DS Exhaust Header Gasket Replacement

[kjhansen]

I have a very noisy exhaust leak coming from the driver's side header. Examination with a mirror didn't show any rusted out holes or broken welds in the header. The gasket did appear to be coming apart under the pipe nearest the firewall. Anybody done this (with the engine in the car)? Any instructions? For example, do you have to move the AC compressor to get enough clearance to pull the header away from the engine? Can you reach the lower bolt nearest the firewall from up on top or do you have to jack up the car and get underneath? Can you move the header far enough away from the head to clear the studs without disconnecting it from the collector to do so?

[xracerx13]

Its been so long. I think one of the bolts is for the alternator bracket and that bracket may have to come off. All of the bolts, I removed from the top. I popped off the crossover pipe first and it cam off real easy back in 1989 :-) Yeah real long time ago. A header leak from a cracked header sounds like a ticking sound meets a farting sound like this icon 

[kjhansen]

Thanks for the input. With the encouragement, I went ahead and did it. I did have to jack the car up to reach a couple of the lower bolts, but technically it was a simple job, although time consuming. I do work slower now that I'm in my 70s. Lots of breaks too, what with the hot weather here. But it's done and made a huge difference.

[reality]

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-1400

I'm not sure what gasket you are using but the black graphite looking gasket will blow after 1 full boost.

The 1400 will handle high boost.

I remember being in my 70's LOL

[Tim Hensley]

this is why I quit using gaskets I keep 2 sets on the shelf. last time I went to the belt sander made sure it was flat. cleaned the head with 120 and a sanding block. took and smeared high heat RTV on the header supper thine, went in the house got me a peanut butter sandwich and a large glass of tea, returned after I washed the plat refiled my glass and reinstalled the header. 3 year and 6 thousand miles no problem

[Steve Wood]

I used to never use gaskets.  When I swapped heads a couple of years ago, my friend insisted on using gaskets so I did but smeared a thin coat of rtv on them.  Used Felpros.  They have been okay but honestly , it probably has only a few hundred miles on it and not high boost as my alky kit died.

The graphite type gaskets are the worst.  I even had one blow on my 440 with no boost.  I'm sure the header had a little warp in it but that is just normal.  Seems like they were popular on turbo cars for a short time and I had not heard anyone mention them in a long time.

I believe in normal situations, no gasket and prepped exactly as Tim described above is the best way.  The factory was not stupid when it omitted gaskets.  Admittedly, it was not running boosts as high as we do, but I have never had a leak on a flat header at any boost

[reality]

The key is a flat surface to begin with. A belt sander [providing you have one] will knock the rust off but will not flatten a warped header.
I've tried asking a machine shop to machine a header and the price was astronomical.
And wait for them to actually do it, ''maybe'' a couple weeks.
A couple gaskets and drive the car the same day.
Just remember when using a gasket, tighter is not always better cause you can bend the flange.
The catch phrase, I used gaskets for decades and never had any problems.