73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Performance => Topic started by: txchainsawgogi on March 08, 2011, 12:27:20 am
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before i install all this on thursday i was wondering if yall had any advice on avoiding leaks on my headers?
as in, should i use the gaskets they came with or go with something else...
so far i've got headers going to a 3" collecter, then 2.5 all the way back on either side to some cheap turbo "mufflers". should come out a few inches before the rear wheel when its all bolted up.
i got everything welded together to avoid leaks and such.
(http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m612/wolfmantough/2011-03-07164245.jpg)
i'll take more pics on thursday of the progress!
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iv always used the aluminum ones so if they do leak it won’t blow out, you just tighten the bolt tighter
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Re-tighten them after a certain period of time. One or two drives.
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i usually trash the gaskets that come with the headers, they are crap. the percys aluminum gaskets have worked well for me.
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Please post a video if yer able too. Like I've said before, we have the exact same thing goin on exhaust wise.
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i'll take some pictures when i do it on thursday!
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Thank ya, sir. Does yer camera take videos as well?
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yeah but its gonna be hard to hold the camera and wrench at the same time. i usually do all my truck work by myself too :'(
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I think he means for a sound clip when its done! Lol
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I think he means for a sound clip when its done! Lol
:P
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Haha! Yes sir, a sound clip after it's done.
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I also prefer the aluminum collector gaskets, the ones the exhaust shop put on my 79 blew out quick, after I swapped those on, not a problem at all.
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I also run aluminum collector gaskets but I had a machinest at my work make me a set a couple of years ago and they have been leak free since. When my exhaust guy built all new system for me he reused them as I told him and he also put some high temp rtv on them and so far no leaks since october when it was done.
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run a piece of pipe that just fits in your header about 2 inches and weld it to your reducer you'll never blow another gasket. even the paper ones. my exhaust guy who has been in business 35 years did that on my truck 5 years ago and i never have had to replace a gasket and i have the 3.95 paper gasket
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run a piece of pipe that just fits in your header about 2 inches and weld it to your reducer you'll never blow another gasket. even the paper ones. my exhaust guy who has been in business 35 years did that on my truck 5 years ago and i never have had to replace a gasket and i have the 3.95 paper gasket
wut?
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the bolt flange on the pipe side is welded to the exhaust pipe so about 1 1/2-2" of pipe slides into the collector. the flange on the header is left loose as to line up the bolts. it is 3" pipe
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The headers look cool. Got everything together and started to bolt the collector flange to the exhaust pipe when... I noticed a "straight" pipe isn't going to work...not with these headers.
Tomorrow ill take the pipes back to the local muffler shop and use their bendy machine to put a slight Z bend to raise it so it won't drag on the ground when I put 15"s on it.
Pix and a video for tad tomorrow![youtube=425,350][/youtube]
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how long is a normal period for it to smoke? is there like... a break in period for the headers?
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Well how long has it been smoking? Generaly whatever coating(paint) is on the header plus the rest of the exhaust will burn off and all the oils from your hands and such and will stink awful lol
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Did you use gasket glue? I got my headers on yesterday and it smoked for a good 20 minutes till all the gasket glue was gone. After that, it's good.
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not a lot of smoke, and some of it is blow by from worn rings :(
i took a video but man, my cell phone's speaker is crap. i'll charge up my girlfriend's camera and maybe it'll sound better.
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Personally, I went over the crossmember on the driver side and under on the pass side. Theyre paralell to eachother, to the frame rails, and to the ground.
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It's all good, bud. Does it sound good?
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yeah sounds a lot better than the rusted out stock setup. surprisingly not as loud as i thought. pretty low until you get on it, then its a rumbley rappy sound.
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I can't get over the idle with open headers and no exhaust... Sounds beautiful!!!
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I use a donut gasket that you would find between a manifold and a Y pipe flange. Juts take the collector to the parts store and match up the size. You will need longer bolts as a the donut will be about 1/2" to 3/4" thick and leave that gap between the flanges.
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Had the shop install my exhaust today. Turn downs before the rear axle pointed right at the ground. I love how to ground shakes when you stand beside it. And the exhaust is quieter than my old trues. I think I'm starting to take a liking to it better than my old exhaust. It's a lot deeper, but not as loud. I've been readin on the internet and a lot of folks are saying how the Thrush Turbos take a while to break in and after that they sound like flowmasters. We'll see!
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If you want to louden up your exhaust a bit, fatten your carb up. I run my truck a little rich because it makes my cam louder at 600 idle.
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Until I have a new intake and came lined up I'm leaving the carb stock. I have no idea how to replace a cam shaft though.
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Ive got a bone stock engine. Stock bore stock intake stock carb, stock heads, etc. the thing that isnt stock in my engine is the cam. Just turn the mixture screws on the front of the carb about a quarter to a half turn clockwise and crack the trottle to make your adjustments set and youll notice your exhaust is louder. Not saying you have to, just my personal experience. As far as the cam swap, I put my cam in while rebuilding. So I dont know how to do it with the engine in the truck!