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header bolts or studs

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greywolf

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what bolts/studs are you guys using? tired of lose bolts also what gaskets cause were in there

thanks
 
Dead soft copper/aluminum is the best gaskets, even if bolts come loose wont burn out. To a point that is, obviously they will if you drive it for months and dont tighten them up at some point. They offer several types of locking bolts. One has an allen head screw in the center of a hex head bolt, and it spreads the end of the bolt out and into the head, holding it. The other kind has an egg shaped or pointed washer that slips over the hex head, and a small c-clip holds it on, and it backs onto the header tube and then cant move anymore. I just use regular bolts and tighten them occasionally. I dont like studs for headers personally.
 
I know leaking flanges are fairly typical for headers, but I don't think bolts/studs are the answer. My suspicion is either that the flanges are too thin (cheap headers) or the exhaust is putting too much strain on the headers if they keep coming loose.

I've had the Hedman Elites on my truck for 10 years or so, using the stock paper/steel(aluminum?) faced gaskets, with the bolts Hedman included, and the bolts on the head have never loosened up. Had issues with the flange bolts loosening, but that was an easy fix.
 
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Yea mine dont come loose anymore, they did a few times at the start, but they stick pretty good now. I do give them a once over occasionally just to do it.

And I run Hedman Elites as well, good header. I had cheapie forgot the name kind on my SB and they always came loose.
 
I've run cheap gaskets, quality gaskets, cheap (Flowtech) headers and better (Hedman Elites) headers... never had an issue with the bolts. The trick is to keep them tight right away, or at least that's what works for me. Check them after a couple days, then after a week, then another week, then after a month. They should be fine the last several times, it's just to be safe.

If you wait a month to check them, they will be really loose. Then you have to screw them in a ton and a month later they will be really loose again and so on. It's like if you don't keep them in place they won't "seat".
 
The problem with studs is clearance. I have 2 sets of headers that studs wouldn't work. Just get some good gaskets. Tighten them 3 times ons couple of weeks. Done
 
Its a little less comfortable to do but I like to tighten them when they are hot.
 
The only thing I will use on headers is allen head bolts with lock washers. No problems with loose headers anymore and you can tighten them with a ratchet with a ball end allen drive socket.

I run the Mr Gasket graphite header gaskets and the Alumiseal collector gaskets. I've never had a leak at the flange, only the collectors and those aluminum gaskets solved that.

I work with a racer who says he doesn't even run header gaskets and my Dad doesn't use gaskets with manifolds and we've never had a problem that way either. As soon as everything starts warming up, it all seals.

I even had a manifold broken in half on a 88 Chevy 1500 305 and it would pop and carry on till the motor started warming up. Then it would expand and seal and stop leaking for the rest of the day.
 
I use ARP bolts on my Doug Thorley Tri-Y headers. Use the longest bolt that you can as they will hold torque better. Retighten them often at first, then they are set for the long haul.
I have them off right now following a motor rebuild, but I plan to use the Mr Gasket copper gaskets when I put them back on next week.
 
454Sub said:
Dead soft copper/aluminum is the best gaskets
Click to expand...

Ditto on the Percy's Deadsoft gaskets. I used the paper ones that came with my headers, had a leak, replaced them with deadsofts and haven't had any problems in 4 years.

My bolts are nothing special, just whatever hedman sent with the headers. Just follow the tightening procedure, and like was already said, repeat it 3 or 4 times in the first month, and you should be good. I did that, and with the deadsoft gaskets, no leaks and no retightening in 4 years.
 
I used bolts and thick paper gaskets with my old hooker headers and after about a year they started leaking a little on the passenger side. This go around I'm running Sanderson headers with no gaskets, just a thin layer of hi-temp rtv and studs with tall nuts. It seals up really well.
 
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