Header leak help - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

SeanC · 07-24-2010, 07:54 PM

Hey guys,

I FINALLY got my header project to the point of being able to start the car (just refilling coolant and everything now). The car started right up, but the headers are leaking LIKE CRAZY. They're leaking to the point where I can stick my hand by the exhaust ports and feel each cylinder fire. I bought Mr. Gasket copper gaskets with the misconception that I was buying "the better" gaskets. Now that I have looked into it more, I hear they dont seal for anything. The flanges for the headers were straight when I put a straight edge on them, so I don't think thats the problem...Could the gaskets not be sealing that badly where I could feel each leak at the exhaust port?

Can't believe I have to unbolt these things again....lol. Thanks for the help!

BarneyMobile · 07-25-2010, 03:49 PM

When I had my LT1 Z28, I had great luck with the Felpro header gaskets.

LTb1ow · 07-25-2010, 06:26 PM

Could try some copper RTV on em, but at that point I would just get the felpros.

transmaro93 · 07-25-2010, 06:55 PM

iv had good luck in the past with the mr gasket copper ones... are you sure they are the correct port shape... what kind of engine is it?

LTb1ow · 07-25-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transmaro93

iv had good luck in the past with the mr gasket copper ones... are you sure they are the correct port shape... what kind of engine is it?

Its an LT1.

transmaro93 · 07-25-2010, 07:17 PM

make sure you have the "D" shaped port gaskets, because unless you didnt tighten the bolts even the worst gaskets will seal for a little while and your saying you can feel the pressure leaking on every cyl... something is deff wrong...

deadtrend1 · 07-25-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transmaro93

make sure you have the "D" shaped port gaskets, because unless you didnt tighten the bolts even the worst gaskets will seal for a little while and your saying you can feel the pressure leaking on every cyl... something is deff wrong...

I was thinking along the lines that he may have cross threaded some bolts.

SeanC · 07-26-2010, 07:11 AM

Definitly didn't cross thread any bolts, and the gaskets are D-shaped...I did some more research and I think I may have figured out the problem. Mr. Gasket says that they need to be installed with the externally embossed "D" shape facing the headers (didn't make sense to me). Well, since that didn't work, I flipped them around and put the embossed part towards the head. WOW it actually works!!! I'm not convinced they are sealing perfect yet, but its definitly sealing a million times better than it was. Going to keep tightening the bolts after a couple of heat cycles and see how it goes. It was running so rich on one side when it was leaking that there were flames coming out of the open header

Kind of scared me a bit....lol

Has anybody had a problem with the pacesetter y-pipe? I started putting it together and it seems off. The bracket on the passengers side section i'm assuming should line up with the factory hanger coming off the Trans to put two bolts through. Well, its not even close....Its a few inches off, and I dont see any way of moving it over that much. Also, it looks like i'm going to have to cut a few inches off of the pipe between the ORY and my catback (LM II) to get it to fit. I'm guessing everyone else with pacesetters has had to do the same?

Thank you!

JL8Jeff · 07-26-2010, 07:19 AM

Nobody has a y-pipe that fits well. Don't even try to bolt the bracket, just get the y-pipe aligned the best you can. I put dual 3" cats in my old 96 and after I was happy with the fit/alignment I went to muffler shop and they welded the cats up. I used band clamps instead of their crush clamps so I could remove the y-pipe if I needed to. And I had a set of Felpro gaskets blow out so they aren't any better. Hopefully you can get them to seal, but you may not want to clamp the y-pipe too tight until you know for sure.

SeanC · 07-26-2010, 08:34 AM

Thats a relief to hear. I'm about fed up with Pacesetter to be honest. The threads on their AIR fittings werent right, and now their y-pipe is crap. Guess thats what you get for $400..

I was thinking about getting band clamps. They are just standard 3" right? Are you not able to get the pipes apart when you use crush clamps? I thought it did the same thing as a band clamp, just was a different design.

Any comment about cutting the pipe between the ORY and catback? Just want to make sure I actually need to before cutting everything up! haha

deadtrend1 · 07-26-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanC

.... It was running so rich on one side when it was leaking that there were flames coming out of the open header

Kind of scared me a bit....lol

o2 sensor that close to open air will get a incorrect reading and cause that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanC

Has anybody had a problem with the pacesetter y-pipe? I started putting it together and it seems off. The bracket on the passengers side section i'm assuming should line up with the factory hanger coming off the Trans to put two bolts through. Well, its not even close....Its a few inches off, and I dont see any way of moving it over that much. Also, it looks like i'm going to have to cut a few inches off of the pipe between the ORY and my catback (LM II) to get it to fit. I'm guessing everyone else with pacesetters has had to do the same?

