Tired of exhaust leaks....

[speedskills]

Anyone running ATR headers or any other style with the v-band clamps having trouble blowing through gaskets? I've tried the SS gaskets with no luck and I'm blowing through the graphite gaskets every few months. Sounds like I'm driving a POS. Anyone have any ideas or remedies for this problem? What's the best header available? TIA

 

[turbo nasty]

ARe these real ATR's or the Ebay clones?

 

[DR BOOST]

the stainless v-band gaskets from rjc are a real joke.

there is a factory honda exhaust manifold gasket that works very well. i believe its for the 1.5L engines.

 

[DR BOOST]

Fel-pro #23624

 

[speedskills]

They are the real deal. Maybe the ebay ones are better. Thanks for the part #.

 

[Joe 1320]

The best gaskets are Percy's.....

Seal-4-Good Reusable Flange Gaskets - Percy's High Performance

Aluminum, blow out proof and reuseable. I won't use anything else now that I've tried these.

 

[davidf]

Do all aftermarket headers require gaskets? I really like how OEM does not.

 

[speedskills]

Does Percy's have the gaskets for the headers to crossover pipe?


I agree. I wish I had a new set of OEM logs.

 

[Joe 1320]

Does Percy's have the gaskets for the headers to crossover pipe?


I agree. I wish I had a new set of OEM logs.

What is the flange type on the headers? Pics might help to figure it out.

 

[speedskills]

Ordered the manifold gaskets from Percys. They don't have the vband gasket. Still can't find a gasket for the header to crossover pipe that will seal. Tried the Honda gasket. Still no luck. Should I just get away from these headers? If so, who makes the best?

 

[Joe 1320]

Ordered the manifold gaskets from Percys. They don't have the vband gasket. Still can't find a gasket for the header to crossover pipe that will seal. Tried the Honda gasket. Still no luck. Should I just get away from these headers? If so, who makes the best?

Again..... what configuration is the crossover flange? Is it a typical ball and socket type joint? If so, I've made my own gaskets out of aluminum foil and it works well. I fold strips of foil around the ball portion, usually 3-4 layers thick. Bolting the pipes together crushes the foil to seal an irregular surface. Just keep the majority of the foil outside the pipe rather than the inside wall. Perhaps 25% to the inside, 75% to the outside. It will seal well and not burn though. Borla used to include aluminum strips to seal their slip joints on the cat back systems so I stole the idea from them. been doing that for years.

The method you use really depends on the style of the joint.

 

[speedskills]

Sorry I don't have pics b/c 95% of the time I'm on my blackberry. The joint consists of crossover pipe slips into the header pipe. There is a round flange on both pipes and the gasket goes between these. Then there is a v-band clamp that fits around the flanges and sandwiches the gasket between them. Foil sounds like it might work on this app. Thanks I'll try it.

 

[Rodney87GN]

Sorry I don't have pics b/c 95% of the time I'm on my blackberry. The joint consists of crossover pipe slips into the header pipe. There is a round flange on both pipes and the gasket goes between these. Then there is a v-band clamp that fits around the flanges and sandwiches the gasket between them. Foil sounds like it might work on this app. Thanks I'll try it.

Ok, so you have the V band flange style collectors. Couple things to check....with no gasket, the mating surfaces of both collector flanges should sit flat all the way around with no gaps at all. Maybe there's some imperfection on the flange itself (like a burr)...or the crossover pipe is off a hair to where it won't let both flanges sit flat. If you have a two piece crossover pipe it should be easy to check this. Really, if everything is mated perfectly flat you shouldn't need any gasket there. Aircraft bleed air systems utilize these same type of connections/clamps and no gaskets are ever used.

Last, check the V band clamps....make sure they're the right size and of good quality (not those cheesy ones used on the ebay knockoffs).

That said...even though you didn't have much luck with them...I've had great success using RJCs stainless steel V band gaskets on my GN1 headers. The crossover was a hair off and left a tiny gap between the pass side collector. The RJCs seal them up perfect.

 

[cruzn57]

try these

they work fine for me. about $2.50 ea

 

[fleebag]

they work fine for me. about $2.50 ea

what vband did you use? i just bought this gasket tonight but it seems too thick? the stupid vband that came with these crappy ta headers suk.

and as the prior post about no gaskets... not with ta headers. at least not mine the pass side was not perfect and required the remflex gaskets which btw are kickarsh

 

[speedskills]

Dr Boost, is your crossover 2 1/2 or 2 1/4? The felpro gasket was a little too big for mine (2 1/4). Are your headers ATRs? The gasket in your pic looks a little different from mine. The one I got was like an o ring with a soft metal outer cover. Did you have to double up on the gaskets? Looks like it in the pic.

 

[johnplogii]

Southeast turbo carries the crossover gaskets. I use two of these with the RJC stainless piece between them. The RJC piece was no where near thick enough by itself on mine.

 

[87GNSteve]

Most of these after market gaskets or other application gaskets they are selling are too big. I bought the Honda 1.6 and got the metal crush ring I wound up cutting a section out and making it smaller I still have a small leak. There has to be something better.
I bought the ones from Southeast they went right into the trash--too large too thin. I didn't even call back and argue.

 

[jdub]

seal

just did mine this weekend with the honda gasket with new v band clamps. I have Atr headers wow I missed the loss of power I had insane fun. Need my Alky in now.

 

[Quiky One]

The best gaskets are Percy's.....

Seal-4-Good Reusable Flange Gaskets - Percy's High Performance

Aluminum, blow out proof and reuseable. I won't use anything else now that I've tried these.

Where did you buy yours and what part number did you use?

Thanks Jason