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Author Topic: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade  (Read 2951 times)

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Offline Chopchop

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Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« on: September 26, 2014, 01:47:54 PM »
Hi Everybody,


I'm going to start on my header install / exhaust upgrade next week.
I've got my Hooker header and a bunch of 2.5" tubing and a bunch of mandrel bends.  I'm going to start at the engine and work my way back.  Any hints?

I'm looking at this exhaust manifold gasket :

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/FEL0/MS92424/02286.oap?year=1981&make=Ford&model=Fairmont&vi=1127696&ck=Search_02286_1127696_2272&pt=02286&ppt=C0026


Thanks,
Dave

Offline dick1172762

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2014, 02:26:03 PM »
Wrong gasket for headers on a 2.3L Ford. That third hole below each port will leak exhaust unless you plus the holes in the head. Easy fix as all I did was tap the holes in the head and screw in allen set plugs. You can buy gaskets with out the third hole, but just not as easy. Plug the holes.
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Offline amc49

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2014, 05:53:47 PM »
Been awhile since I did it but Mr. Gasket exhaust gasket and the Hooker need no plugging, IIRC the header has a weld bump there that blocks the air injection hole off. I know mine never leaked and I looked specifically at that. I would cut the head flange to let all tubes seat separately, headers seal so much better like that and the bolts then do not back out either. I use a flat fine file on the header tube sealing flats to level them up, they are always somewhat out of flat because ground down by hand.  I cut the gasket as well into 4 pieces and then with an extra you have more replacements, Use antiseize and the gaskets then come right off to use again even. I used them up to like 3 times before they fell apart.

Offline Chopchop

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2014, 11:26:47 PM »
This is the gasket I need?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Gasket-Exhaust-Manifold-Ford-Mercury-L4-2-3L-140-74-93-/390164127431


I'll post pictures of the header within the next couple of days.

Thanks guys!


Dave

Offline amc49

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2014, 10:44:39 AM »
Yep.

Offline Chopchop

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2014, 10:47:25 AM »
Thank you very much!

I'm probably going to start tomorrow or Monday.


Thanks again    :)

Offline 65ShelbyClone

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2014, 04:43:14 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if that fiber (over steel?) gasket is short-lived. I had some Flow Tech headers that included something similar and they blew out in a few thousand miles.

If the header flange doesn't cover the Thermactor holes in the head, there is going to be a big exhaust leak no matter what gasket is used. If the header flange does cover the holes, then the gasket from O'Reilly's will work. It will actually work in either case, but you'll have to plug the holes yourself.

http://www.fordpinto.com/general-help/header-installation-on-a-2-3-head-with-smog-ports/

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Offline amc49

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2014, 09:39:22 PM »
The Mr. Gasket white will last for years, BTDT. I've carefully pried them off to reuse them when they had to come off. Cut the flanges like I said and they cannot blow out any longer as they will each then be firmly pinched in place. You guys should try it, when headering cars and trucks at the garage we started doing it after much grief with bolts backing off and header leaks out the wazoo often in days. Cut the flanges to let each pipe settle in slightly different like it wants and all that goes away. I used to never retighten header bolts at all after doing it. The AMC big tube header was known for cracking pipes at the flange, the procedure stopped that as well. The guys who grind the flanges 'flat' (a joke!) after welding are bloody butchers and no way is that overall flange length anywhere NEAR being dead flat. I've found that Felpro exhaust gaskets generally allow way too many leaks, they are bigger holes to cover the bigger flat cast iron manifolds have, we almost never could use them on headers back in the day as they would not line up without overhang to leak in ten places. They are too thin and do not 'fill' irregularities in the flat as well either. The thicker the better there but you have to pinch it all the way around or blowout city.

Look close at the gasket you pull off the header, 90% of them do not pinch at all about half the places they should, cut flanges and you get 100% pinch all the way around each port if you've dressed the weld down a bit more level with a flat file. It allows each pipe to pull up slightly different from its' neighbor to seal better.

I never plugged the holes in mine and no leaks at all there ever. Hooker welded a plug flat there to cover it.

Offline 74 PintoWagon

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2014, 07:49:01 AM »
Been using those gaskets since the early 80's, re use them several times never had one blow out yet, last set was on my dually with Thorley headers and after 40,000mi still no leaks..
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Offline amc49

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Re: Hooker Header / 2.5" Exhaust Upgrade
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2014, 05:08:38 PM »
Which ones? Need to know as I do not have positive knowledge of 2.3 Felpro, just based conclusion on problems we had with all other Felpro we tried to use on headers, they never fit right. It's possible one set might but I don't like how thin they are.