[Raupleminze454]

Hey guys,

I had some aluminum looking Proform gaskets on my 489 with Heddman Hedders and I had a lot of leaks going on. I decided to replace them with some copper Mr. Gasket hedder gaskets. When I removed the Pro Forms I noticed that in a lot of the corners where the leaks were there wasn't even gasket material (or not much) according to the contact pattern. So I replaced them and as I was tightening the bolts this is what I saw (bolts are pretty much torqued)

It appears that there is quite a space between the hedder flange and the head. Is this normal? I know that the rings are raised on the flange where the head meets the port but the gap seemed excessive. I haven't fired it yet because I still have to tackle the other side, and I wasnt sure if i should be ordering some better gaskets. What do you guys think? Any advice on a better set of gaskets (if that is the problem)? I guess I am just concerned because the last gaskets didnt have that gap, atleast not that I could see....

Thanks in advance,
Brian

 

[matt2491]

That looks like ****. Seems like exhaust gaskets (whether at the heads or collectors) always suck eh?!

 

[Tod]

These are the gaskets I use on my big block. Best I ever bought and I'll never use any other brand, check out the site.

http://catalog.remflex.com/

 

[Raupleminze454]

I dont know if I should also add that they are cast RHS heads and Heddman #66002's

 

[davewho1]

Looks like the header flange is warped to me.

 

[novaderrik]

looks like you went a little crazy tightening down those header bolts and bent the flanges in.. but as long as the beads around the ports are nice and flat and as long as you tightened the bolts evenly, then it should seal..

i'd pull the gasket back out and see what kind of a crush pattern you can see. if you an't see anything, then take a magic marker and cover both sides of the gasket and put it back in, tighten it down, and take it back out and see if everything is sealed all the way around the ports.

 

[Finally]

My headers have a bead like that around the port. They've been on 2 different engines, cheap gaskets, never leaked.

 

[6872chevy]

i have ran copper header gaskets for 6 years on my 68 camaro big block,flanges look the same, i run hooker super comp headers, it took several heat cycles and retighting the header bolts in the beginning,but since then no leaks, motor in and out a few times,kept the gaskets on the same side with no troubles. my 2 cents good luck!

 

[Stickman]

...from your pix...it looks like the header tube extends PAST the flange... looks like the tube is mating up to the head / gasket. Maybe they are just made wrong..

 

[novaderrik]

...from your pix...it looks like the header tube extends PAST the flange... looks like the tube is mating up to the head / gasket. Maybe they are just made wrong..

most headers are like that- they weld them together from the engine side, then grind the weld bead flat to create a raised surface to seal against the head.

 

[67shovel]

I'd pull the hearder and flat file or have the surface machined flat. Don't remove the complete weld or you'll have bigger problems. The flanges do looked warpped from over tighening.

 

[Stickman]

most headers are like that- they weld them together from the engine side, then grind the weld bead flat to create a raised surface to seal against the head.

My Heddmans don't look like that... looks like someone forgot the grinding step

 

[novaderrik]

My Heddmans don't look like that... looks like someone forgot the grinding step

i've got two sets of Dynomax headers sitting out in the garage that have the raised beads, and every other set of headers that i've ever owned have had welds ground above the flange surface like that.

 

[cv67]

if it doesnt leak when you fire it up leave it.

 

[Hi-po SS 454]

This picture shows the only way I ever seen them fit. Header flange mated right up against the gasket and both flat against the head.
Yours look like they didn't grind the weld down enough, or at all, but never are they ground flat with flange. Now your flange is bent from tightening the bolts down.. It may not leak but its always going to look strange and will be a finger pointer..BTW, I'm using a cheap mr gasket header gasket for a few years now with NO leaks..

 

[Finally]

I noticed you have the taller head bolts, not the old stock type. The head sits up higher and can interfere with the bottom flange of the header. Check to see if you have any clearance between the lower outside head bolts and the header flange. If no clearance it's holding the bottom of the header out, so you keep tightening trying to fix the leak. You'll need to grind the bottom of the header flange or grind down the head of the bolts. I've ground the bolts on 2 engines. There's plenty of steel there and you can easily take off 1/8".

 

[jhunt]

I noticed you have the taller head bolts, not the old stock type. The head sits up higher and can interfere with the bottom flange of the header. Check to see if you have any clearance between the lower outside head bolts and the header flange. If no clearance it's holding the bottom of the header out, so you keep tightening trying to fix the leak. You'll need to grind the bottom of the header flange or grind down the head of the bolts. I've ground the bolts on 2 engines. There's plenty of steel there and you can easily take off 1/8".

Good point, I had to do the same thing

 

[Chris R]

It does kind of look like some bolts were overtightened. But I can see it warping that bad because of it. You would have almost had to not have the rest of the bolts in place completly.