A Crate Engine Maintence MUST

[Ramsey22]

Pull your headers off every 2-3 races and re-gasket them or re silicone them. I've come to the conclusion after 5 years of racing the 602 and the 604 that you will get multiple exhaust leaks after a few times out. I wish a engine builder would run a dyno test solely on an engine that has been ran about 5-6 nights, Make a pass as is, then pull off the headers to reseal and see how much power the exhaust leaks have caused you to lose. It never fails 3-5 & 2-4 always blow out the center and the bottoms as well as misc. spots on most ports. Wish someone could explain this. I've tried every silicone and header gasket known and still the same outcome. Don't get outworked could be robbing yourself of 10-20 HP

How many times have we seen a guy get a new engine bc he was "down on power", then the driver comes in and says "We got our power back", really could've just been fixing all those minor exhaust leaks by having to reinstall the headers? IDK

Kenny Ramsey #22

[phenom08]

Are you running exhaust hangers to support the headers? I've never had any exhaust leaks using schoenfeld gaskets, with hangers out by the mufflers. Retorque the header bolts after 1st startup on new gaskets while its still hot. After that rarely find a loose header bolt.

[Matt49]

We use hangers back by at the extensions and use Schoenfeld gaskets. We tighten after initial run and put a wrench on them weekly to make sure none are backing out (old habit).
When changing gaskets (maybe twice a season), we do notice some black around the 3,4,5,6 exhaust ports but not all the way out to call it "leaking". I always assumed it was a heating distortion issue between the aluminum head and the steel header that might be unavoidable. I'm not a motor guy so maybe this is a sign of something that I'm dismissing.

[Ramsey22]

I've ran hangers, always tighten my bolts after initial startup and also every week. IMO if I see black that's an exhaust leak, could be wrong though I'm no engine builder either. It's not like I hear them leaking but I just want my stuff to run 100%. At one time I use to grind down the protrusions on the header flanges evenly to get more sealing surface and I felt like it worked the best from anything else I've done......My headers have been known to glow as well during racing conditions on every engine I've ever ran but our fuel curve is almost perfect and timing is dead nuts. Anyone know what the Exhaust Gas Temp "EGT" is on the 602 or the 604?

[jedclampit]

Header leaks (cracks! or gaskets) will usually pop or backfire if you lift throttle on entry.
I have never had a gasket issue in many years of racing, and reusing gaskets too.
Hi temp silicone, gasket to header,dry to head.
Glowing header means fire is burning hot inside the header,rich, on rev limiter, etc.

[Ramsey22]

I can assure you our engine is burning almost perfect and timing isn't stepping out. We have a lot of heavy tracks around here and usually on long green flag runs the top 5 guys in crates will have their headers glowing. Not so much worried about the glowing issue even if we were burning a little rich, I feel like the crate engines tend to make better power that way. One of the biggest engine builders in the nation here has played with some crazy fuels & his house car will have a 2 FT flame continually burning out the header collector driving away from everyone haha. Just chronic exhaust leaking issues, even with different headers and engines....Can anyone identify EGT's from under racing conditions, I think that would probably lead me in the right direction?