help me diagnose an exhaust leak?

[Chevy305]

So ever since I put my headman elite headers in (pn 69830) I have been having a bad exhaust leak. It pisses me the **** off to have spent good money on a quality set of headers and they still leak worse than my manifolds . I have replaced the paper gaskets with the copper ones and still tick tick tick tick. I have cranked every single nut and bolt to the verge of breaking in order to stop the leak. I have located the ticking to the passenger side around the collector. Any suggestions as to whats the problem?

 

[JEBSR]

Disconnect the collector and look around the ball and socket fitting. Most likely there is a dent or it is bent and it's not sealing. If it is small enough you can just bend it back in to place.

Also check and insure it is leaking at the ball and socket and not where the collector slides in to your exhaust pipe. If it is leaking at that point, weld it up or insure it is pushed into the pipe far enough and tighten the clamp good and tight.

 

[George_Pimpdaddy]

throw the copper gaskets away go with the aluminum ones way thicker for a better seal. also i had my collectors welded straight to the pipes and never leaked yet

 

[Chevy305]

Disconnect the collector and look around the ball and socket fitting. Most likely there is a dent or it is bent and it's not sealing. If it is small enough you can just bend it back in to place.

Also check and insure it is leaking at the ball and socket and not where the collector slides in to your exhaust pipe. If it is leaking at that point, weld it up or insure it is pushed into the pipe far enough and tighten the clamp good and tight.

I am 100% sure that the exhaust clamed onto the collector and all the way back is 100% leak free. On the driver side I had to use the flexable exhaust tubing, but its leak free.

 

[Kenny78]

I know you said its at the collector, but do you have any EGR provisions? seems like a no brainer, but I have spent alot of time tracking one from there
Otherwise, good luck

 

[Blue85]

If you climb underneath on a cold start with a stethoscope (piece of rubber hose works fine, too) you can find it, but any big leak can be felt with your hand.

I have fixed collector leaks with high temp silicone. Dissasemble, apply, re-assemble, let cure. The aluminum gaskets work well, but they learn the shape of the collector and flange. You can only tighten the bolts so far... Mine worked great for years, then I raised the transfer case back up and both collectors leaked. Paper gaskets are only a temporary solution, IMO.

IME, they like to leak the most at the head, especially cylinders 7 and 8. If it's not there and not at the collector, then you have a bad weld, right?

 

[Jason4x4]

or put some sea foam in your engine, it will clean it out, and you can see where the smoke is coming from.

 

[Kenny78]

or put some sea foam in your engine, it will clean it out, and you can see where the smoke is coming from.

That a pretty slick idea

 

[Chevy305]

I'm going to have to disconnect the ball and socket flange and look for dents and maybe bad welds, perhaps a defect from the factory.

 

[Chevy305]

or put some sea foam in your engine, it will clean it out, and you can see where the smoke is coming from.

or with a cold exhaust just spray it down with soapy water and start it up looking for bubbles.

 

[NewUser]

throw the copper gaskets away go with the aluminum ones way thicker for a better seal. also i had my collectors welded straight to the pipes and never leaked yet

X2