Gibson Headers
01-26-2014, 12:36 AM
#41
I have these headers for about 4.5 years .They have been great but the one problem I have is the two bolts and nuts in the picture keep coming lose . I have tried lock washers and two nuts. It takes about two months and I need to tighten them up so they do not leak. Has anyone had this problem and solved it. l am sorry for the question here but I do like the sound and I also have the Gibson split exhaust if this helps.
Last edited by Sebastian; 01-26-2014 at 12:40 AM.
01-27-2014, 12:07 PM
#42
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Did you ever retorque those nuts when the headers were hot? I did and I had to realize that there is a lot of wiggle room between hot and cold. Of course you have to be careful when you torque hot screws but they are pretty long and the flanges are not flush against each other. My guess is that you have to put enough stress on those flanges in order to keep the headers tight and to make the fasteners not come loose again. And this is going to be a lot easier for you when the hardware is hot. However I have installed them only a month ago. So that's just what I am hoping for right now.
Thanks Again
Buddy
01-28-2014, 12:33 AM
#43
At the bottom of page 2 the instruction manual even says:
If that does not prevent the bolts from shaking loose or if the flanges are bent from re-tightening too often, I would use the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit as recommended earlier in this thread by gingerchocolate. However the hardware supplied by Gibson should work according to their notes:
They also comment on heat wraps:
IT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL BOLTS BE RE-TIGHTENED HOT AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF OPERATION TO PREVENT GASKET FAILURE.
NOTE:
HEADER BOLTS SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR TIGHTNESS FROM TIME TO TIME TO ENSURE OPTIMUM GASKET LIFE. THE BOLTS WILL STRETCH SOME AT FIRST DUE TO THE EXHAUST HEAT; SO, THEY’LL LOOSEN WITHOUT TURNING UNTIL THEY “TAKE A SET”. (BOLTS HARD ENOUGH NOT TO STRETCH WOULD BREAK!) WE’VE EXPERIMENTED WITH THE VARIOUS “LOCKING DEVICES” ON THE MARKET, WHICH PREVENT BOLTS FROM TURNING. THEY DON’T WORK ON HEADER BOLTS, AND THEY GREATLY COMPLICATE THE PROCESS OF RE-TIGHTENING THE BOLTS WHEN IT’S NECESSARY.
WHAT DOES WORK IS THIS:
GO OVER THE BOLTS AGAIN AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF DRIVING (OR ABOUT 100 MILES-WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) THEN AFTER THE FIRST WEEK, AFTER THE FIRST MONTH, AND THEN EVERY 6 MONTHS. OUR EXCLUSIVE GASKETS ARE SPECIALLY MADE SO THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD SHOULD BEGIN TO MELT BEFORE THE GASKETS CAN BURN UP. ABOUT THE ONLY WAY TO KILL THE GASKETS IS TO LET THE HEADERS GET LOOSE AND THEN KEEP DRIVING WITH A LEAK.
HEADER BOLTS SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR TIGHTNESS FROM TIME TO TIME TO ENSURE OPTIMUM GASKET LIFE. THE BOLTS WILL STRETCH SOME AT FIRST DUE TO THE EXHAUST HEAT; SO, THEY’LL LOOSEN WITHOUT TURNING UNTIL THEY “TAKE A SET”. (BOLTS HARD ENOUGH NOT TO STRETCH WOULD BREAK!) WE’VE EXPERIMENTED WITH THE VARIOUS “LOCKING DEVICES” ON THE MARKET, WHICH PREVENT BOLTS FROM TURNING. THEY DON’T WORK ON HEADER BOLTS, AND THEY GREATLY COMPLICATE THE PROCESS OF RE-TIGHTENING THE BOLTS WHEN IT’S NECESSARY.
WHAT DOES WORK IS THIS:
GO OVER THE BOLTS AGAIN AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF DRIVING (OR ABOUT 100 MILES-WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) THEN AFTER THE FIRST WEEK, AFTER THE FIRST MONTH, AND THEN EVERY 6 MONTHS. OUR EXCLUSIVE GASKETS ARE SPECIALLY MADE SO THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD SHOULD BEGIN TO MELT BEFORE THE GASKETS CAN BURN UP. ABOUT THE ONLY WAY TO KILL THE GASKETS IS TO LET THE HEADERS GET LOOSE AND THEN KEEP DRIVING WITH A LEAK.
