exhaust leak
 

So ive had this problem since the pacesetter shorties went on bout 7yrs ago. number 8 cylinder keeps blowing the header gasket. ive literally replaced that side gasket about 9-10 times. ive tried new gaskets, new bolts, multi layered gaskets. and yes i have gone back in and retorqued the bolts after heat cycles. pretty much everything except for taking the header out to see if the flange is flat.

Any ideas before i go pullin out the header?

id really prefer not to, cuz u guys know how much of a pain in the a** that is, with the egr on that side.

When it blows the gasket, is that bolt loose?

This, are you going back and re torquing em all after a few heat cycles?

no im retightening them after 1 heat cycle, multiple times.

and no the bolt is not loose when the gasket pops

i was thinking putting a nother new gasket, torquing properly and maybe using some stage 8 locking guys. there are a few bolts that losen up but not the ones on number 8

What gaskets have you tried? I like Percy's Seal-4-Good aluminum ones.

felpros(both regular and the high heat versions), holleys multi layered aluminum, and i think my dad had tryied mr gaskets version. all of which have failed.

where can u get the percys gaskets. id like to at least look at them

i just looked up the gaskets on summit. they look exactly like the mr gasket and the holley ones ive tried

Then I'm tapped out of ideas and would pull the header.

If you can unbolt the header and get enough room to slip a straight edge in there, might be worth a shot to see if its at least way off.

Otherwise, buy my long tubes. ;)

would love the long tubes but would want them ceramic and need a catted y pipe for them. otherwise looks like ill be pullin it out.

thanks guys for the input. it is always appreciated

Definitely sounds like a warped flange.

agreed. apparently was manufactured like that

and thats what it was. i took the header off yesterday and took it to my machine shop, put a straight edge on and the center touched the flange but had a good 16th of an inch gap on both ends. put it on the belt sander and straightened it right up and no more leaks. god its so nice to hear all the sound coming out the back of the car and not the engine..haha

Had that problem when I had my stainless SLP headers coated. The baking process warped the headers a bit, so I straightened them with a mallet real quick and all was well.