I hate crossover pipes!

[GN6]

Hello everyone. I just put the stock headers back on my car, and picked up a new stainless crossover as the stocker got tossed. Nice unit, but is there really a trick to having no leaks?? When I first started the engine, it was like a lawn mower, so, I cranked down the bolts, and went back after the engine cooled. Cleaned up the problem on one side, but then the other side started leaking! I wondered if the impact gun would be an idea in small increments? Let me know if you have any good leaks for no exhaust leaks.....for once I would like to have it that way!
Thank you!!

 

[GrndNatnl]

Fresh donut gaskets are a must have.

 

[Sleeper-6]

Hmmmmmm.........

Donut gasket on a stock style crossover? Please do tell. I always thought they were a metal to metal seal. What are the gaskets from?

 

[SIXBANGR]

out of round

the ends on your headers are out of round.Happens with the age of these things.You may be able to fix them, or have them fixed.

 

[Maltman]

I don't have the stock headers, but I had the same problem

I eventually kept tightening and tightening like your starting to do and guess what.....they stripped!!!

Talk about fun! So I had to drill out the holes, install a bolt and nut...torqued the crap out of it = no more problems.

This was with the poston headers and atr crossover (which might have been the problem in the first place...a evil ploy by vendors to get you to buy matching components)

hth

 

[GN-231]

The trick is to tighten the bolts in small increments and alternate from passenger to driver. Continue to do this back and forth, maybe one revolution of the bolt, when you get close to a fully seated position. There is no gasket, it is metal to metal.
This scheme of alternating the tightening will ensure that the crossover pipe seats properly for sealing.

 

[TurboDave]

Like everybody said. Alternating back and forth from bolt to bolt, and side to side until you reach a point you feel may be close to stripping them.

Sometimes the mating surface on the header is too severely out of round to get a good seal. My driver's side header was that way, and had to get a replacement for it also.

 

[GrndNatnl]

I dont know for sure, but mine appears to have donuts of some sort. I see the wrinkly looking material around the joint. They would never seal up quite right if they were metal-to-metal, would they? For the exhaust to turbo to be efficient as possible, I would figure they would have some sort of gasket. I'm no expert on this. I think mine has them though. I almost removed my crossover pipe to better access the starter, but I decided not to for fear that it would be this exact same nightmare to seal back up.

 

[TurboDave]

Originally posted by GrndNatnl
I dont know for sure, but mine appears to have donuts of some sort. I see the wrinkly looking material around the joint. They would never seal up quite right if they were metal-to-metal, would they? For the exhaust to turbo to be efficient as possible, I would figure they would have some sort of gasket. I'm no expert on this. I think mine has them though. I almost removed my crossover pipe to better access the starter, but I decided not to for fear that it would be this exact same nightmare to seal back up.

No, they did not come with gaskets. If properly tightened and still round, they'll make a perfectly good seal.

 

[GrndNatnl]

Interesting to know. I think I have to take a closer look at mine.

If I'm not seeing things and someone stuck donuts and ultra-copper on it, it could be restricting the hell out of the exhaust through my crossover.