Ta perf headers cracked!! Wtf!!!!

[bison]

Do you have a flex pipe in the down pipe or exhaust? Maybe the system is too rigid and twisting found the weakest spots?

This


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[pacecarta]

side of that header looks bashed in from hitting frame

 

[Pronto]

Maybe your tie down is not tight and the engine is moving around more than you think. Ya, that dimple looks like a frame hit.

 

[trbojo]

Yes engraved.. No flex pipe... I leave the clamp that joins the down pipe to the cut out loose so it rotates with torque... New stock mounts with a tie down strap on the drivers side..

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[TRICKSIXPA]

Are you using the J bracket to hold the turbo up. I can see the crack happening on the one tube but straight crack across the O2 bung? If you get these fixed I would loose the tie down immediately. Does your exhaust system have rubber isolators on it to mount it to the frame?


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[kidglok]

time for some HR motor mounts

 

[trbojo]

Why would you lose the strap and create more movement?????? These cracks all originated at welds that penetrated too deep.. Even Mike said he changed the welding process from mig to tig because he had a few that cracked from the same issue..

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[Pronto]

HR mounts hold the engine block steady. The straps put a strain on one area and can cause breakage of the alternator, bolt, mount, bracket and it looks like shit. Slip joints bind up. They are not flexible. Every new car has flex joints in them now.

 

[1984 t-type]

There has to be some give in the exhaust post turbo somewhere or it will pull on the exhaust manifolds as it torques over.

What should be done to make sure this does not happen ? Looking for suggestions before I install my new exhaust system.
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[Pronto]

I used a flexpipe in the cat spot. Shop around for a ss one that has an inner flex an the woven outer, not just the woven outer.

 

[1984 t-type]

So what did you do cut the center out of a test pipe and put a flex pipe in ?

 

[Pronto]

Yup.

 

[1984 t-type]

Thanks. And sorry for the thread jack Trbojo.

 

[pacecarta]

not to sound racist here but... why would you need another flex in your hotair???

this is an intercooled issue which have headers that didnt have flex sections

 

[1984 t-type]

Not running a hot air setup.

 

[1984 t-type]

Guess I should update my signature

 

[m233roller]

Are any of your header bolts loose? I have TA's mild steel headers and they are 4- 5 years old and last fall I found a crack in mine in about the same area of the O2 bung.
Now when I installed them I torqued them down damn tight but after finding the crack I also found the front two header bolts had come loose and I mean I screwed them out with my fingers. Took it off, tiged it and made sure all bolts were damn tight and no problems since. I might ad mine are on Champion iron heads and fit perfect.

 

[Nick Micale]

So what did you do cut the center out of a test pipe and put a flex pipe in ?

If headers are installed properly, you should have no issue with cracking. If any header is put in a bind it will introduce stress that will cause a crack.

The TA headers have bolt holes a little larger than the bolt for the head to allow for some expansion as well as the 2 piece crossover. The "J" bracket that bolts to the head is needed to support the turbo, and should be used.

This weekend I removed a turbo with a Precision housing and installed one with a Garrett housing and the alignment from the turbo outlet to the intercooler was off by 1"?

The GN has stock headers, and this illustrated how important it is to do what is necessary for alignment to keep parts from being stressed. A flex joint down stream will be of little value if the header is under stress at the engine.

The stock DS header will crack after enough heat cycles because of a piss-poor design and heat expansion and contraction stress, the TA headers were designed to not be subjected to stress like that.

Out of 300 or more sets of these headers in the field with minimal issues, the subject headers had to be under great stress to crack like it did especially since it did not fit the heads w/o modifications and other non-stock parts being used?

 

[Nick Micale]

........ I also found the front two header bolts had come loose and I mean I screwed them out with my fingers. Took it off, tiged it and made sure all bolts were damn tight and no problems since. I might ad mine are on Champion iron heads and fit perfect.

Mike, it is a little more time-consuming, but especially with alum heads, I have found a stud with a flange nut will NOT loosen like bolts tend to do!

If you use long set screws, they will be easy to install and remove. I always use copper gaskets with alum heads, and only need one re-torque after a heat cycle or 2.

 

[Lil Truck]

Mike, it is a little more time-consuming, but especially with alum heads, I have found a stud with a flange nut will NOT loosen like bolts tend to do!

If you use long set screws, they will be easy to install and remove. I always use copper gaskets with alum heads, and only need one re-torque after a heat cycle or 2.

Nick,

What torque do you recommend with Aluminum heads,gaskets and headers? I think stock cast iron is 37 ftlb no gaskets?