My long tubes leak. I've tried the alum gaskets, I've tightened them to no end. I'm sick of the pinging noise.

Was thinking of cutting the flanges off, and using some thing like a walker coupler to connect the y-pipe to the long tube headers.

What do you guys think?

 

Not sure I've seen a 'walker coupler'... got a pic?

 

Yep!

Heres the link:

Dynomax Stainless Steel Butt-Joint Band Clamps: WLK-33278 - summitracing.com

And if that don't work pic attached. I used the same thing to connect my cat to the y-pipe, but the one I used was 3.50 to 3", so it wasnt really a 'coupler' just a seal. This one is 3" to 3", designed to couple two pipes. Just curious if anyone has had luck doing it with header/y-pipe.

-- Joe

 

I have seen that before, just never heard it called a 'walker coupler' before.. I always knew it as a band clamp. Anyway...

I would think that would work just fine, but I would suggest putting a hanger somewhere on the exhaust close to that, so all the hanging weight isn't on the clamp itself. Could possibly work itself loose, or even crack/tear the band if it has enough strain on it from the weight.

Theres also a red silicone sealant my cousin used on his headers to get them to seal up, and it seems to have worked really well. He used it on the head flanges and the collectors. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it was a red silicone-type sealant that he put on either side of the gaskets.

 

I plan to run these to bolt my y pipe to my new hooker 2210's when I get them coated and back on.I cut off the collector rings on the LT's in anticipation of using these.I am running slip fit Flowmaster collectors with a 3"id/3"od clamp.Friends that have used and them and still do swear by them over traditional collector gaskets.

 

What I would do is run a band exhaust clamp and have the y pipe slide over the header pipe. Thats what the ls headers do. It works alot better then a 3 bolt flange.

 

Here's what you need right here.

They make them in a variety of sizes.

Cut the stupid 3-bolt thing off, weld this onto the collector and the pipe (or clamp it, if you're lazy), bolt them together. Amazing difference.... something that actually WORKS!!!

I avoided headers on my cars totally for a couple of decades because I couldn't stand that useless crap the mfrs all used to put on them. I can't honestly believe that for all those years, NOT ONE of those people EVER tried to put headers on their car and make them stop leaking. If they had, the 3-bolt garbage would have disappeared from the market a LONG TIME ago.

 

Is rewedling seams out of the question? When you go with couplers you suddenly need more support because it adds 2 points for weight to buckle at rather than 1. I had this problem on my exhaust and fixed it with 2 clamps but would have opted for a weld could I have.

 

The problem with that is it reduces the pipe size to 2.50".

 

Including 3" to 3", 3½" to 3", etc. etc. etc. I just picked a typical sort of one out of the list as an example.

 

acck wtf.

I see what you mean but I think i'll just use the walker band clamps. I dont feel like taking the headers back out to weld them, and I don't have enough room to do it in the car. The headers are literally about 3/4" from the fiberglass floor pan. infact, I think the stupid collector flange rubs sometimes.

-- Joe

 

You can clamp the ball flanges on your collectors and pipes if you want, or weld them; your choice. Or clamp them now, get them welded next time they're out of the car. Whatever.

The advantage of using them is of course, besides just that they stop the leaks, that they come RIGHT BACK APART when you need them to. No fighting with slip-on pipes rusted together or dented, no alignment problems, just 2 bolts and they fall apart; and of course, no warped flat flanges like the 3-bolt madness.

These things literally take all the fun out of working on your exhaust. Turns what is usually about as enjoyable as hemorrhoid surgery without anesthetic, into just a routine little bit of nothing.

 

The trick to a leak proof header is high temp. silicone. Use it on both sides of the header to head gasket, and both sides of the collector gasket. Torque to specs, run the engine to temperature and retorque. I have been doing this for years, and no leaks!

That Walker clamp you are using should work fine. They have been using them for years on large trucks. They stretch to fill in any gaps in the exhaust system. Position the clamp half and half on the leaking joint, tighten the clamp on the smaller pipe first just watch the clamp as you tighten, you will see the clamp stretch, stop tightening when you get a smooth transition, then tighten the other bolt the same way.

Big E

 

Is that on a ID/OD or butt end? The clamp i'm using would be to butt two 3" pipes together, not a 3"ID to a 3"0D.. ??

-- Joe

 

Take the loose pipe to a muffler shop, and have them swedge it to a 3" I.D. You will have a much stronger connection if you have a slip joint. There will be too much stress on a butt joint.

Big E