I was told by a lot of people to use stock gaskets, and re use them if they aren't too old. Mine were about 20,000miles old.

-Lurius

 

I used the stockers with 32000 miles and no problems.

 

reuse or buy new stock gaskets.

 

dealer was closed... damn small towns... i did get some fel pro gaskets... said screw the copper ones... but now im screwed on my steering shaft... it was upside down and i taped it.... but because it was upside down... and the bottom is heavier... it turned itself over i guess when i was climbing around in the engine bay and i dont know which way it fell.... lol... if it fell back to the left or to the right... i feel so dumb right now....

 

well i went with my instict as to which way it fell and corrected it... i have the y pipe slid on now as well... only thing is the y pips is really close to the front driveshaft... as in currently i cant fit a finger between the driveshaft and the pipe... has anyone seen this problem before? i do have the tranny lifted up a lil bit (2-3 inches) and i guess that is making the headers have more of an upward angle... hopefully that will change when i bolt the crossmember back in...

 

Listen dude, first off....don't use fel-Pro gaskets...I tried them time and time before and they will leak. Go get some OEM stock METAL gaskets!!!

Now...get back under there and use a Body hammer or heat the 3rd primary on the driver side and dent the primary in about a fourth os an inch. This will allow you to clear the header with your front driveline. Now ratchet a "come-along" around the header collector and anchor it to a pillar in the building or something. Then tighten it up, enought to pull the collector and header over to the side of the truck about 1 inch. Then weld up your Y pipe. This will help it hold it's shape when you let it go.

 

I put fel-pro gaskets on mine over a year ago... never even re-tightened the bolts, and no leaks.... they seem to be doing the job fine.

 

ive been installing headers, mainly pacesetters on camaros for a long time. ive never had a gasket problem using felpro, the supplied gaskets, the new supplied copper gaskets, or the stock gm gaskets. i never have to check the bolts torque either. i believe all the problems people have with gaskets is an installation error.

 

yeah 2 days... 300 miles later the fel pro gaskets aren't leaking... i checked the header bolts and they are still tight. only thing is i am still experiencing a lil bit of an exhaust leak at the drivers side collector.. have the easyseal i bar clamps on there cause i dont have a welder.. the leak cant be much cause it seems to dissappear once the truck has been heated up and running for like 30 mins.. i cant feel anything coming out at least.. any tips? already have the bolts on the clamps at the 60 ft-lbs they recommend...

 

dAMN MAN...TAKE IT TO AN EXHAUST SHOP AND HAVE THEM TAC UP THE COLLECTOR TO PIPE JOINTS. HELL IT SHOULD NOT COST MORE THAT $40 FOR SOMETHING THAT SIMPLE. OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE LEAKS IN THAT SPOT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.