Advice to People with Header Midway Gasket Trouble
#1
08-24-2008, 08:44 PM
Advice to People with Header Midway Gasket Trouble
Anyone who is have trouble with their midway gasket on their 2-piece header and/or stock exhaust manifold should try these methods, as they have worked well for me. This is not to say these methods are the only answer or that they will definitely solve your problem, but they worked for me, and they may work for you. It's worth trying, as these methods will only cost you a few bucks.
FYI: The midway gasket is the gasket in between the two pieces of the exhaust manifold/2-piece header.
Background on the Issue:
My midway gasket on my Megan Racing Header blew.
Another Problem I had was that the studs on my midway flange stripped and I lost a couple of the nuts. What I did was I got the studs out, and bought some bolts slightly smaller than the flange's bolt holes, and used them when bolting the header together. I also used lock nuts and lock washers on these bolts, as I had stripped out the threads in the stud holes.
The midway gasket going bad is a very common problem on Megan Racing 2-Piece headers. Besides from this, Megan Racing Headers are reliable. I replaced it with another gasket (one that I cut myself from a sheet of exhaust gasket material). It blew out again. So i replaced it two more times, having the same problem every time. Eventually I went to the following methods.
Procedure:
Preliminary: (make sure to jack up the front of the car and place it on jack stands!)
1. Unbolt the midway flange
2. Unbolt the lower portion of the header/exhaust manifold from the catalytic converter. Remove the lower piece from the car completely.
(You want to do this, because when putting it back on you will bolt it to the upper header portion first so that there will be no stress on the midway flange, thus lengthening the life of the gasket and creating a better seal.)
3. Scrape the old gasket remains from the midway flanges, and sand the surface down so that it is smooth and there is little-to-no gasket remaining.
4. Get your gasket ready. You can buy a gasket that is pre-cut, but the company that makes the midway gaskets (Megan Racing) for my header has been out of gaskets and usually is, so I did something different. I used a sheet of metal exhaust gasket material, and traced the old one onto the sheet with a pen, then cut it out with aviation snips. The sheet is about 2'x1', and was $15 at Auto-Zone.
5. Coat the new gasket in some Copper RTV Sealant. This is high-temp gasket maker, and will help the gasket have a better seal.
6. Bolt the lower portion of the header/exhaust manifold back on (with the gasket in the midway flange, of course).
Make sure that you bolt it to the upper portion of the header/exhaust manifold first and foremost, before you bolt it to the catalytic converter. Doing it in this order will relieve stress from the midway flange/gasket and create a better seal.
7. Let the car sit over night before running it. The Copper RTV Sealant needs to cure over night, or for the amount of time recommended on the container. It should be fine though in a matter of a few hours. The longer you let it sit, the more you can rest assured that it will last.
8. After it's ready to be driven, take it out, and enjoy your non-raspy exhaust tone, and sealed midway flange!
These are the steps I took, and I now have been driving with my new gasket with no exhaust leaks for about 3 months, whereas before my new gasket would blow out in just 2-3 days. I'm almost 100% positive that it is fixed for good now.
FYI: The midway gasket is the gasket in between the two pieces of the exhaust manifold/2-piece header.
Background on the Issue:
My midway gasket on my Megan Racing Header blew.
Another Problem I had was that the studs on my midway flange stripped and I lost a couple of the nuts. What I did was I got the studs out, and bought some bolts slightly smaller than the flange's bolt holes, and used them when bolting the header together. I also used lock nuts and lock washers on these bolts, as I had stripped out the threads in the stud holes.
The midway gasket going bad is a very common problem on Megan Racing 2-Piece headers. Besides from this, Megan Racing Headers are reliable. I replaced it with another gasket (one that I cut myself from a sheet of exhaust gasket material). It blew out again. So i replaced it two more times, having the same problem every time. Eventually I went to the following methods.
Procedure:
Preliminary: (make sure to jack up the front of the car and place it on jack stands!)
1. Unbolt the midway flange
2. Unbolt the lower portion of the header/exhaust manifold from the catalytic converter. Remove the lower piece from the car completely.
(You want to do this, because when putting it back on you will bolt it to the upper header portion first so that there will be no stress on the midway flange, thus lengthening the life of the gasket and creating a better seal.)
3. Scrape the old gasket remains from the midway flanges, and sand the surface down so that it is smooth and there is little-to-no gasket remaining.
4. Get your gasket ready. You can buy a gasket that is pre-cut, but the company that makes the midway gaskets (Megan Racing) for my header has been out of gaskets and usually is, so I did something different. I used a sheet of metal exhaust gasket material, and traced the old one onto the sheet with a pen, then cut it out with aviation snips. The sheet is about 2'x1', and was $15 at Auto-Zone.
5. Coat the new gasket in some Copper RTV Sealant. This is high-temp gasket maker, and will help the gasket have a better seal.
6. Bolt the lower portion of the header/exhaust manifold back on (with the gasket in the midway flange, of course).
Make sure that you bolt it to the upper portion of the header/exhaust manifold first and foremost, before you bolt it to the catalytic converter. Doing it in this order will relieve stress from the midway flange/gasket and create a better seal.
7. Let the car sit over night before running it. The Copper RTV Sealant needs to cure over night, or for the amount of time recommended on the container. It should be fine though in a matter of a few hours. The longer you let it sit, the more you can rest assured that it will last.
