I just installed my MAC headers this weekend but heard the exhaust leaking under medium acceleration. I decided to check the header collectors, header gaskets, and all the flanges back to the start of the cat-back. The header bolts stayed tight, and they were plenty tight.

I couldn't believe what I found. Both of the collectors had about 4-5 leaks. The Y-pipe to cat had a couple small ones, and the cat to the catback had one.

So I sanded the inside of the flare, and the ball on each connection to make the surfaces smooth for sealing together.

Then I checked the header gaskets. Here is what I found. You can see all the leaks around the embossed ports.

Primary 2:
Primary 2 Header Gasket Picture

Primaries 4 and 6:
Primary 4 and 6 Header Gasket Picture

Primaries 3 and 3:
Primary 3 and 5 Header Gasket Picture

I thought copper was supposed to be a great header gasket.(The MR Gasket copper ones sell for $55 here) Guess this proves that wrong, at least on my car. The copper gasket came with the headers, so I didn't have to pay extra for it. I decided to try it.

I decided to use Mr Gasket Ultraseal header gaskets to replace the copper ones. They look like they are made basically the same as the Felpro's and there were no 1406's around here.

I took Permatex Ultra Copper and made a ring around each port. then tightened them up.

Then I put a bead of ultra copper on all the ball and flare connections and tightened them up snug. I also put some on the EGR connector.

I'm letting it all cure overnight. We'll see how it turns out tomorrow, but I'm pretty confident that it will be good. What a hassle.

Dan

 

im in the same boat as you..my headers are leaking too..i used mr asket coppers....i just bought a new set yeasterday...i hope they seal beeter this time or else imma be pissed off ****...let us know if it sealed up

 

i have replaced mine 3 times, finally used felpo with 2 gaskets on each header and it is working fine so far..

 

I run felpro gaskets, the non-copper ones, on all 3 camaros and on the nova we HAD copper and those leaked BADLY. I have seen them work great, but they just don't seem to work on our cars as well

 

I had the same problem with my copperseal's. The SLP header flangedidn't overlap with the embossed part all the way around and kinda caused the embossed part to crease where it overlapped with the port and leak even more badly than yours judging by the carbon deposits. Ended up busting a cheap header bolt trying to crush the copper gasket till it sealed, PITA.

Since then i've heard something about annealing copper gaskets in the oven before installation is the key to getting them to seal, but the packaging said nothing about that. Bottom line is that the FelPro's (just one per side ) worked for me.

brent

 

I don't remember where I saw it, but I could have SWORN that you werent supposed to use copper gaskets with aluminum heads. I'll try to find the source of my info. If I'm wrong sue me

 

I didn't read that, but based on the info below, I would have to agree with 94m5.

Something that might have a lot to do with it could be a galvanic reaction between the 3 dissimilar metals.

take a look here. Notice that the steel to copper connection is even worse than the copper to aluminum.

http://www.engineersedge.com/galvanic_capatability.htm

 

I used some expensive Mr. Gasket copper Ultra Seals on a BBC engine once and had the same bad experience. They leaked like a dog.

No more copper header gaskets for me.

 

Save yourself some trouble and get a set of Earl's header gaskets. I got mine from Summit when my headers were leaking (Fel-Pro 1406's) and haven't had one leak in the two years since they were installed.

-Tony

 

Felpro 1406. Works great. My car and another heads/cam car in my area have not had leaks yet. Heads/cam car has had the gaskets for a year. I've had mine for a month. Good luck with whatever you pick.

 

The problem is in the differance in expantion rates between copper and aluminum. The thought of galvanic action between the different metals would be electrolesis. That should not apply in this case because it would require water to happen.

 

I used just one set of Fel pro 1406's here with 94/95 SLP's for the last two years and no problems with leaks at all. I did have to go back over the header bolts a few times in the first few months but after that they have been great.

 

Dang. I use cheap paper gaskets and have no leaks and haven't had any on the header installs on my cars. I guess in this rare case it was actually a good thing that I'm so cheap. LOL!

 

I bought some copper gaskets from Summit and they seal up perfect. I have had them on and off quite a few times too.

 

Good feedback.

Yeah, I can see how copper COULD be a good gasket material, but I think the surfaces need to be even more perfect for them to work well. The good thing about copper is that there is much less need to retighten the bolts, since the gasket material doesn't compress after a few heat cycles like the felpros and Mr. Gaskets will. the problem is that the little embossed ring is all that is sealing the surface, so if that get's blown through, you're screwed.

They didn't work for me, and I know they were installed correctly. Torqued to spec, then torqued again after they leaked. Didn't work.

Oh well. Live and learn.

Dan