I just got my truck back from the exhaust shop today as it was almost 90 here yesterday so I didnt want to be doing the header work in that heat. I picked it up today 207 dollars later, and I have a F*CKING leaking on the passenger side. Has anyone else had this problem? I thought JBA was supposed to be the best for the Ranger, I am feeling shafted, if I knew it would sound like a Model T when I hit the gas I would have left my stock manifolds on there. Now I have a truck with 23K on it and it sounds like it has 400K, not happy.:o uch:

 

Bring it back to the shop. Possible they did something wrong.

 

I thought the same thing at first, they are all friends from when I worked in the Auto business, I trust them with all my exhaust work and have had about 8 vehicles of mine go through them this is the only one that I have had a problem with. I AM PISSED

 

Give JBA a call and see what they say????

 

Well if your sure its not the shop, I'd say contact the place you bough them from and tell them. And since you had them professionally installed they can't say that you F'ed them up.

Could have just gotten one bad set. It does happen from time to time w/anything.

 

It could be a manufacture defect. No matter how much checking, a defect can slip through the cracks.

 

I know that they worked, I got them from Bob, as all of you know he is a real stand up guy. I have contacted Brad the JBA rep on here to try and get some answers but so far no reply.

 

Well if they worked for Bob then theres something wrong with your truck or there installed wrong....

 

Could've been shipping damage. Even if the 'gasket' doesn't look bent, the slightest bend could make it leak. Sorry about your luck. I don't think JBA is the one to blame since they've already been tested to work.

 

I know thats why I am upset. My truck only has 23K not too shabby for a 2003. Never had any problems with anything until the header install. I will have to see if I can get thicker gaskets maybe??? But no one makes a gasket for our truck other than FORD, JBA, Or HEDMAN. All but Ford require freight, special order, and a factory fee to get them delivered to me.

 

If it were shipping damage I would assume that they would both be crap, because they are packaged one on top of the other and I had them sitting on my dash the entire time after I bought them.

 

You are supposed to heat them up then let them cool and retighten them. THen repeat a few more times.

 

Thanks I have read this as well. I asked the guys at the shop if they did this and they stated yes. Even took the passenger side off again once because they though maybe it somehow blew the gasket

 

Are you sure its at the head? It may be at the flange where it connects to the exhaust.

 

Yeah I am 89% sure. I am going to take it apart myself tonight I guess and see what I can find or fix myself.

 

JBA's are HEADERS! HEADERS have always been known to rattle loose the flange bolts at the head. I got really really used to it. Gasket plays a role too.

What kind of gaskets come with the JBA's?

You're issue could be as little as improper torquing/tightening of the Y pipe at the header. Mine has that little tick issue because I didn't properly tighten those nuts...and I got the stock manifolds.

 

Where new gaskets used?

 

I suggest finding where your leak is coming from. There, you'll be able to pinpoint whats wrong. Might be as little as them not being able to tighten those last bolts on the passenger side due to clearence issues with the heater box or whatever.

 

Of course new gaskets were used

 

Those same headers were on my 4.0L for about 2 years with no leaks whatsoever. In fact, I was amazed at how quiet they were. Tube headers often have a ticking through them even when the gaskets are perfect but the JBA tubing is so thick that they are almost as quiet as the factory iron manifolds. I used stock Ford stainless gaskets and I believe that Chris's installer used the same. I say recheck the fasteners - some of them are difficult to get to.

 

Thats what I am going to try to do I will see if I can use my buddy's garage. Or another friends shop with a hoist (cant use that til Saturday though if at all)

 

The headers should do a better job than stock as far as sealing. They have a raised area around the ports that "bite" into the cylinder head. The stock manifold is a large flat area.

Expansion/contraction will cause a leak. I want to say retorquing is recommended at 10,000 miles. Don't quote me on that though.

 

Make sure they installed the gaskets correct. My roomate just put a F2 header on his 2007 Focus ZX3 and had a nasty leak after the shop installed it, he took it back and they just 're-seated' the gasket. It is much quieter now and has a subtle growl to it.

 

I am pretty sure that I have found the problem. 1- There is a bolt that goes into the head to the left of the tranny dipstick, that bolt is in but the nut on it is not tightened down right now, the one that connects the dipstick to the head is MIA. Now I am really pissed. I am now convinced that they didnt take my inner fender off like I suggested they do because this would eliminate said errors. Is there anyway for me to get my money back (Not all but some) they said they would fix it but they claim that it needs to be double gasketed to fit. I am calling BS on them I am so F*CKING pissed. I am out 207 in labor and I have a truck that sounds like a F*CKING model-t when I hit the gas. And I have to wait til Saturday night to use the hoist at my buddy's house, plus pay him for his time... I am so fah king ANGRY.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the bolt or the size of the bolt that I need to attach the Tranny dipstick to the head with?