Headers and oil leak

[scampbel98]

I've run into an issue i've not been able to resolve yet.
Recently rebuilt motor. Running great and just added 4:2:1 headers and now have an oil leak.
There was zero leak before going to headers.
It appears to be from back half of motor on passenger side either at or near the upper stud area.

I've reviewed the threads here and have already tried removing and reinstalling the studs using high temp thread seal. That did not work. I did not try to seal from inside the cam box yet.

It looks like oil may be coming from the cam tower gasket. So I've retorqued those bolts.
Is it common for the cam tower gaskets to leak?

I've used shouldered studs on all the exhaust points and the large washers to try to help spread the load.

Help.. hate an oily engine...

[124JOE]

yes the cam boxes do leak and retourquing them should help

[azygoustoyou]

Headers? Huh!
What kind of headers are you having problems with

[vandor]

It's common for the cambox gaskets to leak, but not so soon!
If re-torquing does not fix it, then you will have to change the gasket. Be sure both surfaces are flat and clean.
We sell a hi-po cambox gasket that has an impregnated silicone bead, they last longer than the standard ones.

[digitech]

Just want to chime in on those hi-po gaskets Csaba sells - they are "the Bomb"!! I bought a pair for Jon Logan to use when he re-did my head/camboxes and they work like a charm; I highly recommend them!

[spiderrey]

I know one of the bolts that hold the header on needs to be sealed. If not it will leak oil.

[vandor]

I know one of the bolts that hold the header on needs to be sealed. If not it will leak oil.

It's the #2 and #4 studs.

[Ken]

After I rebuilt my motor I also noticed an oil leak around the cam box cover, when I was looking at the nut to hold them down and the hole it fit in I found it was bottoming out before the gasket was compressed so I cut about .020 off the shoulder and it seems to be working OK now.
Ken

[Ragno124]

So what do you use to "seal" the studs? I need to do this to stop the oil from dripping onto my exhuast header and smoking out the neighborhood every time I run my car when it's sat for several weeks.

[narfire]

I used some kind of thred sealer. It came in a small white tube and has worked to date after pulling the top two studs a couple of years ago. Prior to that I had the oil on header issue as well.
Chris

[124JOE]

high temp silicone on the threads