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help with headers!
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Posted by: wills5.0

stupid question....but I put a set of bbk shorties in my car awhile ago and i couldnt get them to sit right so it has a small exhaust leak...is there a gasket that goes around where the flare on the h-pipe meets the header?? the kit didnt come with one and there wasn't one when I pulled the h pipes out...

i took it to an exhaust shop and they quoted me $500 to reseat the h pipes....so im gonna have to do it myself, putting in the headers was not fun so i wanted to have proffesionals deal with it but I'm not paying that much...

any tips on getting them to sit right without any leaks would be appreciated

Posted by: Cody1774

$500!!!! That's crazy, have you tried to take it to a different shop? There is no way they should be charging you that much just to make a couple 'tweaks'

Posted by: Cody1774

Oh and to answer your question, yes there should be a gasket. And make sure to use anti seize on the bolts, and maybe some kind of lock thread. Also make sure to torque to the proper amount.

Posted by: wills5.0

yea this was at a mufflex and theres 2 other places locally that i could deal with but i have went there before and they were both assholes to me also have had outrageous prices before...also this is the second set of h pipes i went through, the originals had bad flares so i went through some effort at the junkyard to get this set....so fuck it I guess I'll get my lazy ass back under the car

Posted by: wills5.0

ok thanks I'll get the gaskets and try it again...i shoulda done it right the first time lol

Posted by: Cody1774

well getting the headers in would be the hardest part, shouldn't be too hard to make the adjustment needed. I am surprised that your headers didn't come with the gaskets, it just seems to be they would be needed.

good luck

Posted by: wills5.0

the headers came with the gaskets that go on the manifold, that was it...i tried searching on the bbk site but i cant find these gaskets i dont even know what they look like? do they sit in the flare or go on the flanges?

Posted by: Cody1774

as far as I know there should be a gasket at both ends????????? Now I am second guessing myself. Anyone 100% sure?

Posted by: Aussie XAXB

I just looked at BBK's site since I am not familiar with their products and looking at their shorty headers for the 5.0 I see that the end of the collector pipe is rounded instead of flush with the flange. Typically this design, whether headers or exhaust manifold, takes what is referred to as a "donut" gasket. It looks like a ring with a faceted cross section. It is soft (compared to steel) and can reform to the exact shape of the joint between the collector and flare on the H-pipe.

However, in looking up the part online the couple places I checked don't seem to list one. Actually I didn't even find a listing for a flange gasket (flat type). Also BBK doesn't even mention anything about a gasket at this juncture. Certainly no one expects a rigid steel rounded openning to seal to a rigid steel flare.

I am sure that others here have done this job before. Perhaps they can shed some light on this. It's a piece of cake job, just takes a little "oomf" is all. I am used to the "old school" long tube headers with a flange and flat flange gasket. However I have done may exhausts with the rounded end on the exhaust manifold and they have always required a donut gasket.

I can't believe that place quoted $500. Labor is typically $50 - $60 an hour. They think it will take them 10 hours to do? A donut gasket, which you need one for each side if they are to be used, is only about $2 . I would never deal with that place.

Steve

Posted by: Aussie XAXB

Check out this post.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=634799

There are tips on how to tighten the nuts as well as someone else mentioning using donut gaskets. There is also talk about exhaust system geometry causing the angle at the H-pipe to be off.

Steve

Posted by: Mustang5L5

There are no gaskets. That's a 4.6L thing only. On the 5.0 the connection where the headers meets the h-pipe is meant to be a ball-and-socket type connection only.

The BBK headers are notorious for leaking at that exact spot. I own a set of headers myself and it was a HUGE pITA trying to get that connector to seat leak free.

What finally fixed it for me was to take some black RTV and run a THICK bead around the inside of the socket end on the H-pipe and let it set up 10 mins. Then i put the H-pipe into place and snugged it up and didn't start the car until the next day. That sealed up my exhaust leaks. Oh make sure the cat back is not hooked up when you do this and draw up the h-pipe by tightening all the bolts evenly.

If i had to do it all over again i would have never bought my BBK's. I would have spent the extra cash on FMS ceramic headers. I have installed 3 pairs on friends cars and they fit like a glove with no issues at all with leaks. 3 years later they are still the same color as when new. My BBK's rusted out in a year and look like garbage.

I'm going with LT's soon, so they will be in the trash soon.

Posted by: wills5.0

thanks guys again for the help...ill try it again with rtv....kinda sux that these headers are gonna wear so quick but oh well...

Posted by: Cody1774

Mustang, were your headers coated that wore out so fast?

Posted by: Mustang5L5

Dp

Posted by: Mustang5L5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cody1774

Mustang, were your headers coated that wore out so fast?

Yup.

They aren't worn out...just ugly looking now. They're still on my engine headering away

Posted by: Cody1774

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang5L5

Yup.

They aren't worn out...just ugly looking now. They're still on my engine headering away

hmmm, now I am not so sure about getting the BBK LTs and H pipe...

Posted by: Aussie XAXB

"The BBK headers are notorious for leaking at that exact spot. I own a set of headers myself and it was a HUGE pITA trying to get that connector to seat leak free. "

Like I said, how can anyone expect two rigid steel shapes like this to seal perfectly? It doesn't make sense. As I mentioned, back in the day, these type exhaust joints ALWAYS had a donut gasket.

Silver ceramic coated headers look bright and shiny forever.

Steve

Posted by: Cody1774

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie XAXB

"The BBK headers are notorious for leaking at that exact spot. I own a set of headers myself and it was a HUGE pITA trying to get that connector to seat leak free. "

Like I said, how can anyone expect two rigid steel shapes like this to seal perfectly? It doesn't make sense. As I mentioned, back in the day, these type exhaust joints ALWAYS had a donut gasket.

Silver ceramic coated headers look bright and shiny forever.

Steve

For that exact reason assumed there would be gaskets at both ends. Without I just don't see how you can have a perfect seal.

I still think I will go with BBK headers.

Posted by: wills5.0

well after some debating in my head I went with buying a set of bbk o/r h pipes instead of trying to fix the leak with the stock h pipes... I just installed them today and used that black rtv gasket maker VERY liberally....the "socket" on these pipes looks like it will seal way better then the stockers...so im letting it sit tonight with the sealer and i got my fingers crossed when i fire it up again...