Installed Longtubes now having issues

[1SonicGT]

OK So Ipurchased some Kooks Longtubes with a gutted catted h pipe from a seller on here. The headers came with Percy gaskets. I just got done installing the headers and making sure all the bolts are tight. I believe all the bolts are tighter then the 18 lb ft then they are supposed to be torqued down to. Anyways when I start the car and its cold I hear a tapping sound comming from my drivers side. I haven't been able to locate a leak from the headers. Anyways when ever I give the car gas and let off I hear a whistling sound like I have a freaking turbo blow off valve! I honestly dont know what could be causing it. No check engine lights and I dont smell any exhaust from the engine bay really just a hint but I cant tell if its just from the garage or not. I was told by a buddy at work that it counds like its comming from my valve cover. He said it might be a loose lash adjuster. Any thoughts on this? gonna take it down to a muffler shop tomorrow to make sure there is no leak. Any help is appreciated


RYAN

PS sorry for the bad grammer Its almost 3 am and I have been working on the car for the past 9 hours.

 

[Back@itagain]

My Kooks make similar tapping sounds...but everything taps or rattles now. I also thought I had an exhaust leak somewhere but turned out that all was nice and tight. I think you are hearing a lot more of the engine since the stainless steel does not have the same sound deadening properties as the cast iron manifolds...not sure about the whistling though.

 

[ren274u]

Same here, once the car warms up most of the noise goes away for me

 

[b00stedgt]

I do get a light ticking noise from mine as well. Did you check the flanges for flattness?

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

I tightened the crap out of my header bolts!! I didn't even know/care they were supposed to be 18ft/lbs tq. I put the wrench to them! I also put a very small bead of copper silicon sealer around each exhaust port of the Percy gasket before I slid it into place and tightened the header down.(overkill) Quiet as a church mouse.

Go back over the header bolts and make sure they are TIGHT, but don't snap one off. Make sure your collector bolts are tight too.

BTW, did you use the OEM exhaust bolts/nuts or did you buy new bolts?

 

[jeffie on juice]

I used OEM gaskets iT SOLVED MY ISSUE

 

[3vs197]

yea and the oem studs/nuts wont get loose like aftermarket header bolts will. plus i do hear sort of a tapping sound but its normal. I think your just hearing the cylinder fire. Im not sure on the whistling sound but the tapping is normal.

 

[1SonicGT]

Took it down to a muffler shop and they had there little stethascope Thingy all over my headers. Told me that the gaskets are leaking like a bitch. Said that the exhaust is literally just flowing right through the gaskets. I'm thinking the Percy gaskets I received were already used and therefore just shit. Will putting a bead of copper rtv around where the header meets the head help the situation or do I have to rip my headers off and put oem gaskets on?

 

[dysan]

Are they the black carbon percy gaskets or the multi-layer aluminum ones? If they are the XX-Carbon ones just throw them out since they are worthless. I just had to get rid of those ones on my car because they were blowing out under boost.

 

[b00stedgt]

Probably not the answer you are looking for, but to do it right, they are going to have to come off

 

[fst06stg]

dont feel bad man. ive gotta do this too. i used aftermarket aluminum gaskets and theyre crap. shouldve used the ones that came off my manifolds in the first place.

 

[1SonicGT]

They are the multi aluminum ones and just for the Lolz I had a guy pull up next to mr at a light and say your head gasket is gone I can smell it. I just laughed and drove off. If I really have to remove everything again to switch out gaskets I'm gonna be pissed

 

[fst06stg]

have you noticed any problems mechanically?

 

[b00stedgt]

all part of the modding game lol. If it makes you feel better I have to drop my whole k member due to stupid mistakes

 

[dysan]

I was able to swap the gaskets without removing everything but it's still a pain in the ass since the motor mounts still need to be dropped to access one or 2 bottom bolts.

 

[fst06stg]

by tapping sound, do you usually hear it when you get out of the gas or between shift points?

 

[LAStang1234]

Sorry to hear about that, but yea their gonna have to be taken off though!

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

I was able to swap the gaskets without removing everything but it's still a pain in the ass since the motor mounts still need to be dropped to access one or 2 bottom bolts.

This!

To the OP, Sorry to hear that. The Percy Seal-4-Good gaskets, when new, are 10x better than OEM, IMO. Call Percy's and get some new one's on the way. They have fast shipping.

You need the ones I linked you too.

 

[CandyRedGT]

I used factory ford gaskets with great results!!!

 

[gtcs07]

i had really good success with the frpp gaskets and really bad luck with the percys ones i got off ebay