Does this sound like a manifold gasket leak?

[Knebel]

Hello,

Had just installed some headers and the drivers side is fine and makes almost 0 noise. The passenger however has a real loud tick. The ball connector seems fine and I cant find any carbon tracing. Does this sound like its the manifold gasket? I used the cheap ones that came with the deaders but used RTV to seal. Maybe it didnt seal good?

 

[Knebel]

Ohyeah. You hear it at idle and acceleration. When i take my foot of the gas and decelerate its almost non existent.

 

[413]

Welcome to headers. Never use cheap gaskets. Just be replacing then sooner rather than later.

 

[Knebel]

Welcome to headers. Never use cheap gaskets. Just be replacing then sooner rather than later.

So youd say that comes from the header to head not sealing. I put this together last week maybe has 10 miles on it.

 

[furious70]

Use mechanic stethoscope to verify which cylinder it is if you can. Will help you to know if you need to address any irregularities.
People like to think manifolds never do this, but they do...
What rtv did you use? Use copper. I use the OEM style gaskets and copper rtv with headers. Also used the Mr gasket graphite ones. Copper rtv for the turbo manifolds as well and they see way more heat and back pressure than anybody else's car on here

 

[Knebel]

Use mechanic stethoscope to verify which cylinder it is if you can. Will help you to know if you need to address any irregularities.
People like to think manifolds never do this, but they do...
What rtv did you use? Use copper. I use the OEM style gaskets and copper rtv with headers. Also used the Mr gasket graphite ones. Copper rtv for the turbo manifolds as well and they see way more heat and back pressure than anybody else's car on here

Nice, thank you. I used ultra black... just coated the gaskets lightly but I think i just took a chance, i had read everywhere that the gaskets that came with the header kit were crap lol. Anything against the useage of High jeat red RTV?

 

[furious70]

I can only say copper always works for me, on a variety of engines over the years

 

[Mr onetwo]

Remflex MOPAR Header/Exhaust Manifold Gasket and Ultra Copper Permatex® Ultra Copper RTV 3.5oz - Permatex

 

[Knebel]

Exactly the gaskets I ordered. Thanks!

Edit. Not exactly but the SB version.

 

[Knebel]

.....something off about that? Haha I must have tightened this too hard. The gasked on the head showed no signs of being blown but gets replaced anyway. Guess I have to figure out how to really seal that now...

 

[furious70]

The conical donut should be what seals the joint, not that bead on the outside?

 

[Knebel]

The conical donut should be what seals the joint, not that bead on the outside?

Yep its like a ...ballflange sort of. But it had a nice line all around and did not look like it showed signs of a leak. I managed to round it back out as best as I could with lots of heat and a big socket. Made some studs for the holes that go into the waterjacket and supposedly the gasked are gonna be here tomorrow so we shall see how it goes

 

[furious70]

Ah, I missed the out of round the first time!

 

[Knebel]

Well... it is not the manifold gasket. The balljoint is sealed, the header is sealed against the head as well. I did inspect it when I had the header out and did not see any shady welds or gaps on the inside where the tubes meet. But I have found that leak.

 

[furious70]

You definitely found it!

 

[Knebel]

I had half a jbweld steel stick that i ramrodded into there. Ot gor better already but I think i need the high heat stuff lol the epoxy is smoking pretty good

 

[furious70]

Would be a pain to have to take it out to braze it

 

[65sporty]

If you did take it back off, I would bet you will see a hole or crack from the ball flange side

 

[cbarge]

Folks, thats why I stick to factree HP manifolds.
Headers=Headaches

 

[Knebel]

Oh this isnt coming back out haha. If anything i will crawl under and take the collector off to see if I can reach the inside with my welder.

I do have to say... I paid 110$ for those headers and I really didnt expect them to be perfect. Leaking lime this however I did not expect. Otherwise they really dropped right in.