Do I have a header leak? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

f5journal · 08-22-2013, 01:40 PM

Pretty dumb question here, but is all the random tweeting and chirping normal for Kooks headers and hi-flo cats on these cars? To me it's just the headers making noise. This is at low RPM and when starting to accelerate.

I actually did have a slight leak when I installed them. That was quite obvious and I put new gaskets on. That constant little pop pop at the flange went away.

Just making sure I'm good and not driving around with a problem that still needs attention.

shibbs · 08-22-2013, 02:55 PM

Headers definitely do sound different under the engine bay than the stock cast manifolds.

Post up a youtube video or something. Or. Suck a bit of seafoam into the intake and see if you get any smoke under the hood - then you'll know for sure if you have a leak. lol

ackeight · 08-22-2013, 03:26 PM

From my understanding you would have black soot around the area of the header that is leaking. You will be able to hear much more valve train noise with headers. I do.

thahemp · 08-22-2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f5journal

Pretty dumb question here, but is all the random tweeting and chirping normal for Kooks headers and hi-flo cats on these cars? To me it's just the headers making noise. This is at low RPM and when starting to accelerate.

I actually did have a slight leak when I installed them. That was quite obvious and I put new gaskets on. That constant little pop pop at the flange went away.

Just making sure I'm good and not driving around with a problem that still needs attention.

HOLY CRAP! It's about time someone else had a squeak! Mine has squeaked ever since I installed headers and I haven't been able to find it. I get random squeaks at idle which usually happen when the RPMs bounce around. It also squeaks more frequently when I blip the throttle up to about 1K as it starts to fall. Also squeaks rapidly when I shut the car off. Sound familiar?

thahemp · 08-22-2013, 04:12 PM

Assuming yours is the same, I can tell you what I've tried already.

1) Ran it without the catback to eliminate band clamps and rubber hangers.
2) Put the stock air box back in to eliminate my fastlane.
3) Replaced the header gaskets 3 times. There is no leak there.
4) Went all over the engine with a stethoscope... it's almost certainly coming from the exhaust somewhere.
5) Added high-temp RTV to the collector -> connection pipes connection.
6) Pulled the valve covers to check the rockers.
7) Pulled the intake manifold to look at cam lobes to help eliminate lifters.

Here is my thread on the issue. You may have already stumbled across it.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296944

litle88 · 08-22-2013, 04:30 PM

Bump for Chirps! Lol

Nightmare2012 · 08-22-2013, 05:07 PM

Squeakkk is back!!! Lol

thahemp · 08-22-2013, 05:21 PM

Haha. As you can see OP... We have discussed this a LOT. It's not normal and we never figured it out.

Iam Broke · 08-22-2013, 05:28 PM

I have Kook's and no squeaks but I use anti-seize (Cop-Graf) on the ball & socket connections themselves. Acts as a lube a bit. Might help. Might be your collars moving around some also, try some under their contact points on the pipes.

thahemp · 08-22-2013, 05:30 PM

How long can i idle my car safely with no O2 sensors Iam broke? I want to eliminate the connection pipe joints too.

f5journal · 08-23-2013, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thahemp

HOLY CRAP! It's about time someone else had a squeak! Mine has squeaked ever since I installed headers and I haven't been able to find it. I get random squeaks at idle which usually happen when the RPMs bounce around. It also squeaks more frequently when I blip the throttle up to about 1K as it starts to fall. Also squeaks rapidly when I shut the car off. Sound familiar?

I feel better now. The circumstances are exactly like thahemp said.

In discussing the first leak and obvious leak with Ted Jannetty, he said it was "imperative that I fix the leak ASAP" That left me nervous as to whether I still have a leak.

One comment above addressed the ball joint. I actually think this is the area the "squeak" "tweet" is coming from. It sounds more under the car than in the engine bay. I kinda suspect it has to do with the transition of the air into that goofy looking mesh in the cat.

Thanks for the info

thahemp · 08-23-2013, 11:04 AM

Be sure to post if you figure it out. I have TSP headers with slip-joint catless connections. There's a whole lotta wtf in your future

.

thahemp · 09-16-2013, 12:16 PM

Did you figure your chirp out yet? I ran open headers last weekend to eliminate the rest of the exhaust connections. It still chirped.

jman17 · 09-16-2013, 01:29 PM

Installed my Kooks a couple of weeks ago, and I am hearing the same thing, just beginning to wonder if this just normal for headers. I can't seem to find any leaks or anything BAD.

