Exhaust leak!! Input on gaskets please.

So I've developed an exhaust leak. Crucial Up with the "magic" copper gaskets.

Anyway, today I took off the heat shield and got under the car while it was running and could feel the exhaust coming out of the joint between the header and the up pipe.

 

When I did the up pipe I dropped the whole header and (I'm pretty sure) that I reused the oem gaskets on the header to the head.

Should I do the same thing to replace the up pipe gasket?

Is it OK to still reuse the original gaskets on the headers?

Where's the best place to get OEM gaskets? (I assume that's what I should use on the up pipe)

 

Thanks

 

John

One of the vendors here has them. I got the full set when I did my UP/DP.

It's the most cost effective and you can then know that you have replaced every gasket.

 

JSCSPEED:

http://www.jscspeed.com/lgt/lgt_base.html

http://www.jscspeed.com/wrx/exhaust/gaskets.htm

 

The first link will take you to the Legacy part of the site the second is to the inset page for the gaskets.

http://turninconcepts10.chainreactionweb.com/index.php?cPath=1_14_28&osCsid=b9f0ccf496f930fb38ae5ca57406f567

 

Those should fix your problem, just be really careful with them, they're fragile...

FWIW, I too developed a leak on my Crucial UP.

Mine was because I failed to do two things.

 

1. Loosen the Turbo positioning brackets during the UP install so it could mate up with the UP W/O placing it in a bind.

 

2. heat cycling the setup without re-tightening the bolts.

 

It also happened on my DP when the nuts backed off.

 

Jeremy provides good instructions and great follow up assistance.

 

You should be able to reuse your OEM gasket in a pinch. Use the Permatex Hi-Temp spray on sealant too.

Finally replaced the gaskets yesterday. No more leaks, no more noises - YAAAY!

I think the crucial pipes are a great option but I wouldn't recommend using the copper gaskets, especially in the Up Pipe to header joint. The gaskets between header and heads were fine but the up pipe gasket was trashed.

I replaced them all with OEM.

Not to sound stupid but...can you have a leak like that (or perhaps a smaller one) and still pull close to max boost (e.g. you'd have a little less flow, but psi still being close to max)? Just think that's what I might have.

same thing happened to me

 

 

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/mwiener2/IMG_1024.jpg

 

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/mwiener2/IMG_1021.jpg

Not to sound stupid but...can you have a leak like that (or perhaps a smaller one) and still pull close to max boost (e.g. you'd have a little less flow, but psi still being close to max)? Just think that's what I might have.

 

spool up and boost will be hurt by a leak. may not be much depending on the size but you (or your tuner for sure) will know

 

 

also, i've always stuck with OEM gaskets, always the best option in my opinion. i've gotten them from subaruparts.com, great service, fast shipping, generally cheaper

OE's seem to be the way to go. I've had my UP, DP and turbo off a few times and never had an OE gasket fail.

 

I do recomend a retorque on the DP to turbo gasket. They seem to loosen up alot on my car. Everytime I take the damn turbo heatshield off, some are loose.

I ALWAYS recommend the OEM gaskets. The multi layer steel design seals the best and lasts the longest.

Sure the OEM ones work the best and cost the least but they aren't the coolest

Sure the OEM ones work the best and cost the least but they aren't the coolest

OEMS, period. other stuff is trash. Replace with OEM, add high temp Loctite, torque to specs.

EM>UP connection isn't torque to spec...its torque until it doesn't turn anymore but until the bolt hasn't broke, thats when you know its tight and won't leak

The torque spec is 26 ft .lbs. and if you do that it will be fine. Tightening the bolts more will not help matters.

forget to turn on your sarcasm meter today rao?

forget to turn on your sarcasm meter today rao?

 

 

sometimes I am as slow as my car