popping noise

[jpfletch1]

I am having difficulty with air leaks where my side pipes connect to the headers. What else will cause a lot of popping when you let off the gas?

[Turk]

Air leaks where your primary pipes connect to the heads.

TURK

[Boudy]

The popping will deminish or stop in a couple hundred miles due to carbon build-up. If not, remove the sidepipe and coat it with exhaust sealer from the auto parts store and stick em' back together. It's a white paste. The slip fit pipes are sucking air and creating a lean situation, that's the backfire when you let off.

Boudy

[SkipB]

Boudy,

I have over 400 miles on my car and the popping/backfire is still there and really annoying. Is there another way to eliminate this problem without removing the sidepipes. Some sort of exhaust wrap, tape, etc?

[Boudy]

SkipB: Not sure if there's another way. The one mentioned works well. The idea came from one of the TCC members who was helping one of my customers tinker with his car one weakend.

We are coming out with new headers in the next few months that offer a better fit and eliminates the air from being sucked in. However, the prototypes aren't done yet.

Boudy

[SkipB]

Boudy,

Thanks for the reply. I want to try some other way of fixing the "popping" sound because getting the side pipes off, coated and back on will be a monumental task. Probably impossible if I try to do this alone. I hope the design changes soon, and there is a retrofit available for current owners. My car now "pops" appproximately 5 seconds after I shut it off. This is really a surprise when you are climbing out of the car!

Bye the way, my pipes/headers have kind of pulled together now. So much so that the springs are really not under any tension. Is this normal? Do you think it would help to adjust the springs to again pull the pipes together?

[Rogers]

check where the pipes actually go thru the body. My headers could not make full contact with the heads untll after I removed 1/2 inch of the fiberglass. I then used combo aluminum/graphite header gaskets by "Earls", recommended by Nuke 427, and I haven't had to re-tighten any header bolts.

[Dennis Kelley]

My experience with my header is that they were bent upon receipt. I heated them and spent a day with the car on an alignment rack adjusting them until I was satisfied. The springs didnot work with mine because they were to short. Safety wire works well. Driver side was the worse side. Get the car on a rack bring a buddy to help you.

[Rogers]

My mistake.....I thought we were referring to the header at the head. JP....I had a 351 with World cast heads, stock pistons and crank with a 650 Edelbrock. This car would always pop between gears until I put octane booster in. I basically live in the boonies and I can't find a good engine tuner. I'm sure the car needed fine tuning....the popping was mostly on the passenger side.

[Bear2001]

Someone had recommended a product called "INFERNO" to repair exhaust leaks on the sidepipes and header connections.

Has anyone had experience with this product?

[Jahred]

I may be mistaken, but I think the "pops" most people talk about is just ignition of unspent fuel when it leaves the exhaust pipe and hits the oxygen rich outdoor environment.

Simple fix would be conventional muffler, but if you don't want that, just enjoy the noise and the fireworks after dark!...

[Tony Aprile]

I developed a similar problem a while back, only popping on deceleration and only the drivers side exhaust . I was told to look for an exhaust leak at the header flange to the cylinder and also at the header to sidepipe gasket. It turned out I had a vacume leak at the intake manifold gasket right at #1 cylinder. The intake gasket distorted out of shape and caused the popping.

Good Luck

Tony

[SkipB]

Guys,

Thanks for all the ideas! I talked to Armond at Cal. Cobra and he is going to take a look at the popping situation next week. I need to get in anyway for a 500 mile check. I hope it is just a simple fix and we don't have to take off the side pipes. I'll have him check both intake and exhaust manifolds too. Again, good ideas guys, I hope one of them works!

[BMK]

Just on exhaust.

I see mention has been made of exhaust wrap.

Has anyone experienced any negative/problems with using this wrap.



Bernie