8. After it's ready to be driven, take it out, and enjoy your non-raspy exhaust tone, and sealed midway flange!
These are the steps I took, and I now have been driving with my new gasket with no exhaust leaks for about 3 months, whereas before my new gasket would blow out in just 2-3 days. I'm almost 100% positive that it is fixed for good now.
Last edited by trustdestruction; 10-09-2008 at 12:19 PM.
#2
10-06-2008, 08:03 AM
How long have you gone so far with the sealant? Thats the only thing I haven't tried because on the silicone high temp sealer I bought, it says 600 deg intermittently or something to that effect. So I'm cautious about that burning off in the cat and reducing the life of it.
#3
10-06-2008, 08:08 AM
Thats one thing I didn't take into account that the weight of the exhaust could cause stress on it being the culprit. The old manifold does have a spot to bolt up to down their.
But if the two halves aren't machined level good enough from the factory, there's not much you can do but constantly change gaskets. Or take it to a shop and have it machined flat which would cost like $100.
But if the two halves aren't machined level good enough from the factory, there's not much you can do but constantly change gaskets. Or take it to a shop and have it machined flat which would cost like $100.
#5
10-06-2008, 09:26 AM
How long have you gone so far with the sealant? Thats the only thing I haven't tried because on the silicone high temp sealer I bought, it says 600 deg intermittently or something to that effect. So I'm cautious about that burning off in the cat and reducing the life of it.
I'd just be cautious to get as little copper RTV in the piping of the header.
I check it all the time to see how it's doing, and so far it doesn't leak, and none of the sealant has burned off that I can tell.
Thats one thing I didn't take into account that the weight of the exhaust could cause stress on it being the culprit. The old manifold does have a spot to bolt up to down their.
But if the two halves aren't machined level good enough from the factory, there's not much you can do but constantly change gaskets. Or take it to a shop and have it machined flat which would cost like $100.
But if the two halves aren't machined level good enough from the factory, there's not much you can do but constantly change gaskets. Or take it to a shop and have it machined flat which would cost like $100.
#6
10-08-2008, 11:44 PM
With the nuts torqued down between the two flanges on the midway gasket, the weight of the exhaust wouldn't have that great of effect on causing a leak IMO.
Unless there's a noticeable bind where you can't torque the nuts all the way. Know what I mean. I never take it off from the cat first, but the two pieces align fine and I can slide it in and out of the studs freely.
Could just be a different case with mine. I tighten down to 15 lbs, rev the engine for a little bit to soften the material before tightening to 25 lbs.
I think if there were 4 studs instead of 3, it would help reduce the possibility of any leaks. Don't think it would take up any needed space dunno why the manufacturer wouldn't, or hell even 5 studs. Cause the leaks are always on the sides where there is only one stud in the middle. If that makes sense.
Unless there's a noticeable bind where you can't torque the nuts all the way. Know what I mean. I never take it off from the cat first, but the two pieces align fine and I can slide it in and out of the studs freely.
Could just be a different case with mine. I tighten down to 15 lbs, rev the engine for a little bit to soften the material before tightening to 25 lbs.
I think if there were 4 studs instead of 3, it would help reduce the possibility of any leaks. Don't think it would take up any needed space dunno why the manufacturer wouldn't, or hell even 5 studs. Cause the leaks are always on the sides where there is only one stud in the middle. If that makes sense.
#7
10-09-2008, 09:27 AM
yea, that's exactly where my leak occurred.
i'm not sure if taking the downpipe all the way off helped, because i decided to do that when i was halfway done.
so there's two variables in what i did:
1. taking the downpipe off the cat first
2. coating the gasket in copper RTV
it's either one or the other, or a combination of both that made it work finally. I would try doing both at the same time, because that's what I did and I was successful. It's worth a try, it'll only cost you a few bucks.
For the gasket, If you can find a sheet of gasket material at autozone, get it, and make your own gasket with aviation snips. The gasket material I used seemed to have a more sturdy construction than the megan racing gasket.
i'm not sure if taking the downpipe all the way off helped, because i decided to do that when i was halfway done.
so there's two variables in what i did:
1. taking the downpipe off the cat first
2. coating the gasket in copper RTV
it's either one or the other, or a combination of both that made it work finally. I would try doing both at the same time, because that's what I did and I was successful. It's worth a try, it'll only cost you a few bucks.
For the gasket, If you can find a sheet of gasket material at autozone, get it, and make your own gasket with aviation snips. The gasket material I used seemed to have a more sturdy construction than the megan racing gasket.
#8
10-09-2008, 09:40 AM
I edited the write-up to include
"This is not to say these methods are the only answer or that they will definitely solve your problem, but they worked for me, and they may work for you."
"This is not to say these methods are the only answer or that they will definitely solve your problem, but they worked for me, and they may work for you."
#9
10-09-2008, 12:18 PM
I'm putting it in the DIY section as "DIY: Fix Your 2-Piece Header's Repeatedly Blowing Midway Gasket"
Last edited by trustdestruction; 10-09-2008 at 12:20 PM.
#10
10-09-2008, 03:06 PM
How are the gaskets that come with the headers? Will they last long, or like what happened to you go in 2-3 days?