Just wondering how and even IF you DIY'ers test custom headers for leaks. I had a bad exhaust leak and was figuring the manifold gaskets blew, but I discovered that they were fine, so I made up some block off plates with some 1/4" plexiglass and threaded in an air fitting and pressurized up to 20 psi, I had air pissing out EVERYWHERE! What I thought was a decent weld job with no visual holes wasn't so great. I've been fixing all the holes now and got the header down to the point where there are no audible leaks. However there are a few minor leaks in the collector area that will make a soap solution bubble when air is applied to the inside of the header. How critical is it to make the header 100% leak free? Do you guys test your headers in a similar fashion as I did?

Thanks

Bill

 

Bill let me know if you didnt get my PM. My computer crashed after I hit send.

 

Got it! Did you seal every little pinhole?

 

yeah pretty much. I couldnt pin point like 1 or 2 because of their location. However, they where not noticable. When I pulled the headers this year the race gas reveled the exact location.

 

When you run Race Gas do you remove your FAST Wideband?

 

nope

 

You don't run into any problems with the lead? I've ran a couple of different race fuels and even Aviation low lead fuel and they always plated the O2's and I had to replace them. No problems with the FAST wideband? Interesting!

Bill

 

what kind of welder are you using. If you're using a mig, that's probably your problem. If you are using a tig, I would try purging the piping with argon for a cleaner and probably more finished weld

 

I used a TIG welder for most of it. The places it was not feasable to use the TIG, like the collector area, I used the MIG. Where I was using the MIG is where I am having the problems. There are no leaks in the tubes themselves, just around the backside of the collector and at the header flange. The header flange isn't bad to get at, I'm just TIGing that from the inside. Had it been a round flange I could have welded it all from the inside, but I had a D port flange so most of the bottom had to be filled in to fit the tube. I'm getting there now with the leaks, just wish I would have done this before. Oh well live and learn right. I won't make this mistake again.

The next set of headers I make will include Burns Merge collectors with double slip connections and round port header flanges! Those Burns Collectors are a work of ART!

 

before adding the collector to your piping, didn't you add a square in the of the 4 pipes and welded it close?

Here is a thread of my collectors I made

http://www.torquecentral.com/showthread.php?t=23530

a fraction of Burns' price and it will outflow any of the collectors you find for $50. Also, for turbo aplications this thick wall tubing is perfect

 

Yeah I did. When I fitted all 4 pipes the final time I MIG'ed the peice of square stock from the inside and welded around all the pipes from the inside. I then went around the outside of the collector. I welded it until I couldn't see any light from a flashlight from the backside.

 

I weld all the seams around the 4 tubes, then the 4 sided star inside. If you are good at controlling the heat, you dont even need a star. Just a few filler rods and you can build it up good enough.

Then, get the collector where you want. Tack it in place and then use a propane torch to heat it up. Hammer the tops in as close to the primary tubes as possible. Then lay weld around the seam.