"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!

Hey Travis,

Header leaks suck, don't they? There are quite a few things you can do to
help solve the problem, but what we've been doing on the circle track cars
we work on is not use a gasket at all. We just use the ultra hi temp copper
RTV sealant. This was kind of discovered by mistake because we needed a
gasket on one of these cars in an emergency and didn't have one. We figured
we would patch it up with RTV and just hopefully get through one race with
it, and then fix it during the week. Well, the sealer worked so well, we
just left it and it lasted almost a whole racing season, and in fact, was
still holding up until we pulled the engine out for freshening. I would also
suggest like Mike said, have the flanges checked for flatness. If you are
having problems with the bolts constantly loosening up, you may want to also
look into the Stage 8 brand fasteners with the retaining clips on them. Here
is what they look like:

<http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc..._image.d2w/rep
ort?prrfnbr=3879>

Chris

 

"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!

Hey Travis,

Header leaks suck, don't they? There are quite a few things you can do to
help solve the problem, but what we've been doing on the circle track cars
we work on is not use a gasket at all. We just use the ultra hi temp copper
RTV sealant. This was kind of discovered by mistake because we needed a
gasket on one of these cars in an emergency and didn't have one. We figured
we would patch it up with RTV and just hopefully get through one race with
it, and then fix it during the week. Well, the sealer worked so well, we
just left it and it lasted almost a whole racing season, and in fact, was
still holding up until we pulled the engine out for freshening. I would also
suggest like Mike said, have the flanges checked for flatness. If you are
having problems with the bolts constantly loosening up, you may want to also
look into the Stage 8 brand fasteners with the retaining clips on them. Here
is what they look like:

<http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc..._image.d2w/rep
ort?prrfnbr=3879>

Chris

 

"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!

Hey Travis,

Header leaks suck, don't they? There are quite a few things you can do to
help solve the problem, but what we've been doing on the circle track cars
we work on is not use a gasket at all. We just use the ultra hi temp copper
RTV sealant. This was kind of discovered by mistake because we needed a
gasket on one of these cars in an emergency and didn't have one. We figured
we would patch it up with RTV and just hopefully get through one race with
it, and then fix it during the week. Well, the sealer worked so well, we
just left it and it lasted almost a whole racing season, and in fact, was
still holding up until we pulled the engine out for freshening. I would also
suggest like Mike said, have the flanges checked for flatness. If you are
having problems with the bolts constantly loosening up, you may want to also
look into the Stage 8 brand fasteners with the retaining clips on them. Here
is what they look like:

<http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc..._image.d2w/rep
ort?prrfnbr=3879>

Chris

 

Before you install that header again, take it to a machine shop and get it
machined so it is flat.

The flange that bolts up to the side of the head can be warped to an amount
that is greater than the gasket's ability to correct. When I bought my Borla
header, the flange was badly warped and the gasket would never have filled
the gaps. I put it on a large flatbed belt sander until all of the high
points were ground off. I installed it without a gasket almost 4 years ago,
and it still doesn't leak.




"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!

 

Before you install that header again, take it to a machine shop and get it
machined so it is flat.

The flange that bolts up to the side of the head can be warped to an amount
that is greater than the gasket's ability to correct. When I bought my Borla
header, the flange was badly warped and the gasket would never have filled
the gaps. I put it on a large flatbed belt sander until all of the high
points were ground off. I installed it without a gasket almost 4 years ago,
and it still doesn't leak.




"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!

 

Before you install that header again, take it to a machine shop and get it
machined so it is flat.

The flange that bolts up to the side of the head can be warped to an amount
that is greater than the gasket's ability to correct. When I bought my Borla
header, the flange was badly warped and the gasket would never have filled
the gaps. I put it on a large flatbed belt sander until all of the high
points were ground off. I installed it without a gasket almost 4 years ago,
and it still doesn't leak.




"travis" <travist34removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:iqfqrvgh5n0mptofhifb9a48hskjg9ct00@4ax.com...
> ARGH!!! I installed a set of headers on my 304 a couple of weeks ago.
> I used the paper gaskets that came with them and retorqued the header
> bolts after about 20 miles or so of driving. Still the one on the
> driver's side blew out soon afterwards. I bought a set of Mr Gasket
> Ultra Seal header gaskets and (being the el-cheapo that I am) only
> replaced the one on the side that had blown out figuring I'd leave the
> other side alone since it was ok. I retorqued the header bolts after
> letting the engine get hot and then cold again a couple of times. Not
> even 50 miles later the header gasket has blown out again. I don't
> see any deformity in the mating surfaces. I'm told that somewhere
> over the rainbow somebody makes some copper header gaskets that I
> could use that will never ever ever blow out. Anybody have a source
> for these? The Jeep sounds GREAT with the headers and full exhaust
> when it's not FAP! FAP! FAP! FAP! leaking from the blown header
> gasket. Help!!!
>
>
> --
> Travis
> http://jeepadventures.dyndns.org/jeep.html
> The meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.
> :wq!