Header Bolt Sealant/Coolant loss

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srousseau

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Joined
Jan 5, 2009
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Coon Rapids, MN
I have a 69 Dart 340 and added tti headers and new header bolts. It seems like I have a coolant leak from the drivers side rear header bolt that goes into the coolant jacket. I am losing coolant out the exhaust to the tune of about a gallon every 10 miles. There is no coolant in the oil and none leaking out the bottom. I was going to pull the header bolt and use a sealant to stop it up.
I am sure I am not the first to have this issue. What do you guys do to deal with this?
1. If you use a sealant, what kind do you use?
2. I have had a hard time finding a sealant that will handle extreme temperatures. I have found a couple sealant that go up to 400 or 500 degrees, but I am sure the temperature at the header is a lot higher than that.
3. What is the recommended torque for the header bolts?
What say you experts?
thanks!
Scott
 
There was a discussion on here about a week ago for the same topic do a search and you will find all kinds of answers

 
I've used red Hi-Temp silicone for ages on my race cars and street cars with no leakage.
 
The solution is to use the correct studs in the four corners of the heads. They have a bevel on them that matches a bevel in the bolt holes in the heads and that's where the sealing takes place. That's why bolts will fail to seal there. I normally put some high temp red RTV on the threads anyway as an extra precaution.
 
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