Header problems

[83 chevy shortbed]

New to forum, this might not be in the right place. I have an 83 chevy k10. I recently bought a set of flowtech headers, they were cheap so I figured id try them out. Got everything installed only to find I had a leak somewhere. I spent 50+ dollars on gaskets only to find that there was a leak where the primaries meet the collectors. I returned them for an identical set only to have the same problem. I returned those and bought a set of hooker competition headers and full exhaust. These also have the same issue. I am completely fed up at this point, any suggestions?

[Boone83K10]

I assume you mean where the weld is, not where the gasket is. Why don't you have a shop fill in the area that is leaking? Cheap labor.

[HAULIN IT]

only to find that there was a leak where the primaries meet the collectors. I returned them for an identical set only to have the same problem. I returned those and bought a set of hooker competition headers. These also have the same issue. I am completely fed up at this point, any suggestions?

I'm not going to say "Impossible!", but I am going to say "What would be the odds?" The first Two sets of cheap headers with a manufactures flaw, mass produced so a flaw could be done over & over...sure.
A "better quality" header by a different company with the same exact, "unusual" problem...not very likely!
Now if you were talking a fitment problem & all Three sets had the "same" problem...I'd be thinking, wrong engine/transmission mounts, frame damage, ect. ect., but this just seems too unlikely.

One thought would be to clean the headers, front pipes, ect. in the area of the collectors & spray paint it White...say a foot each way from the flange, run the truck for a few minutes & see what turns Black from the soot. If it's coming out between the where primaries meet the collector, it should be clear as "Black & White" (yea, a bit cheesy) & easy to tell from the flange, ect. Hope this helps, Lorne 

[bake74]

     Don't paint them if you are going to return them.  Along HUALIN IT thought, you are not forcing them on at all are you ?

[Engineer]

I have a set of Hooker Competition headers that are 15+ years old on my 454. To this day they still don't leak. Had to replace the gaskets at the head only once. Sorry to hear that you've had problems. I completely love mine.