What is there left to do after filing the end of the heat exchanger pipes, installing new copper gaskets, and torquing to 18 ftlb? I know some say torque untill the leak stops but when pressurized only with the shop vac at least three of the four joints were leaking. But at what torque do the studs pull out?

The car is a 1.7 1973 with 1.8 heads so I used the larger copper gaskets. I'm going to take it apart again. measure the joint to flange dimension, and file the mounting ears if needed. Anybody have any other ideas?

Nick

Anneal the gaskets prior to installation.

I removed the heat exchangers again and found that the surfaces that mate with the head are not in the same plane. Probably the result of previous filing. The easy way to correct this would be a milling machine but I'll probably use a file. Then yes, I'll aneal the gaskets. Thanks

Nick

this is what I have done, loosen all attachments and then lightly tighten the h/e like you are torqueing a cylinder head, little bit at a time in a rotation. then tighten the muffler to h/e.

now while car is still on jack stands start car and listen for exhaust leaks.

if you hear it off one of the exhaust ports at the head back off the nuts and tighten again, you might have to tighten down one side of the stub and loosen the other and work it that way to seal it.

then work the leaks back to the muffler by tightening and shifting the attachments.

watch out for warped h/e to muffler flanges. you might have to hammer them back to straight and flush.

oh!!!

and only use a 1/4" drive ratchet and don't crank it down!!

the spec is in inch pounds and not that much 15-18 I think.

Use a long file and run it across both tubes at once. It makes a gaddawful racket, but it will make sure that both are in the same plane.

--DD

Mark the tops of the pipes with a black sharpie prior to filing. Use a big bastard file so you do both on one heatexchanger at the same time on each pass. Only take off as much as needed