Just an FYI for those of you who have the Edelbrock TES headers, I've been dealing with an exhaust leak on the passenger side header for about 3 weeks now that's been choking the crap out of me while driving with the a/c on. I've changed the header gasket and the collector gasket but still had this annoying exhaust leak. I finally decided to pull the header out thinking i might have bent the flange by tightening the header bolts too tight which wasn't the problem. I looked into the collector and BINGO!!! I spot a chunk of metal missing from the inside where the four tubes are welded together. I could see daylight! The collector had cracked due to 11 years of the converter scraping going over speed bumps. So if any of you 3rd genners out there are having this problem, you most likely cracked the header in the same spot.

Ya know, Ive had the EXACT same problem. They are NEVER leak free, nomatter what I do. I wish I would have inspected them after I beadblasted them and put em back on... After hearing your problem, Im this close ->||<- to pulling them off and checking them again. Im not %100 sure which side its coming from, but it sounds like the passenger side to me.

I'm going to have to pull the header again because the JB Weld is not holding up at all. It must've burned through because the exhaust leak is back.

An exhaust shop or any compitent mechanic who can weld can have that permanently fixed for ya in 2 minutes flat!

True that. I wonder if they can reach that far into the collector to weld it??

i have the hearders on my 85 z and they where leaking from the passanger side since day 1 i replaced the gasket twice and i havent checked the collector if it is where do find and replacement for that circle think there between the header and y-pipe, driver side never gave me problems. after i replaced the gasket on the pass. side there was still a noise like around the intake area like an leak also i dont know whats that nosie but it bugs the sh*t out out me .

I would pull the header and look into the collector. I'm willing to bet it's cracked.

just by having a crack in it, it will make noise forever? and where can u get the collector gasket from ?

If its cracked, itll leak for ever. As for the collector gaskets, Pep Boys should have them. Problem is, there is no way for them to look it up, so theyll probably just bring you out 6 boxes and tell you to search through them like they did to me. Youll need a 2 1/2" ID donut gasket.

Well today I took the header off again because it started leaking (JB Weld burnt off)and decided to take pics of what I was talking about.

Theyre your Edelbrocks? Mine have a different type of flange on them.

Anyway, where exactly is that light coming from? Any outside shots of the headers?

Yes this is the passenger side header. I don't have any outside shots but the crack was in between the collectors. I just got my header back today. I paid this guy $100.00 to fix it. He had to cut the collector open in order to repair it. It beats paying $320.00 for a new set of headers.

Damn $100?! You can probably order a new one from Edelbrock for about that. Hows it sound now though?

Yeah the guy had to cut the header open to get it fixed. I didn't know that Edelbrock can order individual headers. Oh well, I just got the header installed and it sounds nice! I forgot how nice the car sounded before the exhaust leak. I think it was well worth it though.

Mine are leak free, but then I didn't mount my exhaust an inch off of the ground.

Mine take donut type gaskets... I'm at point where I'm thinking about cutting both of them off and mounting up a regular 3 point flange gasket.

They must've changed the design on them because 88 WS6 TransAm GTA said his were different also. I've had mine for 11 years. Everything is good to go now.

Yeah, I got mine 2 or 3 years back. There sliding 2 bolt flange style that compresses around a donut gasket. If I remeber right the bottom I pipes are recessed so the gasket sits in a concaved holder then when you bolt the 2 together it pulls the gasket up to the header and then the idea is the inside of the holder comes close to the collector then the gases should go right into the I pipes... I've blown out a lot of them... I finally found a local guy that changes them 10 bucks total for both parts and labor.
That's cheaper than what I can even get the gaskets for.

I was thinking of doing the same thing now that I have a MIG welder. I was also thinking of getting a flex pipe to prevent the header from cracking again.

My drivers side has the stock donut gasket, but the passenger side has a ball joint socket on it now because, frankly, whoever designed that collector should be shot.

That's exactly what I have and yes they should be herded into a pit and clubbed to death.

The inner part of the Y pipe on the single cat setup (pt# 6872) also is pretty crappy.. Granted my edelbrocks were on there for a long time before I got the car, there was a nice sizeable hole in the inner part of the Y, I guess it just rotted away.. Might want to keep an eye on that.. Y pipe is pretty damn expesnive too, its about 70$ for the Y, then the pipe that goes from the Y to the driver side header (crossover pipe I think its called) its like 120$ and its half the size of the ypipe.. makes no sense..

As for donut gaskets, Jeg's has replacements, but they are like 12$, here http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...31&prmenbr=361

You can go to your local NAPA and get pt# 7139 (Im almost positive that's the pt#) its a 2 1/4" aluminized donut gasket, fits right in and is only about 3-4 bucks.

You can go to your local NAPA and get pt# 7139 (Im almost positive that's the pt#) its a 2 1/4" aluminized donut gasket, fits right in and is only about 3-4 bucks. [/quote]
I use part# 9998 from Autozone costs a few bucks also.

Thanks I might go in there and try to get that sometime... getting tired of the hissing sound. I went in autozone once and they said all they could give me was a 454 tbi collector gasket and it was still way to small. Maybe if I go in there with the part number they can find it. I swear they're dumb. I went in awhile back for a serpentine belt I had like a 76.2k I told them I need'd 2 inches shorter for so a 74.2k... they gave me a 75.8k and I didn't look till I got home.

Pissed me off royally, ended up going back in several more times to get right belt... I guess inches in Autozone is different than the outside world.

Well stopped by Autozone cause I need'd a new battery terminal connector. I picked up a 2 1/4" donut gasket. They couldn't find PN 9998. I did manage to get another gasket made for a ford (89 cents each). I'll probably put it on sometime and see if it fits right. It looked like the napa part number NGAF7139.

here's a pic of the napa gasket

anyone know for sure which one to use? I got a 2 1/2" one with beveled edges on both sides, the top beveled edge fit into the header perfectly, but the bottom y-pipe sided didn't accept the beveled edge, because both are convex. anyone know what ones to use?????? thanks i have edel tes 1 5/8 single cat y -pipe

the one in the picture is the type i'm using and it works just fine.

works well, the driver side is a little crooked though ...should be ok thouhg