so i got a pair of headers for my dodge....got em on got my exaust done (2.5 into 3 inch flowmasters dumper behind cab, no cats)

boy does it sound good....but the stupid header leaks...

bought percys aluminum gaskets...that was a joke still leaks
ground down flanges, re-welded a nice new bead around openings(side of header that goes to head)....waste of time

now the last thing i have done was buy that copper rtv sillycone...waiting till tommorow to find out...

obviously i got a problem with my headers

has anyone else has this many issues with these things?

 

Way back when, we used to buy cheap or swap meet headers. We would check for a flat surface with a straight edge on the header flange and across all exhaust ports. If it wasn't true, an old trick was to separate the exhaust tubes by cutting the flange between the ports and that way the flange was not fighting to keep it straight all the way across. Each port would be bolted to the header tube individually. A spot I remember having to have welded / filled frequently was where the header tube connected to the flange. It just always seemed to burn through or stress crack in this area. I also remember having to tighten the nuts frequently. Might want to use some new lock washers also.

 

awesome thanks for info

 

well i put silicone high heat an let it sit for about 24 hours....the damn thisn STILL leak!

so now if i do cut the bars off and they still leak....i think there goin in the trash lol

im also gonna weld then where the tube goes into the flange

 

Couple things you can do cheap mr,gaskets brand.let em soak in water all night,They swell up and seal, I've also had good luck with the copper gaskets,Also you can use high-temp gasket maker and double up on the gaskets it''s worked for me

 

well ill try that solution...im still going to cut the bars out...what do those do anyways

 

ok well i cut those bars off, put the stock gasket back on with a nice thing of high temp sillycone..

if it leaks again im putting stock mani's back on it

 

Don't give up find out which cyl,it's leaking on Then just loosen the header and cut a peice of gasket and put it on that port

 

well i belive i fixed it....trashed those percys which made it worse...put a nice thick bead of that copper rtv stuff on each side of a new stock gasket, let it sit for about 10 min then crank them things tight...let it sit for a few hours an wala...

so as of now they dont leak...also cut those lil bars out...

 

well its been about 100 miles with the stock gaskets, silicon, and bars cut...ran highway, high rpm, normal driving....an no leaks yet

so apprently it took all that for them warped pos to seal lol