The dreaded Kooks L/T colletor leak

[brad65ford]

Man I love the sound of Kooks Long Tubes on a 03 cobra but boy do they leak and hang real low. Called Kook's today to ask opinions how to fix the leak. They suggested remove, clean and add red rtv to seal the leak. After removing them (fun fun) I could see someone else tried sealing them the same way. Shame they aren't one piece would make for a kill header.

 

[JuStAkId]

Man I love the sound of Kooks Long Tubes on a 03 cobra but boy do they leak and hang real low. Called Kook's today to ask opinions how to fix the leak. They suggested remove, clean and add red rtv to seal the leak. After removing them (fun fun) I could see someone else tried sealing them the same way. Shame they aren't one piece would make for a kill header.

Same problem I have/had. I believe the new ones are one piece. Anyways I did the same thing you are doing. I also Put them on and hit them forward so each tube was pushed into the collector more which seemed to help as well.

 

[brad65ford]

+1 JuStAkId, its a crappy setup for sure. Kook's states they did this for install reason, regardless its sucks.
Ask i started to wiggle the headers I noticed one of the tubes was a little loose. This isn't good and isn't easy to fix with out dropping the k-member. Really rethinking the whole headers thing,,,, man i'm getting old LOL.

 

[SVT_Troy]

ARH's whats up!

 

[03redfirevert.]

hmm.my kooks lt's are one piece
Now,as far as your issue,there are a couple things that work that I use on my turbo race car
Exhaust sealant in the tube,antisieze,or copper coat.They all will have a 12 hour cure time.
apply liberaly,smack the collector with a dead blow,bolt it up, then heat up the tubes with a torch or by letting the car idle for 10 min.Let set 12 hours before driving

 

[brad65ford]

hmm.my kooks lt's are one piece
Now,as far as your issue,there are a couple things that work that I use on my turbo race car
Exhaust sealant in the tube,antisieze,or copper coat.They all will have a 12 hour cure time.
apply liberaly,smack the collector with a dead blow,bolt it up, then heat up the tubes with a torch or by letting the car idle for 10 min.Let set 12 hours before driving

I'm assuming for a different car, no? They are sealed up as recommended by Kook's hadn't reinstalled the mid pipe back yet. Hopefully i did a good job.

 

[03redfirevert.]

Whatever works for you,I was just making rec. instead of using that sloppy assed nasty looking red rtv
I refuse to use that on anything

I'm assuming for a different car, no? They are sealed up as recommended by Kook's hadn't reinstalled the mid pipe back yet. Hopefully i did a good job.

 

[brad65ford]

do you have a link to the stuff your referring to?

 

[03redfirevert.]

here

do you have a link to the stuff your referring to?

 

[brad65ford]

Sweet even made by the same company cool, wonder how different it is. Thanks again.

 

[03redfirevert.]

The putty will dry hard like clay.

 

[brad65ford]

So far so good with red rtv, fully put back together and did some test runs. Damn do i love the sound of Kook's on a 4v

 

[FiveOhJoe]

Why not get them welded?

 

[brad65ford]

Why not get them welded?

Can't imagine welding them on the car, very difficult to get to the top and insides.

 

[randoo]

Arh

 

[SOVACobra03]

Arh

^^this

 

[cj428mach]

I'm glad you got it fixed. Our mechanic at work asked me to pick him up some exhaust sealant for a truck he was working on. I asked him if he just meant the red/copper RTV and he said no its different go to the local auto store and ask to speak to a certain person and he'll know what it is. This is the stuff I got for him.

http://www.coolcatcorp.com/product/Sealer.html

I'll try it next time I need something like this because this mechanic only does top notch work and really knows his stuff.