badata

iTrader: (1)

well i just got my car back from the body shop on wed and they said it would run like crap for the first 200 miles till the computer resets. anyways it was sounding awful and i found an exhaust leak above the drivers side 1 flange, the head was marked up black. I drove to work and back like this which was about 60 miles. i tightened them up but i just noticed that its missing the gasket on top of the flange on the rest of them you can see the the white gasket border. on this one at first i thought it was black from the escaping exhaust but now i see the exhaust has eaten away the gasket is this possible?
anyways i need a new gasket im not sure what kind were used because i got a header cam package with everything included .but they are not metal just plain white.

AW794

iTrader: (7)

Try to tighten it down. If its a new gasket it should be fine.

blkZ28spt

It sounds like they might have used crappy paper gaskets which often come with headers. If that is the case get yourself GM replacement exhaust manifold gaskets.
Where did you have the work done? You said you got it back from a body shop?

SLPSS01

iTrader: (6)

those are the gaskets that came with the Pacesetters, mine went right in the trash where they belong. I've never heard of exhaust eating away at gaskets before, maybe it got damaged when the headers were installed?. I'd get yourself some GM metal gaskets.

badata

iTrader: (1)

its kind of strange the headers were installed by speed inc last aug and so far it has not been that much of a leak. two weeks ago some lady hit my car causing the front bumper cover replaced and some very minor front hood work. after the accident everything sounded the same. when i picked it up from the bodyshop i felt the diference right away but i put it off as the ecu resetting. Today i noticed the top portion of two flange gaskets burned away , and yeah it was crappy paper not metal like the ones i picked up. has anyone ever tried to reinstall the header while attached to the y pipe? mine is welded and i was only able to get 3 of 6 bolts i might have to take it to the exhaust shop tommorow

Tally TransAm

iTrader: (17)

did you happen to note the before and after mileage from when you took it to the body shop

sounds like they took your car for a "test drive" and blew the header gasket out. (why the hell would a body shop, or anyone else for that matter, need to reset the pcm for body work. unless they were refering to having to disconnect the battery. . .)

get some new gm ones like stated above

badata

iTrader: (1)

yeah too bad i didnt look at my exact mileage before and after cause thats what i was thinking but i wouldnt have anyway to prove it. i do know that they take the car to get detail all the time and they did have it for over a week. i think in order to do body work its SOP to disconnect the battery.

psykoTA

iTrader: (4)

Paper gaskets after a hard run. I cant tell you how many times I put new paper gaskest in the Chevelle. For two reasons, one- I really didnt know about metal gaskets, two- they cost more than the paper ones The early days of hotrodding(see sig).

SLPSS01

iTrader: (6)

I'd go back to the body shop and complain.
I'd try and get the header bolts out and the headers off the heads far enough to slip new (metal) gaskets in but with the Y connected it's going to be a pita. Speed Inc should have the gaskets in stock, they're $20 a pair and well worth it.

SiL3NtXWS6

iTrader: (17)

Those paper gaskets suck. I went through 3 sets through pacesetter before i finally switched back to oem gaskets.

Coy

iTrader: (4)

I used felpro o-ringed gaskets.

TheBlurLS1

iTrader: (8)

OEM gaskets are around 14 bux (i think)

and the driverside is different than the passenger side.

i swapped my driverside out in about 15 minutes a while back. i have a 1/4" drive air ratchet and i can remove ALL THE EXHAUST FLANGE BOLTS with that tool (once i get them broken loose). best 50$ i ever spent remember to put never-cease on the bolts before you put them back in.