passengers side header gasket

[boosted84]

my passengers side header keeps blowing out the gasket blew 2 stock felpro ones and the poston a copper one i dont know what to do last time i did it i had the header machined in case it was warped put the copper ones and about a week or 2 later it started leaking again i have a set of new felpro racing gaskets but they look like blue coated stock ones lol and another copper one someone said to use copper rtv not to sure never really liked using rtv anyone have any suggestions im also tightening from the center 2 out also eachtime it blew out it blew in different spots need help tired of doin that header it has to be on the pain in the a$$ side as usual

any trick or help appreciated

anthony

 

[boosted84]

did anyone have this problem before or have any tricks to this problem all help is appreciated just wondering gonna do the job in a few days


thanks Anthony

 

[Bryan C.]

I have not had any issues with this. I am using SCE copper gaskets, these are dead soft. Are the Poston copper gaskets soft or hard?

 

[buickpower]

what do you mean by "blow out", do they initially seal, then start leaking, or blow as in the gasket actually fails? You don't have any excessive exhaust backpressure like a badly plugged cat do you? I am using stock felpro ones, they are silver and fairly soft ones, my poston coppers didn't seem to seal that great. Maybe you could try a thin coat of ultra copper on the felpros.

 

[boosted84]

the copper ones are think and hard but im not sure which brand they were sce sounds familiar the copper just leaks and the stock felpro ones sealed good then blew out ( silver compound missing in that spot ) its probably from my exhaust if it makes a differance i have a cat and stock type exhaust for now the 2 1/2 inch dp goes down to 2 1/4 but i thought
it would not affect the gasket since its after the turbo and dp

 

[85 t-tizzle]

you know that you have to retightin the bolts a few times before the gasket stops moving get the engine hot then let cool retightin bolts ,drive for about a week check bolts and always use a thin coat of ultra cooper rtv on both sides of gasket .. not retighting header/ manifolds bolts is the number one killer of exsust gaskets.

 

[boosted84]

yes i know that i always retorque ill try doing it with the rtv well see what happens

 

[jhef83]

Can you run them without gaskets like the stock headers?

 

[6SENSE]

Have always been fighting exhaust leaks from uppipe and passenger header. Dont think I have ever made a run without the leak
Few days ago I decided to take my copper gasket out (again) and swap it with a cheapo felpro from autozone just for the heck of it. Well, no more leak from header now. Copper one was blowing out from both ends, front and back. Also uppipe seems to be holding too. Most of the noise seemed to have been coming from the header. Car is more responsive now, BLMs are where they should be, and no more KR like before. To bad its been so darn hot, looks like I need to get back to the track
Thought it would be appropriate to mention this experience when I remembered seeing this thread.

 

[boosted84]

thanks all i put the felpro blue ones in with thin coat copper rtv there fine now what a difference no noise from under the hood spools fast thanksa again
Anthony