i just installed an apexi ws2 and i love it, but now that the old raspy exhaust i had on there is gone i notice that i have an exhaust leak. it's coming from the point where the exhaust manifold meets the cat. i realized mid install that i forgot to pick up a new doughnut gasket and spring bolts. i'm planning on picking them up tomorrow and that's that. however, i noticed when installing the cat back on my car (had to bolt it to the pipe with the resonator first because that top bolt is impossible to get to otherwise) that it didn't quite line up right. the top of the cat isn't quite as close to the headers as the bottom is. i fear this is due to the brand less aftermarket stainless headers i have (shame on me, i know) being off a degree or two. the headers are basically stock replacement 4-2-1 with a 2" collector. when i installed the headers about a year and a half ago i used a stock honda oem doughnut gasket and im pretty sure it's been a problem since then. i know the obvious fix is to get some DC or comptech headers and call it a day, but im taking a 150 mile drive in 2 days and i really don't want to have to listen to this leak the whole way. any quick temp fix i can rig up for a few days just to shut it up? double up doughnut gaskets if that's possible? sorry for the novel, but i just wanted to explain the situation in detail cause it's a strange problem.

cliffs:
brand less aftermarket headers may be off a few degrees where it meets the cat.
exhaust leak there.
i know i need to get new headers, thx. need a quick fix

also anyone have any ingenious ways of detecting a subtle exhaust leak?

 

^ bump

 

dude just got to your local auto parts store...they have exhaust wrap that will do that job for you 2 day trip but thats IT!!...they make a few things to fix exhaust leaks but i dont know of any others (besides some JB Weld) that works for a gasket area

 

Will jbweld be able to handle the heat from the leak? And which kind? The clay form?

 

So i picked up some quiksteel, its rated to 500 degrees. The jbweld had a 15 hour cure time, too long...im fixing in the AM and leaving in the afternoon. Im pretty sure the area i need to use this gets hotter than that. Any thoughts?

 

I used some stuff some what like JB weld that I bought from Oreily and it worked great. Its a dark gold and black case. Its some what like clay. It can hold up to 2000 degrees. I used this stuff on my turbo manifold back then and it works great. I have some of the stuff on my car right now and no leaks. Sorry I forgot what its called but it worked really good I was impressed. It takes about 3 hours or so to dry good but a good 24 hour to be perfect.

 

this looks like it would work, and its a common brand carried at local auto parts stores, i just hope they carry it

http://www.permatex.com/produc...d.htm

 

you should be fine with that.....it seems to be just like JB weld