Belanger Header Leak

[Jerry Dobson]

When I installed my Belanger headers… I was thinking “These things will eventually leak”.

The factory header has a stainless steel braided Flex Pipe to allow the motor to move. Flex Pipes do not flow as well as a solid pipe. Belanger headers are solid and void of a Flex Pipe.

The Belanger headers were install and did not leak. Now I have put a few thousand miles on the Viper and it is leaking. The leaks are minor. The only way to find them is to start the car and bring it up on a lift while it is running. Without a lift, you would never know it was leaking.

My car is a 98 with the 708 Cam with the famous neutral gear rattle. I am sure this accelerates the leak issue. These motors rock…. I mean move a lot. Even at idle, there is a lot of motor movement.

One side is leaking at the 3” flange area and the other side is leaking on one of the twin tubes prior to the 3” output.

Since Belangers do not use gaskets, what are you guys using to stop the leaks? Did anyone install a 3” Flex Pipe in the side seal area?

[Mike Adams]

You should use some high temp silicone with Loctite on the bolts. Works for me

[Fishtail]

Mine had a minor leak too and I asked other people and they tell me the same thing. The Belenger's leak a little over time but it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't have known it was leaking but one day I was replacing a bolt under my side exhaust cover and I saw some streaks of exhaust coming out of the flanges. I just left it alone.

-Lou

[FE 065]

You can't use OE gaskets on the headers?

[tommygun]

USE THE FACTORY GASKETS AT THE HEADS AND USE ULTRA-COPPER HIGH TEMP RTV AT THE COLLECTORS. MAKE SURE YOU USE LOCK WASHERS OR CASTLEATED NUTS ON THE COLLECTORS. WE HAVE HAD BETTER LUCK NOT USING THE FORWARD EXHAUST BRACKET IN THE SILLS AS THSI ALLOWS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO RIDE WITH THE MOTOR INSTEAD OF FIGHTING IT.

[Larry Macedo]

The factory metal gasket works great and won't degrade like the paper gaskets provided. If your Viper is S/C or TT, I'd strongly recommend the mopar metal gaskets for those applications.

[jgfurr]

USE THE FACTORY GASKETS AT THE HEADS AND USE ULTRA-COPPER HIGH TEMP RTV AT THE COLLECTORS. MAKE SURE YOU USE LOCK WASHERS OR CASTLEATED NUTS ON THE COLLECTORS. WE HAVE HAD BETTER LUCK NOT USING THE FORWARD EXHAUST BRACKET IN THE SILLS AS THSI ALLOWS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO RIDE WITH THE MOTOR INSTEAD OF FIGHTING IT.

Ditto that. My forward mount actually ripped away from the exhaust, taking a chunk of the exhaust pipe with it. I welded the chunk back in and removed the forward mounts.

[FE 065]

I made a simple but very effective anti-torque device to use on the left side of my engine so it can't torque-over on the mounts under power. (old drag racer trick.. from an old drag racer)


My 2002 rocks back and forth at idle almost like my '96GTS used now

[Jack B]

Try an aluminum 3" gasket on the collector flange and it solves the leak issue. Most auto parts stores carry them. Both Summit and Jegs have both aluminum and copper gaskets. They are a soft 1/16" thick material and are very effectively at sealing the joint. You always have to tighten the flange first then the headers-to-head surface second. It is hard to get the collector pipe to square up with the exhaust if the headers are already tightened.