Exhaust Leak, Coper Rtv?

splogan

Founding Member
Mar 31, 2002
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I have an exhaust leak I can not find. I believe the BBK headers may not have ever sealed properly. Many swear by using copper RTV, but I have read to use both with and without a standard gasket, which is correct? Additionally I am about to install a GT40 upper/lower I salvaged from an exploder, would the RTV work there also and if yes, same question, with or without standard gasket also?
 
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I think there is a sticky thing here on intake installs.
Leak at the header flange should be fairly easy to identify, sometimes it's a ticking sound, do the headers have a solid flange or are the tubes individual?
 
The flange is a solid flange. It has the ticking under throttle. Last night under hard throttle I even had a pop. If I am hearing it correctly it is the passenger side giving me fits
 
Take a funnel, a long one and point the small end around the area in question holding the big end NEAR your ear, should be able to pin point it, I have a modified stethoscope. Kinda hard on passenger side with air pump hoses in the way,
Get a set of quality gaskets, I have heard of soaking them in water before installing, don't know how long you soak them, never tried it my self.
Sometimes it's just loose bolts, or maybe loosen them up and retighen.
 
When I yanked the header you could see where it was leaking and blown. I cleaned the surface and will copper RTV it in place and see if it does better.
 
I will know after I get it back together. I already talked to a guy at the shop. They use the RTV on their race cars and said if I need him to he can machine the surface flat and reinstall. I hate to go that route, will cost half as much as the damn headers.
 
Just use gaskets and a thin coat on the header side, the race car guys disassemble thier stuff all the time, likely will leak again without.
we dont touch anything till we have too. we check the valves and change the oil. we went all season and the only thing we did was check the valves and change the oil.
 
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Do not use the freakin gaskets for Christ sake. They are the problem. They heat fatigue, and blow.

I have used nothing but RTV as the primary sealant/gasket on every exhaust manifold/header I've installed in the last 20 years.

Bead,....let it skin over, install loosely, finger tighten, let it sit for an hour and tighten the pss outta them.

No leaky.
 
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I bought the percy's.....blew them out. Copper RTV now.

Joe

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