I think I've finally nipped my exhaust leaks in the butt, only time will tell. I'm at the point where I think I'm looking for noise and I can't tell the difference anymore. Do you notice a tingy kind of raspy exhaust leak sound coming from the bottom of your headers even though they don't leak? I'm pretty sure all I'm hearing is the exhaust pulse and I'm not used to the way it sounds in the long tubes. By the way if anyone is interested the best non-welding solution I found for a leaking connection is a back to back double standard clamp.

Just to clerify; the sound doesn't bother me at all as long as its not a leak. thanks.

 

Do you notice the sound as you are driving or while it is idling? How loud is this sound? I noticed a slight sound on mine but I am 95% sure it is a leak because I used a standard u-bolt style clamp on it at first to get it to the muffler shop for welding. I decided to not have them weld the headers since they would have to remove the coating to do it, so I went to the stainless steel band clamps. The problem was that I installed the y-pipe completely onto the header and now the O2 sensor is too close to the joint for a band clamp. I can't slide the y-pipe away from the header for more clearance due to the crimping of the area where the u-bolt clamp was originally. I thought about customizing the clamp by drilling out a hole in it large enough to clear the O2 sensor mount, but still be able to seal the joint. I just need to take the time to do it. I can tell you this, there does seem to be a little different noise from the headers themselves, but I think this is typicle of headers. Like you, as long as the sound isn't a leak, I don't mind it at all. It just reminds me I have headers...(as if I could forget!)

 

There is always a sound but I actually notice it more when the engine is lugging at a low rpm, and I hear it in the mid to high but its a different tone. Its wierd becaust I put my hand all around the joint at idle and I can't feel any air. Whatbugs me is that the drivers side is noticably louder than the passanger side in all conditions. The two theorys I have are; I have an exhaust leak that only shows up during load. I don't have an exhaust leak and due to the pipe routing being slightly different for the drivers and passangers side headers it produces a different sound.

I tried the SS band clamps myself and they didn't solve my problem. Take two u-bolt style clamps and clamp them in oposite directions with just enough space between them that they don't interfere with each other. That has solved most of my woes, and if it doesn't work you'd only be out a couple of bucks.