Please help me out. I had my Strup Headers installed at a shop and I’m hearing a leak, I take a look at the passenger side headers and I notice there are only 3 bolts and shafts on the top row of mounting bolts. Hard to describe, but if you look at the picture of the header below, see there are 4 holes on top. Shouldn’t there be 4 bolts , one for each hole? Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

Might want to take it back to the shop. Its hard to see on the passenger side, but most likely needs to be tightened more

 

It's pretty common that a re-torque is needed after initial install, and a few days of driving. The flanges get hot/cold and tend to 'warp' a little, so they need to be re-torqued to flatten back out.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. OK, I'll bring it back to get re-torqued. Should I be concerned about the three bolts on top instead of 4? it's the second bolt in on top from the right?
Thanks again

 

You should be fine...it's just hard to see...

 

OK, thanks!

 

isnt there a gasket to prevent warpage? or did i just read that post wrong?

 

No, the gasket is there to "seal" the header to the engine and prevent leakage, only if its torqued to the correct specs though. After a few days it will start to break in and will need to be re-torqued.

A good example of this is your wheels after you take them off and you put them back on your supposed to tighten them to spec, and then re torque them a day later.

-Sean

 

It's not a gasket thing - it's completely normal. Sometimes the bolts have to be re-torqued, sometimes not. It can really depend on the type of bolts being used as well. Also, it is possible that lock washers, etc, may be missing on a bolt or two and they loosened up....

Rick

 

you guys sure? i would ssume there would be SOME type of gasket ( whether steel / paper / copper / .. ) to disspate the heat ( throttlebody gasket / intake manifold gasket ).... i understand the re-torque, just " assumed" there would be a gasket - ever check the original headers? just a question - im going to look this up ( for my own knowledge - not trying to call anyone out or start a " THREAD FIGHT" ! lol ) james

 

yea - youre right about sealing - but also warpage. if there IS a gasket - did the OP check his original headers? did he pull the gasket from them and reuse them ( exh. manifold gaskets can be reused )..has the OP popsted anything / update on this?

 

Of course there's a gasket - whether one was used or not, or the notls jsut need torqueing...that's the mystery..

what happened othe OP on this???

 

Hi Guys,
Thanks again. I'm dropping the car off tonight to have both headers re-torqued. I’ll let you know tomorrow how it goes. Thanks so much for all the info.

 

Got them tightened, don’t hear the leak anymore. Thanks Guys.

I must say, “RASP SUCKS” I didn’t expect this much rasp with headers and metallic cats on a stock exhaust. Oh, well, waiting for the FI Group Buy.

 

Cool...figured it was easy...