I've finally after 3 years with my current gaskets developed a nice exhaust leak at the flange on cylinder #2. I've got the gaskets from SLP that are 3 piece, not the 1 piece. I've got SLP Tri-Y's. Anyway, when the shop put the on, they used SLP 12-pt header bolts. I can see that's it's loose because the head of the bolt is not flush with the flage.

Problem is that the bolt head is halfway shrouded by the damn header pipe. How in the heck do I tighten it up?

 

Are these 3/8" bolts? For my SLP's (1 5/8" primparies) I use a wrench. Little by little I snug things up.

 

Your're saying I can used the closed end of a wrench to grab onto the 12-pt heads and turn it? I have no idea on size, I'll try a 3/8" first though...

 

Nope, I just tried it and the header tube is just too close to the bolt head. I'm guessing there is like a special open-end wrench just for these types of bolt heads?

EDIT: I just tried a 3/8" 12-pt socket I found in my tool box but it's for a 1/2" rachet and the body was too big. I'll try buying a 12-pt 1/4" socket for my smaller rachet at the parts store tomorrow.

What would be sweet would be a 12-pt socket to fit over the head with a 6-pt end on it to use a normal wrench on in those tight spaces where you can't use a rachet or extension. Kinda like the SLP spark plug tool...

 

The do make little plugs that go in the back of a socket, and have a standard head on them. I used to have a set, Sears sold them.

 

I swapped mine over to using allen head bolts and shortened the short end of a 5/16 Allen wrench, works like a charm with my Tri-Y's!

 

Buy a cheap wrench and modify it. I bought a cheap combo wrench from Lowes thinking I'd just grind a bit off the boxed end if needed to clear the tube...it ended up fitting as is. I have the SLP 1 3/4" headers.