Exhaust Collars

[nicomkii]

As I mentioned in my rebuild thread the MkII fired up but the poor old girl sounded like a VW minus the computer program for smog alerts.
The headers I knew were suspicious on whether it was a full seal against the copper gaskets.
What I'm after it the actual diameter of the collars, something at the back of my mind says they are only about 2/3rds around the header pipe. So thought I'd ask the brains trust before I go all Jekyll & Hyde with the grinding.

Already had to heat the supplied ones and get a truer round on them



When fitted the edges are 'very' snug on the clamps and when I try to assemble them on the header there is no way that it will all come together.



My reckoning is that if the two studs pull up on at least 2/3rds of the diameter then a good seal should be gotten from the copper gaskets.

[z1bman]

are you sure the exhaust clamps are not bottoming out against the head? i they are the gaskets may not being compressed fully. your collars & clamps look good to me you might need to put two gaskets in if it is not a genuine exhaust

[nicomkii]

are you sure the exhaust clamps are not bottoming out against the head? i they are the gaskets may not being compressed fully. your collars & clamps look good to me you might need to put two gaskets in if it is not a genuine exhaust

Yes its a replica exhaust, I have three sealed but No.2 is being a pr1ck. managed to notice the collar isnt catching on the lip of the header and not forcing it against the gasket.
Tried various things but every time i tighten it the collar rides over the lip. Going for OEM collars next week and see if that helps.