I have a 84 firebird with hedman elite headers and the y pipe for it, I installed it and the collector fit into the y pipe fits horrible and I was wondering if theirs any thing I could do to make the exaust stop exiting from their, so I can have a safer car.

thanks

 

i have same problem, y pipe rotted out after a few years and i just got a new one and it was a 2 piece y pipe from headman better design didnt leak but its leaking again so i think i am going to tighten the bolts up again but yah it fits like crap

 

it fits worse then crap!!!!!!!

 

if your leak is at the connection between the y-pipe and collector try using an aluminum gasket in there instead of the crap paper one. i just put aluminum gaskets in mine and what a difference. i'm never using those stock gaskets again.

 

even with the ball-socket arangement that they supply it still leaks on mine and theats with true duals. not trying to get off subject but mine leak too and i was just wondering if it was a brand wide problem or just me oh how bout lockwashers on the bolts.

 

its a "gasketless" collector.. It sucks..

thats why I made this thread to see who else has/had this problem and if their is something I can do to fix it.. I feel real ripped off

 

sorry about that. i know i have hedman headers, but i guess they're not the elite ones as i have gaskets.

 

i run this setup on my car im always tighten the bolts where are you leaking the passenger side seems to give me the most probs

 

when I start up the car smoke comes out of the drivers side

 

is your y pipe the two piece style? like i said mine need constant tightening an its a pain to get those flanges in a position that dont hit an you can get a wrench on them another thing on these make sure you have them tightened evenly sence ive put my 350 in an the heads have raised exaust floor they are a real pain but i have been able to get them to seal lots of patience. the header side im using aluminum dead soft gasket an gremlin bolts helps with leakin round the header an head as far as the collectors i carry my distributor wrench 9/16 deep well socket an regular style wrench i have found puting another nut on an tightening against the other helps i plan on drilling a hole in the bolt an slippin a wire threw to keep from loosen the nut lots of tinkering but mine will seal.

 

My y pipe Is now rusting because of the finish it came from the factory with!!

I am not a happy customer, and will be sending them something, with thise thread linked to it!!

 

yeah the first y pipe they sent rusted out in a year an my car dont see snow an very little rain i ordered a knew one an sent it to jet hot to be coated its been on the car for alittle over a year now an constantly needs tightened for those darn leaks i noticed the other day when i was adjusting that the flanges were warping so the header flange bolts are not the hole problem the headers are a nice piece an still look good after a couple of years just those ball socket flanges suck headers are prone to leaks but these things demand so much more attention its terrible more so then anyother that ive run on a car 259 for the headers 100 for the y pipe 150 for coating= 500 + of junk im nursing it along for now but i here ya about feeling ripped headman is a good company but they dropped the ball big time on this setup. i think about this thread everytime i craw under to tweak her closed again the funny thing is its becoming more often that i find myself screwing with it.

 

I have the old 3 bolt flange style. I think i'm using a paper style gasket, although it's magnetic (so partially metallic?)
anyway, mine doesn't leak..?

oh yea, the factory finish is just a coating meant to protect it until it gets to you, it's NOT heat proof, and not meant to be the final coating. My y-pipe burned off that coating and got some surface rust during cam break in. It's not a big deal, it'll take a while before it rusts THROUGH, so i'm going to leave it for now.
the headers, I cleaned, sanded, and sprayed with VHT black, and baked with my propane torch, then fired up the engine - they smoked like burning plastic, but that paint is there to stay now.