I just got done with a two hour drive and car stayed a constant 170-180 degrees the whole trip. Got into boost and opened up a major exhaust leak where the crossover meets the passenger side header. I tried to get the flange to bolt up as evenly as possible to expose equal amounts of the crossover lip around the circumference of the header ( about 3/32 inch )
crossover flange stretched out too much?
- Thread starter BriHorse
- Start date
It is not the header or header gasket leaking either. The exhaust pressure is coming out of the flange area. I tried to bolt it up a few times and can't change the volume of the leak whatsoever. Tried to tighten driver and passenger sides equally, that didn't work. Tried to tighten the passenger side first and that didn't work. Took the header off the car and it is not warped and gasket is in perfect shape.
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
The stock headers do a good job on our car, but like other items, they do wear out and give up, maybe time for a new set?
Here is a typical example:
Here is a typical example:
You're convinced it's the x-over to the header connection? Was there any kind of carbon tracing from the escaping gases around the joint? Do you use a header gasket and is it possible, the header gasket, or even turbo gasket, may have blown? Just throwing ideas out there!?
PM sent turbojoe. I felt my gloved hand around the entire header and could not feel any exhaust pressure. Of course it is difficult to feel around the lower rear. There is quite a bit escaping where the crossover meets the header. The header gasket looks perfect and the leak is definitely coming from lower rear of engine compartment. I thought I might have warped the header but I laid it flat on the kitchen counter and there was not anything more than 1/32 inch gap anywhere. The piece that slides up the crossover that bolts it up to the header seems like it is stretched out and actually slides to high up the pipe. The opening still looks round not oval on both the crossover and header and I did have two small carbon marks on the header where it meets the crossover.
It doesn't make sense that it would be sealed and then just blow out like you just lost a gasket? But anything is possible w/these engines. lol
Do you have a performance muffler shop close by you could take it to, that can reform the flair?(No hammer and torch method!)lol Not many shops have that ability.
You might try cutting a pc of gasket material and installing that, just to see if it seals the leak which would eliminate any other possibilities.
Do you have a performance muffler shop close by you could take it to, that can reform the flair?(No hammer and torch method!)lol Not many shops have that ability.
You might try cutting a pc of gasket material and installing that, just to see if it seals the leak which would eliminate any other possibilities.
JDSfastGN
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2001
I would say it is probably a crack in the crossover or possibly on the header where the "ball" meets the header like the picture shown above. They can leak when overtightened and they warp into an egg shape but the flange usually won't warp after installation. Also maybe its the quality of video and its altering the sound but it almost sounds like compression leaking past a headgasket..... I'm sure in person its easier to tell its an exhaust leak though.
Phoneguy
Cometic HG stress tester
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2002
Try using chalk on the inside of the flare and installing the bolts. The chalk will leave marks on the header where it makes contact.
I would be very careful if you were to try to use gasket material as it could go through the turbo ...
Bryan.
Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
I would be very careful if you were to try to use gasket material as it could go through the turbo ...
Bryan.
Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
I think JDSfastGN might be right with the blown headgasket. When I think of a blown headgasket, I think of an overheating engine ( at least that is the way it was on a Seville and Grand Am that I had owned earlier in my life ) I didn't think that a blown headgasket could make that much noise. Well I am picking up a used crossover tomorrow and will try to see if that changes the exhaust tone but I think I am on my way to replacing a headgasket.