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Exhaust leak


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Help!!

 

I have hooker headers on my rebuilt 350. I can not stop the exhaust leak! I wont drive it with that awful sound:-( I have tried Mr. Gasket, hooker gaskets and copper! Nothing is fixing it! Any suggestions!!!!

 

Thanks so much

 

Jodi

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Try high temp RTV with the gasket it works. Some just use high temp RTV without a gasket and have no problems, personally, I use both.

 

Mike

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Are you sure it's leaking at the head? I've also heard of doubling the gasket at the head. It's worth a try. I've doubled the collector end for years but not the head mount. Before I mount the header, I always filed the welds on the header mounting plate to insure their flat.........

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I never figured that out; they put the weld on the head-side of the flange plate and grind some flatness to it and call it a sealing surface.

Before I installed mine, I had them blasted and then brazed a nice filet between the pipes and flange on the outside of the flange plate...then had a machine shop mill the flange plate flat where it meets the head (no more welds standing proud). I use a stock chevy exhaust gasket and have zero issues.

 

If only the header makers went to the trouble to do that! Of course I started with the cheap "painted" header, and had it coated after all the mods were done.

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Hey Mike,,,,,what size are your front tires? I need to get a 2in drop spindle,,,by front is way too high. I have 15in tires all the way around,,,,do you think I will need to change tire size? I hope not, they're brand new:-)

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I am running 245-60-15's on the front and if you take a straight edge from the top of the tire to the top outer edge of the fender I have 1 3/4" space/gap. When I rebuilt my suspension my front springs were wore out and I made the mistake of going with original big block springs. I didn't take into account that I was going with aluminum heads on my engine and when I installed, it took a while for the front to drop a little. Still a tiny bit too high IMO and I probably should have went with small block springs. I can live with the way it is now until I get an itch to mess with it all again, but not for a long time. smile

 

Some people on here cut off some of their springs to achieve the height they are looking for. I know it works but I am not a big fan of that procedure. If you search the threads you can find some write-ups on exactly where they cut them and how to install them in the proper location.

 

Mike

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I used Remflex at the recommendation of the owner of Winner's Circle in Joliet, IL. Just cannot overtighten but guaranteed not to leak. I have not had a problem. I actually trimmed them to fit the shape of the headers so there is no extra material between the cylinders. Very clean looking.

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