08-22-2013, 01:40 PM	#1
f5journal Senior Camaro Fanatic Drives: 2011 SS/RS manual - White Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: aiken, sc Posts: 1,980	Do I have a header leak? Pretty dumb question here, but is all the random tweeting and chirping normal for Kooks headers and hi-flo cats on these cars? To me it's just the headers making noise. This is at low RPM and when starting to accelerate. I actually did have a slight leak when I installed them. That was quite obvious and I put new gaskets on. That constant little pop pop at the flange went away. Just making sure I'm good and not driving around with a problem that still needs attention. __________________ Former '68 and '69 Z/28 Owner...........Now sporting around in a 2011 RS/SS with........Kooks LT's and cats, JRE tune, CAI, scoop, ZL1 Bumper conversion, custom ZL-1 grille, halo harness, Painted silver stripes, GM GFX, black painted lower edge of skirts and rear bumper. MGW shifter.....and now a 3.91 1LE diff

08-22-2013, 03:26 PM	#3
ackeight Drives: 10' 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rockwall, TX Posts: 1,389 View My Garage	From my understanding you would have black soot around the area of the header that is leaking. You will be able to hear much more valve train noise with headers. I do. __________________ ADM tuned 412HP/407RWTQ. Kooks 2" headers w/ cats, ADM race intake, Vmax TB, Pedders XA coilovers and ZL1 sways. 1le clone

08-22-2013, 04:12 PM	#5
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Assuming yours is the same, I can tell you what I've tried already. 1) Ran it without the catback to eliminate band clamps and rubber hangers. 2) Put the stock air box back in to eliminate my fastlane. 3) Replaced the header gaskets 3 times. There is no leak there. 4) Went all over the engine with a stethoscope... it's almost certainly coming from the exhaust somewhere. 5) Added high-temp RTV to the collector -> connection pipes connection. 6) Pulled the valve covers to check the rockers. 7) Pulled the intake manifold to look at cam lobes to help eliminate lifters. Here is my thread on the issue. You may have already stumbled across it. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=296944 __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

08-22-2013, 04:30 PM	#6
litle88 V8 Lounge member #2 Drives: 2001 Ws6 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Burbank,IL Posts: 6,373	Bump for Chirps! Lol __________________ 2001 ws6, 40k miles, Ls3 416 stroker, short block built by PER the rest by me. LPE Ls3 heads milled to 12-1 comp, FAST 102, NW 102, kooks 2", dual DMH cutouts, Magnaflow C/B, BTR cam + springs. Full UMI suspension.

08-22-2013, 05:21 PM	#8
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Haha. As you can see OP... We have discussed this a LOT. It's not normal and we never figured it out. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

08-22-2013, 02:55 PM	#2
shibbs Captain Gingerbeard Drives: 2012 IOM RS/SS 6MT Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: West Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,489	Headers definitely do sound different under the engine bay than the stock cast manifolds. Post up a youtube video or something. Or. Suck a bit of seafoam into the intake and see if you get any smoke under the hood - then you'll know for sure if you have a leak. lol

08-22-2013, 05:07 PM	#7
Nightmare2012 come find out;) Drives: stockish 2012 camaro ss Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: speed county Posts: 2,166 View My Garage	Squeakkk is back!!! Lol

08-22-2013, 05:28 PM	#9
Iam Broke PHAT B33 Drives: 2012 TF3 Camaro 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Dark of the Moon Posts: 1,460 View My Garage	I have Kook's and no squeaks but I use anti-seize (Cop-Graf) on the ball & socket connections themselves. Acts as a lube a bit. Might help. Might be your collars moving around some also, try some under their contact points on the pipes. __________________ Another 1 of 371 '12 T3 LS3 M6's built.

08-22-2013, 05:30 PM	#10
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	How long can i idle my car safely with no O2 sensors Iam broke? I want to eliminate the connection pipe joints too. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

08-23-2013, 11:04 AM	#12
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Be sure to post if you figure it out. I have TSP headers with slip-joint catless connections. There's a whole lotta wtf in your future . __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

09-16-2013, 12:16 PM	#13
thahemp Geek Drives: 2012 Black LS3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Derby, KS Posts: 4,343 View My Garage	Did you figure your chirp out yet? I ran open headers last weekend to eliminate the rest of the exhaust connections. It still chirped. __________________ 01000111011011110110111101100100001000000110110001 11010101100011011010110010000001110111011010010111 01000110100000100000011101000110100001101001011100 110010000001101111011011100110010100100001 x = ac97968bd3df8f968c8cd3df998a9c94d3df9c8a918bd3df9c 909c94df8c8a9c949a8dd3df92908b979a8ddf998a9c949a8d d3df8b968b8cd1 x = ~x

09-16-2013, 01:29 PM	#14
jman17 Drives: 2011 SS-2/1969 SS Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 147 View My Garage	Installed my Kooks a couple of weeks ago, and I am hearing the same thing, just beginning to wonder if this just normal for headers. I can't seem to find any leaks or anything BAD. __________________ 1969 SS: SS/DA 427 CI/Auto 2011 SS-2 LS3 M6 MODS: P1X ProCharger, Squash dual fuel pumps, ID fuel injectors, Cam: Pat G designed/EPS Ground (228/234 .629”/.629” 114 LSA +4 advance), Lethal Racing ported throttle-body and intake manifold, Kooks 1 7/8” Long Tube Headers, Dynomax Bullet Cat-Back System, Skip Shift Eliminator