WARNING:
INSTALLATION OF ANY TYPE OF "WRAPPING" MATERIAL ONTO THE HEADERS WILL DESTROY THE HEAT DISSIPATION PROPERTIES OF THE TUBING, CAUSING PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE METAL AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. USE OF ANY "WRAPPING" MATERIAL WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
INSTALLATION OF ANY TYPE OF "WRAPPING" MATERIAL ONTO THE HEADERS WILL DESTROY THE HEAT DISSIPATION PROPERTIES OF THE TUBING, CAUSING PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE METAL AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. USE OF ANY "WRAPPING" MATERIAL WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
02-01-2014, 02:41 PM
#44
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They also comment on heat wraps:[/QUOTE]
This is true. Wrapping will decrease the life of the header, but this is true of any header/exhaust system and we're only talking maybe 10% life decrease. It's a choice you have to make. The benefit is lowing the engine bay temperature and allowing the exhaust gasses to exit more efficiently.
I'd rather have lower bay temperatures.
Here is an article about it from car tuners. High performance thermal exhaust wrap
This is true. Wrapping will decrease the life of the header, but this is true of any header/exhaust system and we're only talking maybe 10% life decrease. It's a choice you have to make. The benefit is lowing the engine bay temperature and allowing the exhaust gasses to exit more efficiently.
I'd rather have lower bay temperatures.
Here is an article about it from car tuners. High performance thermal exhaust wrap
02-07-2014, 12:56 AM
#45
This is true. Wrapping will decrease the life of the header, but this is true of any header/exhaust system and we're only talking maybe 10% life decrease. It's a choice you have to make. The benefit is lowing the engine bay temperature and allowing the exhaust gasses to exit more efficiently.
I'd rather have lower bay temperatures.
Here is an article about it from car tuners. High performance thermal exhaust wrap
I'd rather have lower bay temperatures.
Here is an article about it from car tuners. High performance thermal exhaust wrap
The installation instructions were not clear on how to position both heat shields. I think the manual was written when they used to include only one heat shield. So I had to spend quite some time on figuring out my own idea of a reasonable arrangement. I am not concerned about the driver side and the coil pack. However the heat shield under the battery pack looks a little small. Although it makes sense to me that the center tube, that is sandwiched by two other tubes and is sitting right above the collector, must be the hottest.
Driver Side
Passenger Side
02-15-2014, 04:35 AM
#46
UPDATE:
I have checked the bolts between the headers and the collectors and they were so loose that I could shake them. Since I had already been able to hear some minor exhaust ticking for the past two weeks, I had ordered the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit and a couple of plastic clips for the front fenders.
Yesterday I took the front fenders off and tried to install the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit. However the bolts of this kit are way too short. I didn't know what to do. So I just retightened the original Gibson hardware. I have tightened them so hard that the flanges already started to bend. Anyway I guess it is going to be a matter of time until they shake loose again. Bummer.
I have checked the bolts between the headers and the collectors and they were so loose that I could shake them. Since I had already been able to hear some minor exhaust ticking for the past two weeks, I had ordered the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit and a couple of plastic clips for the front fenders.
Yesterday I took the front fenders off and tried to install the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit. However the bolts of this kit are way too short. I didn't know what to do. So I just retightened the original Gibson hardware. I have tightened them so hard that the flanges already started to bend. Anyway I guess it is going to be a matter of time until they shake loose again. Bummer.
02-20-2014, 01:50 PM
#47
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UPDATE: I have checked the bolts between the headers and the collectors and they were so loose that I could shake them. Since I had already been able to hear some minor exhaust ticking for the past two weeks, I had ordered the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit and a couple of plastic clips for the front fenders. Yesterday I took the front fenders off and tried to install the Stage 8 8950 Collector Locking Nut and Bolt Kit. However the bolts of this kit are way too short. I didn't know what to do. So I just retightened the original Gibson hardware. I have tightened them so hard that the flanges already started to bend. Anyway I guess it is going to be a matter of time until they shake loose again. Bummer.
01-25-2015, 12:32 AM
#49
I did not use that 45 degree boot though. The install of the 45 degree boot was a PITA and after all I got misfiers on cylinder #4. So I went with a regular boot and tied the plug wire straight up to the coil pack which had the same effect as the 45 degree boot in terms of routing the wire.
Last edited by Sebastian; 01-25-2015 at 12:37 AM.
01-28-2015, 07:05 PM
#50
JK Enthusiast
Did you ever find a decent high heat wire that might hold up to the task? My #4 plug wire failed after 10,000 miles. I did not use that 45 degree boot though. The install of the 45 degree boot was a PITA and after all I got misfiers on cylinder #4. So I went with a regular boot and tied the plug wire straight up to the coil pack which had the same effect as the 45 degree boot in terms of routing the wire.
I replaced my fried one with a stock one shortly after the above post. It's still going. I carry a spare.