Kooks Longtube Leak

[sassafras]

Installed some Kooks longtubes this past weekend and didn't notice anything initially, but as soon as I got into the slightest amount of boost, I get a horrible hissing air escaping noise coming from underneath the car. With it idling, I can hear a slight tick if I'm listening near the front wheel (the tick is not normal engine noise and wasn't there before the install). I used new OEM gaskets and stage 8 header bolts and this is the new kooks design that only has 1 slip joint per side.

All this pretty much points to an exhaust leak correct? Any suggestions on where to start or what in particular I should look/listen for when I get up under there?

 

[TORQJNKY]

Take a flashlight and look around all the connection points and joints for any type of carbon build up or water stains on the tubes where condensation my have been blown through the leak and dried on the tube. My Kooks have slight exhaust leaks also. Just enough to drive me insane. I think my leak is coming from the slip joints based on the carbon and condensation build up in that area on both sides. I though about putting a clamp around it but you can't get it on because of the slip joint connection bracket.

 

[03slobra2]

gotta love headers!!!

 

[sassafras]

gotta love headers!!!

The sound alone is well worth the frustration, not to mention the decent pick up in my HP and TQ curves.

 

[SlowSVT]

The sound alone is well worth the frustration, not to mention the decent pick up in my HP and TQ curves.

You might feel differenly as time passes

 

[kezell]

I fought my Kooks for guite some time. I had a ninja leak. Never could find it. Finally one day I took them off to install new geaskets and decided to check the flange for flatness.......the flange was not straight at all.

I emailed kooks, and all they said was just to use some high temp sealant.....I told them for 1100 dollars it shouldnt need it. But I never got a responce back.

Anyway back on subject...I sanded them as flat as I could and used remflex gaskets and they sealed.

 

[03slobra2]

You might feel differenly as time passes

+1.... I have kooks... they are a pain in the ass... if I were doing it again... hmmm I would really debate not doing it...

 

[TORQJNKY]

Anyway back on subject...I sanded them as flat as I could and used remflex gaskets and they sealed.

Thanks, I was going to drop mine and replace the factory gaskets, maybe I will try the Remflex gaskets. Can't hurt. All it could do is leak again. :beer:

 

[sassafras]

I fought my Kooks for guite some time. I had a ninja leak. Never could find it. Finally one day I took them off to install new geaskets and decided to check the flange for flatness.......the flange was not straight at all.

I emailed kooks, and all they said was just to use some high temp sealant.....I told them for 1100 dollars it shouldnt need it. But I never got a responce back.

Anyway back on subject...I sanded them as flat as I could and used remflex gaskets and they sealed.

Do you have a link for the proper remflex gasket you used. I looked but they never had one for the 4.6 DOHC

 

[TORQJNKY]

I looked also. I will probably just give them a call on Monday.

 

[sassafras]

Well after getting under there and looking at everything, I can find no signs of dried condensation/carbon buildup. I hear an exhaust tick from both sides, and on each side they seem to be coming from the slip joint area. I think I'm going to go try to find an exhaust clap around the size of the tube and just cut off that connection bracket and try to clamp it down and see if I can get the noise to go away. I also have a nice leak around the x-pipe clamps and that's probably where the horrendous noise under boost is coming from.

I understand why they went with a slip joint on that one pipe as it eases installation, but I think Kooks could have come up with a better design so that it doesn't leak.

 

[OrangeCobra2004]

This is the main reason I went with ARH over Kooks.

 

[sassafras]

Here are the Remflex gaskets:

FORD Header/Exhaust Manifold Gasket

I've read people installing them in addition to the stock gaskets? Any thoughts on this.

 

[10thAnnvCobra]

gotta love headers!!!

That's why I haven't gone to headers. I would not be happy with the leak potential. It would drive me nuts and I've been through that on other cars.

 

[sassafras]

Bringing this back up. I used the remflex gaskets this time. I also cut off the little alignment tab/connecting bracket for the slip joints and used some heavy duty band clamps that are used on Harley Davidson's.

Result is exactly the same, I have a ninja leak somewhere. The leak on the passenger side sounds like it is coming from the exact same place as it was last night which is closer to the collector than the head. I saw no carbon buildup/water stains anywhere up near the heads nor did I see any where the slip joint is on each side.

Is it possible that I could have a leak in the collector somewhere? Possibly wasn't welded up entirely in Kooks haste to get all the headers out (I bought the set and waited a month due to them being on backorder). If this is the case how the hell do I even go about checking this?

 

[FNsweetS3]

I feel for you... and have the same stupid ass leak.... somewhere. Only difference is I have BBK LT's.

Sound like this???

[ame="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v225/caship/Evil%20Twin/?action=view&current=VCLP0050.flv"]Evil Twin :: VCLP0050.flv video by caship - Photobucket[/ame]

[ame=http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v225/caship/Evil%20Twin/?action=view&current=VCLP0051.flv]Evil Twin :: VCLP0051.flv video by caship - Photobucket[/ame]


Silly question... from a non-mechanical guy.... is it possible to tighten the header bolts without going through the same steps as an install?