I went to NAPA and got a good set. Then the flange weld started to leak through to atmosphere. Before putting the gasket on check the mating surface to the leak on the gasket/head.
My first set of pace****ters had a void/low area in the weld that mates to the gasket and didn't seal on pass. side center top flange.
The second set of pace****ters developed daylight between the drivers side first tube and flange.
Both issues were from install and just got worse.

Manifolds are back on and leak free now.

 

Wich headers were you running?

 

The summit brand that ended up being pace****ters. they were the shorties. Hopefully yours will work out better.
It seems as though the summit brand is the blem department or seconds. The guy at summit would not verify this but if it is cheaper and is the same brand, do the math.....

 

Like I said, I have been very pleased to this point. I have had a lot of fun with them, and they still look like they did the day I first put them on.A couple of things though- 1) Pacesetteruses a second party vendor to do thier ceramic coating 2) the shop that finished piping everything in commented on what a good ceramic job it was. Maybe that's what makes all the difference.

 

yea its odd they still do look like they did new.

 

if you are intimadated of working on your truck get shorties, longtubes are not direct bolt on. welds break chopper, stop crying about it and fix it. its just metal, weld it. yuppies stick with bolt ons! enthusiest modify.

 

If you had been here more than a month I might give a **** about your comment. Everything except the differential work to my truck, I've done myself. Some cheap parts justaren't worth the time or effort to a stock engine.

 

another gasket maker to add to your weblinks:

http://www.remflex.com/

Even highly experienced engine builders have frequent trouble with header gasket leaks.

Besides being an annoyance to amateurs
professionals find that header gasket leaks mess up the readings on exhaust temperature thermocouples and wide range oxygen sensors.

 

i finally got everything together and drove it around. 1500 and below is a little weaker but not by much, 1500-1800 there is some improvement, 1800 and up there is a nice difference in acceleration especially at 2200 where i am at 75mph. so far so good. im gonna re install my hypertech tomorrow and see what happens. chopper i didnt mean to strike a nerve, imight need your help one day.

 

I put the hypertec back on 93octane setting. damn these headers are awesome! cant wait to tow agian. tons of torque. long tubes are good for torque.