I finally tracked down my exhaust leak after 7 months of having my headers installed lol. Its leaking at where the EGR feed pipe flange connects to the flange on my Pacesetter mids (shbox picture - its the RH pic http://shbox.com/1/egr1.jpg) . I used the cardboard like gasket that came with the headers, but it defintely isn't doing the job to seal things up. I can't understand why there is only one bolt holding the flanges together, should be atleast two. Whatever, any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks.

 

As for a simple check, is the bolt completely torqued down and the flanges flush with each other? My kit never came with a gasket for the EGR, but it also isn't leaking either. Maybe try some high-temp RTV and see if that can seal it up.

 

Yah, it is as tight as possible. I had two wrenches on the bolt and nut and squeezed them together with both hands until I thought I was gonna break a bone lol. How durable is the metal flex pipingg btw? Because I had to wrestle that thing like an anaconda to get it to fit into the EGR hole on my header when I installed everything. Maybe it just got a stress crack? I'm pretty sure the leak is at where the flanges meet though. Anyway I'm thinking I'll try and seal it with RTV today, and if that fails, just delete the whole damn system. Atleast until California emmisions comes around again

 

The EGR pipe is pretty flexible, I had to move mine around a bit too to get it to fit the EGR fitting on the header correctly. Also, are you sure it is the flange leaking? Maybe you had a couple header bolts back out or maybe a leaking gasket?

 

I'm almost positive its at the flange. I took a piece of aquarium tubing, and put it in my ear and listened all around the header flanges for for leaks. The only place I heard a leak was at the EGR flange to header flange connection.

 

Well, I fixed it, for the most part atleast. I took the flanges apart, and the old gasket fell out from between them, in several charred pieces, WOW. I crammed a bunch of hi-temp RTV in between the flanges and used a grad 8 bolt, and tightened the hell out of it with a piece of pipe on the end of my wrench. Its still not completely sealed, as I can still hear a slight exhaust leak when I listen with a piece of hose to my ear, but its not audible anymore when just listening under the hood, or while driving. Infact I think I can hear some of my rocker arms ticking now lol.

EDIT:
Wow, I drove it and it drives like normal, however when it was idleing in my driveway it would be idling like normal for maybe 20-30 seconds and all then sudden would try and die, and then go back to idling normal again. NEVER had this problem before today. Weird...any ideas?

 

I've noticed 'hunting' like that to be a MAF issue.. Just my $0.02.

HOLY CRAP! What a PITA to get to when it's in the car! I can imagine!

 

Yah, when I did my cam swap/overhaul, the MAF is the one thing I didn't pay any attention to. Its never been cleaned before either.