YACT: Exhaust Flanges aren't flush.

[Shawn]

Basically my aftermarket header's flange won't sit flush with my aftermarket cat's flange, and my aftermarket muffler also won't sit flush with my aftermarket cat. Now the cat's flanges are the ones which are most imperfect but even so the header and muffler aren't prefectly flat either.

Here is a pic

I brought it to midas a while back but they told me I'd have to have it all welded together. Yeah right. :roll: Any other options? I was thinking about just buying a new cat. I used high temp gasket sealant to seal it temporarily but it has blown out from the pressure.

 

[fbrdphreak]

What kind of car?

My buddy had the exact same problem (same place in the exhaust it looks like too) on his 93 Camaro with a new 3.4L V6, headers, and 3" cat back. IIRC he had a guy make him a whole bunch of exhaust gaskets and he sticks several in there at a time. After a while they wear out and you can see where the exhaust breaks through on the gasket itself, so he has to loosen up the bolts and slide some new ones in there.

 

[Krazefinn]

Should be able to hammer the flange straighter, then fuile or use a hand held grinder, even a sander (DA, belt, whatever) to further flatten it. Also get the thicker ALL COPPER flange gaskets, available fromt jegs and summit online, even at aftermarket speedshops. They never wear out, reusable, and work much better.

 

[Heisenberg]

Looks like you just need a big-ass pair of pliers to sqeeze the flanges flush with each other.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Judging from the angles of the flanges, it could be that mechanical stress is causing this. Make sure your exhaust isn't hitting anything or bouncing too much when you go over bumps. I like the copper gasket idea.

 

[Rogeee]

Thye proper way if repairing that flange is to heat it cherry red with a Oxy/Acet torch and pounding it back into shape, do not try this without heating it first, the metal has been heat tempered and will either break or crack or not move at all.