Take Caution Before you install new headers
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 11
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This is what new headers should look like I finally got around to milling the flanges on my headers, wow did kooks do a number on the passenger side header. I had to cut off .052 cause the back port was so uneven from them grinding on it with a hand grinder. So the first picture is the passenger side the side they fixed and reinstalled and said that won't leak now. The other pictures are after I milled them, I think I'll do this every time now when I get new headers that way I know they are flat and true.
I finally got around to milling the flanges on my headers, wow did kooks do a number on the passenger side header. I had to cut off .052 cause the back port was so uneven from them grinding on it with a hand grinder. So the first picture is the passenger side the side they fixed and reinstalled and said that won't leak now. The other pictures are after I milled them, I think I'll do this every time now when I get new headers that way I know they are flat and true.
I'm sure the odd ones we see on this site aren't really a problem in the grand scheme of quality control. But it still sucks that we would have to do this ****.
Caution before you install new headers I would like to share my recent high dollar poorly made long tub header ordeal. I bought a set of headers and y-pipe for my Silverado. It took six weeks for the headers to show up. Now the first thing I should have done was put a strait edge on the manifold flange to check if it's flat. I didn't do this but I will from now on, at almost 9,000 miles I had to take headers off cause the pass. side was hitting the frame. I also notice the Percy gasket that came with the headers had started to leak. Sent the headers off to get fixed and the pass. Header flange was wavy and I could measure .025 warp between two ports! I went an measured drivers side and got .023 warp and they never even touched that header. GM spec for the manifold warpage is .010 all the way across. So I told them I wanted a replacement set these are not going to seal very long. They finally sent me another set but they both have pinholes in the welds on the collectors. I would strongly recommend that if you are running kooks headers you may want to get them checked out. I'm never gonna deal with them again. I don't know if the QC has gone down or what. But I've had Kooks for about 4 years. No leaks of any kind.
The best headers for the car are still American Racing. I decided to do the Kooks because I wanted their True Dual system. Otherwise, I would have done ARH with a 4" merge Y pipe (which is no added cost on the ARH system - they call and make sure they get the setup right) and run a 4" over the axle system out back or a 4" cutout with a quieter stock-style system. If I were to do it again, I'd do that.
The best headers for the car are still American Racing. I decided to do the Kooks because I wanted their True Dual system. Otherwise, I would have done ARH with a 4" merge Y pipe (which is no added cost on the ARH system - they call and make sure they get the setup right) and run a 4" over the axle system out back or a 4" cutout with a quieter stock-style system. If I were to do it again, I'd do that.
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