Thread: Im exhausted with these headers...

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For the past 5 years I have been trying to seal these Sanderson headers from leaking. I have installed numerous gaskets from copper, to aluminum, to just silicon again as they recommend. I have been able to seal up the head gasket without problems. But I have had a terrible time with the collector gaskets. Believe it or not the aluminum gaskets have even disformed themselves and moved out on one side of the tri-angle.

Again for years I have been embarrassed with the "leaky" noise at the runs, but I simply wont stay at home. I have to go to the runs no matter what. And the more I try to hush them up...the louder they seem to leak. I recently pulled the headers out and found that part of the problem has been the welds are breaking loose around the collector where the four down pipes come together. Sanderson welds a diamond shaped filler to connect the pipes together and they appear to break loose there as well as almost all the way around the welds.

Please do not take this as a slam on Sanderson. I called them I they asked me to send them in for inspection which I plan to do next week. But I am curious if you have had similar problems with block hugger headers and may have a diagnosis why this is happening. I have checked the exhaust system and they are not too tight so there shouldn't have been a stress issue.
Sanderson suggested the headers are getting too hot as if the car was running too lean, but this is not the problem either. What else could cause this?

Any help is appreciated.

Troy

I just now finished redoing the headers on my '75 Duster an though I have no experience with Sanderson headers I have found that stock ext manifold gaskets and Mr Gasket flange gaskets seal the best. I was using copper all the way around and I could never get them to stop leaking. Copper might look nicer, but if they leak why bother.

I think that is the problem with any header to be honest with you.

I have a machinist friend over in Oregon, and he runs no gaskets... last I heard it (400 SBC), it sounded fine...he is a machinist and builds engines, so who knows what he does to them. But, then again, when he gets bored at home...he'll pull his engine, detail it, and stick it back in.

I had the same prob with my Sanderson headers(welds ok) I used a grafite gasket and the leaks stoped they were 15 for the collecter and 25 for the flange+/- ? I'll get the name tomarrow

I got bored and pulled my engine the wife lost her half of the Garage nagged me for weeks till I put it back so now I detail it in the car and she brings me my beer Happy Medium

Is this older Mercedes Truck (Type 608) -->
available in USA?

It's Gasket matches the 3 inch Collector on American cars Collectors perfectly with it's triangle shape. It's made out of a kind of compound of soft copper with an inner steel ring. The gasket is about 1/4 inch thick. Seals even Dragster-Pipes in Europe.

Sounds like your headers are cooking. Richen the carb a bit or run more advance. Another thing, do you run hard in the wet a lot? Water splashing on hot headers will bust 'em .

if you are hitting anything(like a speed bump) with them they want stay tight. im talking just a little bump.

Originally posted by 53fatfndr
I think that is the problem with any header to be honest with you.

I have a machinist friend over in Oregon, and he runs no gaskets... last I heard it (400 SBC), it sounded fine...he is a machinist and builds engines, so who knows what he does to them. But, then again, when he gets bored at home...he'll pull his engine, detail it, and stick it back in.

ive never used gaskets on the stock manifolds and dont have a problem. now headers are another story.

how is your exhaust hanged ??? here is some thing a lot of people do not know ,headers getting loose and leaky hookups. i do not use street hookup gaskets but the hookup flanges are flat and weld on the headder and the best gaskets to use is the ulra-seal or a graphite type make shure that not to much weight is hanging on the headders and it should move a little with engine if not thing will crack or loosen seim truck band clamps work very good for the street hook ups no flanges or gaskets to blow out.