How to cure F22a ebay header leak?

[Shag Wagon]

Ok Ive had an Ebay header on my F22a for a while now and after I had it for 6 months I got an exhaust leak between 4 and 2. I went to advance auto and ordered a sheet of exhaust gasket since these gaskets were impossible to acquire premade. I cut out the exhaust gasket and it works....for about 4 days and I have already blown that gasket out. Now note I am ordering the best of what Mr Gasket makes. I have done this 4 times in the past 2 years and now im fed up. I have made sure surfaces were clean and sanded down. Im out of ideas. I cant weld it closed for 2 reasons: If I need pull the engine then I have to cut it (idk might be wrong) or if I wanted to take it off I would have to pull the engine or somehow take off that cross member and whatever else gets in its way. Should I just junk my old ebay header and get a name brand or is there another way to cure the infamous leak most of us experience?

[JDMCB3Si]

Who did you buy it from off ebay? Why have you not tried honda for the oem gasket?

[NorcoAccord]

If you still have the old gasket use some copper spray and that worked good, or go down to a tuner shop and have them get the gasket for you, and use copper spray on it. Almost forgot I think F22parts.com carry's them.

[Flatline]

honda OEM gasket FTW.....

[benjerman112]

a buddy of mine had the same prob he went to the muffler shop and had it welded up.

[JDMCB3Si]

You welded a stainless steel header to an aluminum head? What kind of moron did your buddy get to touch his car? Seriously get a new gasket and be done with it.

Most headers have a tendency to warp after heating up for the first time. Most are because the torque sequence was not followed but others are due to poor materials. Pull the upper header off and take a straight edge to it (make sure it is true) and have it machined down if not.

I have used ebay(obx) headers in the past. I never had any problems with it. When installing it I followed the torque sequence. But beforehand I checked BOTH mating surfaces. I also use the copper permatex on ALL header gaskets.

[wed3k]

resurface it.

[slick]

stock gaskets will not work on ebay headers cuz i had mine blow when i first got my megan header so i bought a copper gasket from f22parts and it didnt fit. so i took it to a muffler shop and they put some red stuff on the gasket and tightened the hell out of the bolts to make sure no leaks and that was over a year and a half ago and i still have the same gasket no problems

[C91BLX7]

http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...hlight=hedders

[cb7wagonPL]

the red stuff they put on was probably a copper gasket sealant. you should be able to get a tube at any automotive store. I believe its made by Permatex. I got that stuff and followed the directions and it solved the problem. The trick is to apply the paste to the surface of the header and let it cure over night. the next morning install it, let the engine heat up and then retighten it. If you dont let the paste cure it will just squeeze out.

[d112crzy]

Copper Permatex.

[JDMCB3Si]

Get the copper permatex, put a bead on the gasket and the header let it cure for 25 mins. Then install the header, tighten it using the correct torque sequence and let it cure overnight. Go out and run the car to operating temp then shit it down and go back over the bolts and tighten them down and it shouldn't leak ever again.

[ikayto]

Get the copper permatex, put a bead on the gasket and the header let it cure for 25 mins. Then install the header, tighten it using the correct torque sequence and let it cure overnight. Go out and run the car to operating temp then shit it down and go back over the bolts and tighten them down and it shouldn't leak ever again.

Copper permatex is what I used on all my flanges without a real gasket because the ones already on were corroded to shit and no exhaust leaks

I used a real gasket for the block and upper manifold piece though and it's been working fine. I guess that's the benefit of a DC and not an ebay header, and I used some felpro gasket because Honda was closed.

to the OP:
It may seem like your header's surface is uneven to keep having failed gaskets?

[AbsurdNY]

All of you are talking about the gasket where the header bolts on the head. I'm not sure if the O.P. means where the header bolts on the head or the header bolts onto the downpipe as he said "I got an exhaust leak between 4 and 2". The 2 and 4 cylinder? Or where the 4 pipes off the header go into the 2 pipes on the downpipe? I have the header to downpipe problem with my Ebay header. I am fixing it tomorrow. The problem I have was that the 2 flanges did not sit square with each other so one side there is no leak but the top side there is a opening. To fix this, I am going to buy 2 gaskets and Permatex. Im going to put some sealant on the flange on both pieces and put a gasket on each flange. I'm going to tighten up the 2 parts but not all the way. Then I'm going to let it sit for a hour and re-tighten it up. That way the one side will be able to stop the leak (hopefully). If this dont work I'm just going to take my car to my friends muffler shop and have him heat up the downpipe and bend it a little bit so the flanges sit flush with each other.

[Shag Wagon]

Yes I meant the 4-2 on the actual header. As in between manifold and downpipe. Honda ones do not fit...you cant even modify them to work. I had an OBX gasket that was badass that was an exact fit and had rings around the holes to prevent leaks but that was on a different car and its sold now. I tried emailing OBX to get that gasket but all the times I emailed I never got a reply back nor have I since found a way to get them. I think I am going to take it to the muffler shop across the street from me to see what they can do.