I haven't been able to seal a leak between 4-6 on my sb400. I've doubled up on the gaskets and there's still a tick. I'm think it's between the siamesed cylinders, and not coming out from around them. Man, it's aggravating. I'm afraid to try and crank down on the header bolts anymore, as I have aluminum heads... The copper gaskets were even worse. Any ideas?

Gary
Is the header square?I mean straight.When I install a pair I take a straight edge and lay it on the header flange(and check the heads too) to be sure and dress it with a file.I have also found that if you can get the thickest paper gasket you can find and soak it in water over night put in on,let it sit overnight again,check the bolts and run it,check the bolts again.This might help,but using paper might last a year.

-Kid

Dead soft aluminum gaskets,look like stamped aluminum foil but they work.

Thanks guys,
The headers were installed on another engine and they didn't leak then.(perhaps it was luck?) Anyway I have to take the exhaust system off this weekend to install a new torque converter, so one of the headers will only take a short time in comparison to what lies ahead for me. I'll check for alignment and try to find the aluminum style gasket too.

also try stage 8 header bolts 1" long for alum. heads..they don't back off.... graemlins/hurray.gif

Got to help a fellow North Carolinan. Any machine shop worth a toot will have a mochine that looks like a big ol bench sander and can level your headers for next to nothing and in no time. If you can't find one in Raleigh, I use USA Machine Shop here in F'Ville run by Leonard and Larry. I swear by these two guys. In addition I have run stock gaskets by NAPA for the last two years with no problems. Only cost about 8 bucks