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header leaks
Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and
still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts and still have leaks. -- _____________________ HomeBrewer 76-81-85CJ7 http://85cj7.blogspot.com/ All in one Jeep |
Re: header leaks
HomeBrewer did pass the time by typing:
> Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. All surfaces have to be flat and free of any carbon traces or crud. A light scrubbing with a brillopad will help clean up the surface. Any appreciable warp in the head or header mating surface will cause leaks that can only be fixed by having the surfaces decked. Old (over stressed) bolts will also cause a problem. Sometimes it takes two or three trips around to get the gasket seated. I use a metal/carbon style gasket and they make ones with built-in gasket rings. A tiny bit of form-a-gasket copper smeared around will help with minor scratches and low-spots. Remember when your getting the gasket setteled in, don't rev the engine. Just let it toodle around till it gets warm, then retorque in the proper sequence. Took me four times over a week to get things settled on my I6 -- -- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge! |
Re: header leaks
HomeBrewer did pass the time by typing:
> Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. All surfaces have to be flat and free of any carbon traces or crud. A light scrubbing with a brillopad will help clean up the surface. Any appreciable warp in the head or header mating surface will cause leaks that can only be fixed by having the surfaces decked. Old (over stressed) bolts will also cause a problem. Sometimes it takes two or three trips around to get the gasket seated. I use a metal/carbon style gasket and they make ones with built-in gasket rings. A tiny bit of form-a-gasket copper smeared around will help with minor scratches and low-spots. Remember when your getting the gasket setteled in, don't rev the engine. Just let it toodle around till it gets warm, then retorque in the proper sequence. Took me four times over a week to get things settled on my I6 -- -- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge! |
Re: header leaks
HomeBrewer did pass the time by typing:
> Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. All surfaces have to be flat and free of any carbon traces or crud. A light scrubbing with a brillopad will help clean up the surface. Any appreciable warp in the head or header mating surface will cause leaks that can only be fixed by having the surfaces decked. Old (over stressed) bolts will also cause a problem. Sometimes it takes two or three trips around to get the gasket seated. I use a metal/carbon style gasket and they make ones with built-in gasket rings. A tiny bit of form-a-gasket copper smeared around will help with minor scratches and low-spots. Remember when your getting the gasket setteled in, don't rev the engine. Just let it toodle around till it gets warm, then retorque in the proper sequence. Took me four times over a week to get things settled on my I6 -- -- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://members.cox.net/wilsond HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge! |
Re: header leaks
Try and run the headers through a few thermal cycles even if they leak a bit (Don't push it if there is a major leak or you will erode the flange surface.) Take them off and bring them to your favorite automotive machine shop and have them run them over the surface grinder to get them ABSOLUTELY flat. Reinstall with some decent foil covered gaskets, warm them up at idle a couple times, retorque, retorque again at 500 or so miles. HomeBrewer wrote: > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > |
Re: header leaks
Try and run the headers through a few thermal cycles even if they leak a bit (Don't push it if there is a major leak or you will erode the flange surface.) Take them off and bring them to your favorite automotive machine shop and have them run them over the surface grinder to get them ABSOLUTELY flat. Reinstall with some decent foil covered gaskets, warm them up at idle a couple times, retorque, retorque again at 500 or so miles. HomeBrewer wrote: > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > |
Re: header leaks
Try and run the headers through a few thermal cycles even if they leak a bit (Don't push it if there is a major leak or you will erode the flange surface.) Take them off and bring them to your favorite automotive machine shop and have them run them over the surface grinder to get them ABSOLUTELY flat. Reinstall with some decent foil covered gaskets, warm them up at idle a couple times, retorque, retorque again at 500 or so miles. HomeBrewer wrote: > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > |
Re: header leaks
I take a large file and plane them, many imperfection will show up,
even with the best of headers, Hooker: http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Hooker.html And I use the special grade eight bolts that use a smaller socket size, twelve sided flange head: http://static.summitracing.com/globa...p-400-1201.jpg So I will always have room for the wrench, knowing some my torque isn't used up against the header. And of course, retorque warm, for the first couple of times, then once a week until they no longer tighten. God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/ HomeBrewer wrote: > > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > > -- > _____________________ > HomeBrewer > 76-81-85CJ7 > http://85cj7.blogspot.com/ > All in one Jeep |
Re: header leaks
I take a large file and plane them, many imperfection will show up,
even with the best of headers, Hooker: http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Hooker.html And I use the special grade eight bolts that use a smaller socket size, twelve sided flange head: http://static.summitracing.com/globa...p-400-1201.jpg So I will always have room for the wrench, knowing some my torque isn't used up against the header. And of course, retorque warm, for the first couple of times, then once a week until they no longer tighten. God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/ HomeBrewer wrote: > > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > > -- > _____________________ > HomeBrewer > 76-81-85CJ7 > http://85cj7.blogspot.com/ > All in one Jeep |
Re: header leaks
I take a large file and plane them, many imperfection will show up,
even with the best of headers, Hooker: http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLine/Hooker.html And I use the special grade eight bolts that use a smaller socket size, twelve sided flange head: http://static.summitracing.com/globa...p-400-1201.jpg So I will always have room for the wrench, knowing some my torque isn't used up against the header. And of course, retorque warm, for the first couple of times, then once a week until they no longer tighten. God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/ HomeBrewer wrote: > > Are there any tricks to stopping header leaks? I've installed them twice and > still have small leaks around 3 holes. It's a 304 in my cj7 with hedman > headers. The first time I used the foil gaskets and my mechanic friend told > me to use paper. SO I removed and installed the headers using the paper > gaskets that came with them. I ran it for ~100 miles and retorqued the bolts > and still have leaks. > > -- > _____________________ > HomeBrewer > 76-81-85CJ7 > http://85cj7.blogspot.com/ > All in one Jeep |
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