Exhaust leak help

[1965cudav8]

Hey guys,

I was playing around with the 318 today, getting her ready for the first test drive. I noticed a good amount of smoke coming out of the rear most corner of the headers (pictured below) on the passenger side. Its not a gaping leak but its a pretty steady little puff. The headers are very rusty and old looking. Is this a serious problem or just a little leak i can ignore until I get more time/money?

If its a major problem, what headers would go well on this motor? its a 318 w/ edelbrock streetmaster 318 mani and carter afb. Runs excellent otherwise.

D

 

[1965cudav8]

erro?

 

['64 Cuda]

Not sure where the leak is. If it's a gasket you could probably live with it for a while but it could leak fumes into the passenger compartment.

By the way, those are exhaust manifolds on your engine. There have been several threads about what types of better flowing factory manifolds will, or will not, fit in the confines of the narrow 66 & earlier A body engine compartment. I can tell you that headers for the early A can be an expensive proposition. You basically have 3 choices of under chassis headers. Doug's, Spitfires (if you can get them) and TTI's.

 

[jaws]

You can let it go for a little while. Does it get quieter as is warms up? To fix, you will need to spray the bolts with PB blaster or simular. Then hope you don't brake a bolt when removing the bolts. Then replace the gaskets.

 

[1965cudav8]

ok, thank you both for your help, i will go the gasket route and that should do for now.

much appreciated

D

 

[duster340]

since you wrote smoke i would sugest having another check so its not just alitle oil from the valvecovergaskets leaking, usualy dont smoke at the manifolds,just puffing alitle.