Header Collector Gasket Leak

. . ==== ==== snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (AndyW)

How do I repair subject leak? I replaced the POS gaskets that came with the Y-pipe with the Flowtech dead-soft aluminum gaskets and cranked them down pretty good. But I still have a leak.

Question: Could a bead of high temp silicone be applied to both sides of the aluminum gasket and reassembled without causing more leaks? This stuff dries like rubber and may seal the leak.

Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Andy ======= ======= Andy, as Doc said....don't be cranking down on the collector bolts so hard. You're going to foobar the flanges if you persist on that techniqe.

You CAN...use hi temp silicone to fix the leak. I've personally used it in the shop for years and years without ANY problems what so ever. The only prob with using it on header collector gaskets is that eventually it will burn out. Consider it a stop gap cure for the leak. It will likely hold for at least a year, unless yer running

jest my opinion....

~:~ MarshMonster ~:~

Andy,

The silicone won't work and will just make things worse when it's time to replace the gaskets.

Doc

if you over tighten them they will leak. and if you use silicone and it does stick to the exhaust you will never get it apart again.

I am getting into this thread late and haven't read what the others have said but I have found the solution to header/collector leakage. There is a gasket, forgot the brand name, that is made up of layers, it looks like three or four layers that has never leaked. I use to have troubles all the time with single layer gaskets and now I don't. It looks like soft aluminum and is the cats a_ _. As the others have said, i don't overtighten and i make sure they are as centered as possible. Rick PS skip the high temp rtv, the temperatures that the header and collector sees is way above its melting point, you will have a big mess.

How do I repair subject leak? I replaced the POS gaskets that came with the Y-pipe with the Flowtech dead-soft aluminum gaskets and cranked them down pretty good. But I still have a leak. Question: Could a bead of high temp silicone be applied to both sides of the aluminum gasket and reassembled without causing more leaks? This stuff dries like rubber and may seal the leak. Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Andy

Thanks for the responses thus far from Doc and Marsh Monster. From the feedback I've gotten, I've learned that it's not a good thing to overtighten the fasteners. I'll use the hi-temp silicone as an interim fix and resign myself to the fact that I'll be replacing the gaskets in a year or so. Thanks. Andy

thanks. Appreciate the info. I have the layered type on the manifold, but can't find the layered one for the collector. Any sources? Andy