Slip Fit Exhaust leak...How to Fix?

[Sal Gerace]

Guys the exhaust tube from one of the cylinders is leaking where it enters the collector. What is the best way to cure this

[kris-kincaid]

One way would be to take the offending tube and sidepipe to an exhaust shop and have them expand the header to fit the sidepipe. There is probably some sort of sealer you could goop in there, but that seems like something you would do to a Chevette.

[Power Surge]

My slip fit CSX headers also leak like a sieve at the connections . I can't get the side pipes off without unbolting the headers from the motor, so that's not getting fixed anytime soon.

[Richard Hudgins]

Folks,

The normal method for sealing slip fit headers is to install them with liberal amounts of a heavy grease such as wheel bearing grease. (Note: this only works if the slip fits are reasonable. IE: .050 on the diameter cold.)

This is the method used in the aircraft industry and has been around since air cooled turbo charged engines came into common usage.

They do expand a bit and the headers do as well.

Has always worked for me from lowly Formula Fords to Inconel F1 headers.

[RICK LAKE]

Sal I have slip on pipes on my ERA. I use either a heavy coating of antiseize, for the street pipes or the high temp permatex (copper) for the race pipes. The pipes need to be clean when running the copper paste. If you let the motor idle and build up a little heat, then cools down, it seals well. When you are keeping the car original, exhaust leaken from the pipes is a pain, but Sanderson makes pipes with round clamps that seal great but are not orginials. Sal when you put your side pipes on, are the head pipes loose? If you back off a couple of threads, this makes it easier to get the side pipes on and then tighten the head bolts. This works for me, I also have heat rap on my header pipes. This also quiets noise from leaken pipes. Have been told this rots out the pipes, 8 years and no problem, My pipes are coated from ERA. Make sure you use antiseize on all the bolts and nuts. You can wipe the extra off.

[Sal Gerace]

Is it difficult to re-install the pipes once removed?

[CJ428CJ]

My slip fit connectors on my ERA leaked like crazy. I tried just about every sealer known to man and couldn't get them to stop leaking for more than a month or two at which point the sealer either cracked and fell out or burned up. I also tried using an expander to increase the size of the header. That didn't work either. I finally solved the problem by doing this:



I welded a short length of stainless steel tube to the side pipe. I then notched the steel tube with an angle grinder. After slipping the two together, you can tighten up the steel tube causing the sidepipe to clamp down on the header pipe. No more leaks.

Chris

[Sal Gerace]

I have a spreader and used it today after removing the side pipes. I put some sealer in there too. I'll see if this works tomorrow.