[northtorrey]

After hearing my slight header leak get louder and louder, I finally put in the time to figure out where its coming from. Turns out it's leaking where the y-pipe connects to the driver's side headers (right between the engine and the firewall). In any case, it looks like it was over-tightened when it was installed and the flanges are bent. I guess the gasket was too thick?? Anyway I plan to spend my weekend taking out the y-pipe and I need to re-straighten the flanges. Any ideas on the best way to do this?

 

[Gadget]

If you can swing it, buy the upgraded down pipe. It uses spring tensioners and a donunt gasket so it can flex and not leak.

If not, the flanges are soft stainless and you can bend the ears with a wrench. The best thing is not to use the crappy TRD copper gaskets. Take the down pipe off and go to a good custom exhaust shop and find some soft metal O ring exhaust gaskets that will fit that flange.

That is what I did after repeated leaks from the crappy gaskets. The soft metal O ring gaskets will crush down and deform and fill any voids and make a good seal. With this type you can tighten the flanges all the way down till they are flat against each other and you won't have any more problems from those connections and the bolts will not come loose either.

 

[J-Man]

dood, my buddy has the trd exhaust bolted to the trd headers and has has the same problem. That gasket is shit. Ill see what he did, but i think he used a new gasket and added some copper around it making it a tight fit then retorqued it down. Let me check out for sure tho.

Actually, he did what gadget just posted above. follow his advise.

 

[northtorrey]

Thanks for your all your help. And I almost went out and bought another set of the TRD gaskets! I called a couple Toyota dealerships for the upgraded y-pipe and both said they don't sell it seperately. Can anyone tell me what part # it is (specifically for the 007 model headers)? What price range am I looking at?

Thanks again.

 

[Gadget]

They do sell the upgraded Y pipe separately. Call TRD direct and they will give you the correct part number for your year truck and then you can order it directly from your local dealer.

It is the same Y pipe, but they cut the flanges off of the end and welded on slip joints that use a big ball type gasket and it is held under constant pressure with some big springs. That upgrade is what saved the TRD headers from being a total POS. With that mod they are the nicest headers you can get for the 5VZ.

 

[Super Doody]

They do sell the upgraded Y pipe separately. Call TRD direct and they will give you the correct part number for your year truck and then you can order it directly from your local dealer.

It is the same Y pipe, but they cut the flanges off of the end and welded on slip joints that use a big ball type gasket and it is held under constant pressure with some big springs. That upgrade is what saved the TRD headers from being a total POS. With that mod they are the nicest headers you can get for the 5VZ.

Do you know what company makes headers for TRD?

 

[samsc03]

I think I remember seeing it on Gadget's site who they are made by. I am having mine retorqued today for the second time and should be good to go. They sure are good lookin exhaust pieces I know that.

Sam