I didn't bother to use the hanger with the Y Pipe since it was so far off

SeanC · 07-26-2010, 09:19 AM

Alright, guess i'm not using the hanger! haha

What kind of band clamps do you guys suggest? I'm guessing the rear one will be 3", but what about where the y-pipe connects to the headers?

LTb1ow · 07-26-2010, 10:38 AM

Best thing to use short of welding em.

SeanC · 07-26-2010, 11:11 AM

Who makes them? Summit has a ton of clamps, but some are $7 and then others are $30 a piece...

LTb1ow · 07-26-2010, 11:26 AM

I get mine from NAPA, 10 bucks a pop

JL8Jeff · 07-26-2010, 01:23 PM

Some of the band clamps are stainless so they cost more. I would look for the band clamps that are "stepped" so one side goes on the outside pipe and is a little wider than the side that goes on the inside pipe. I actually cut the I-pipe on the cat-back and used a 3" butt connector. It seemed crazy to run dual 3" into the 2-3/4" knockdown at the front end of the I-pipe.

RamAir95TA · 07-26-2010, 03:56 PM

I have used the Felpro 1406s on MAC mids (2001 - 2004), Jet Hot long tubes (2004 - 2009), and now LPPs (2009 - present) without one header leak. Ever.

SeanC · 08-15-2010, 09:51 AM

Okay....I just finished replacing the Mr. Gasket copper gaskets with percy seal-4 good gaskets. They looked a lot better, and was sure that they would seal the leak up. I installed them, let it heat up, and made sure all the bolts stayed tight (none of them loosened). I drove the car for a while, came back, and checked the bolts again (again, not loose). The thing is STILL ticking away. I really dont know what to do; I guess my next step would be the felpro gaskets but i'm really getting tired of changing gaskets..

The AIR connection on each header is a bit loose. I'm going to have to get a washer to take up the extra slack to tighten it up..... Would this being a little loose cause an exhaust leak (or what sounds like one)?

LTb1ow · 08-15-2010, 05:40 PM

I would first get those AIR fittings nice and tight before replacing any other gaskets.

transmaro93 · 08-15-2010, 05:54 PM

^^^ agreed those will tick tick tick if they are loose enough to leak...

NastyEllEssWon · 08-15-2010, 07:17 PM

this is the reason that everyone gets them without emissions

SeanC · 08-15-2010, 07:33 PM

Alright, that will be my next step.....And yes, I feel retarded for getting them with emissions. I had all intentions of running CATS and figured I'd keep emissions, but now of course the CATS didn't make it on. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

The copper gaskets were definitly leaking just by looking at them, but now the ticking almost seems worse with the Percys....Really hoping that tightening the AIR connections up will fix it.

Thanks for the help!

LTb1ow · 08-15-2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanC

Alright, that will be my next step.....And yes, I feel retarded for getting them with emissions. I had all intentions of running CATS and figured I'd keep emissions, but now of course the CATS didn't make it on. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

The copper gaskets were definitly leaking just by looking at them, but now the ticking almost seems worse with the Percys....Really hoping that tightening the AIR connections up will fix it.

Thanks for the help!

Don't feel bad, I did that as well, live and learn. I would say swap to felpros though if the AIR fittings turn out not to be the culprit.

JL8Jeff · 08-16-2010, 11:25 AM

I started with Felpro's and they blew out and leaked. I switched to the Percy high temp carbon gaskets and never had a problem after that. Make sure you don't have a leak somewhere else like the AIR fittings or the y-pipe connections though. The Felpro 1406 is really for ported heads and has very little material on the edges so be careful if you switch to them. These are the Felpro 1406.

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SeanC · 08-16-2010, 11:41 AM

I installed band clamps on the y-pipe and they look like theyre sealing well.....Would a leak at the y-pipe cause the engine to tick? The tick is definitly coming from the engine bay. I'll have to fix the AIR fittings. I believe it was you JL8Jeff that said you had a similar problem getting the AIR fittings to tighten down (and had to add washers to make up the excess room). Guess I really didn't think about exhaust gases leaking out of there. I'm just praying that the gaskets are sealing on the header flange and the sound is coming from somewhere else...