run lean from the extra air in the pipe. its throwing the new tune off!!! BAD!!!:hyper2::hyper2::ugh2:

idk weld it.

im guessing your running short headers, the rtv on the gasket will help. teflon nuts prolly wont help much b/c the extreme heat. but it shouldnt back off..... idk whats up there, try locktite maybe. good luck

The best thing you can do is have the connections changed to V-band clamps and then you'll leak no more. :rock:

v-bands FTMFW!!!!

like greg said...

Shorty headers? Like you said, new donut and copper gasket spray

Longtubes, yeah what they said v-bands

i run dynatech headers LT's, on the donut gasket spray it with a high temp sealant. i also made a flange gasket that fit around the donut for extra seal... you can get these already cut from an exhaust shop, may have to trim the ID alittle but it solves all issues of leaks, also nuts i use are the flange nuts, they have ribs on them to tighten against the outer flange, keeps from backing off..

ok progress update now that everything is done now and no leaks yet but at the same time it hasn't been driven enough yet to get it hot enough to pull anything apart. so now the copper rtv is in and stinks!! that stuff smells bad! i stamped out new (thicker) gaskets for both sides. and double nutted all the bolts and lock tited them all in place. so guess we will se how this goes i guess???? wish me luck cuss this is about to drive me nuts!!!!