Possible cracked header

[snydercj7]

Hey there fella's.

Well, the Bank's header I have been running for about 6yrs now may be cracked. I am getting what sounds like an exhaust leak "only under a heavy load/ also initial start". Looking for a place that might rent a borescope to help me inspect it, Autozone/ Napa don't. Also any one out there with any experience pulling/ replacing the header. The tools I had did not afford me the ability in my 04 TJ. Service manual does not show any special tools needed for the job. The space in there is really tight and aparently some thing changed for 03-04 because the shop that did it said the 04 was a lot worse then an 03 they had worked on. Thanks for any help you may have.

Josh

[aw12345]

To find the leak use a long piece of vacuum hose, hold one end to your ear and the other end move it around the header to find the leak works pretty darn good when you find the leak just have it welded

[OU812]

I had the banks exhaust. They crack, every one Ive ever seen cracked. And the one you hear is probably not the only crack. Pull it off and look at the collectors. Its a bit of work but not too bad. By the time I got mine off and turned upside down there were there our four other small cracks in adition to one big one that I could hear. My guy charged me $50 to weld up all the cracks we found. He said he would have taken it off for me for another $100.

[snydercj7]

I had forgotten about the hose trick. Thanks for reminding me.

So is that just the way it is with the 6? Any header you run stock or aftermarket will crack? I wonder what Banks Limited Lifetime warrenty is? Also if I have the header welded is it going to crack again????

Maybe I could convince the wife we need to do a 5.3L conversion to include an Atlas w/ Dana 60's because the header on the straight 6 keeps cracking.... To bad she has already caught onto my evil ways.

[aw12345]

Maybe I could convince the wife we need to do a 5.3L conversion to include an Atlas w/ Dana 60's because the header on the straight 6 keeps cracking.... To bad she has already caught onto my evil ways.

Well if she goes for that plan, then she is a definite keeper lol

[1 Bad F N Z]

Be careful with your disire to do a conversion. I started with a new aluminum radiator, with having to build my own brackets. 15 hours involved. Then stood there looking at my old chevy. Hell its only a few more bolts. Block is toast now building a new engine. Hey a little paint would'nt hurt. Roll cage needs to come out to pull gas tank. another 3 hours. Some extra steel plates to beef up the sides. More steel to replace the old rock sliders, and more paint. Pressure washing to get 40 years worth of dirt off. Hand scubbing the underneath to get it clean cause the pressure wash could only do so much. And the list goes on. What started as a radiator upgrade has turned into down to the frame and body tub. Oh I was also going to go thru the front end with new seals and locker. Rolling the old girl out of the garage, back and forth, haven't even looked at the front end yet. And the list just keeps getting longer. Kevin.

[Mitch]

Keven,

I bet that Rubicon sounds better and better all the time

[aw12345]

Be careful with your disire to do a conversion. I started with a new aluminum radiator, with having to build my own brackets. 15 hours involved. Then stood there looking at my old chevy. Hell its only a few more bolts. Block is toast now building a new engine. Hey a little paint would'nt hurt. Roll cage needs to come out to pull gas tank. another 3 hours. Some extra steel plates to beef up the sides. More steel to replace the old rock sliders, and more paint. Pressure washing to get 40 years worth of dirt off. Hand scubbing the underneath to get it clean cause the pressure wash could only do so much. And the list goes on. What started as a radiator upgrade has turned into down to the frame and body tub. Oh I was also going to go thru the front end with new seals and locker. Rolling the old girl out of the garage, back and forth, haven't even looked at the front end yet. And the list just keeps getting longer. Kevin.

But it will be a sweet old girl when she is all done

[snydercj7]

Alright, cracked Banks header at the rear collector. Looks like my file for the Jeep was not kept as well as I thought. Any one out there have a shop in mind that might be some what local to Victim... I mean Victorville? Not sure if I will buy a new header or maybe just have them drill each end of the crack and weld it. Kind of on a time crunch.

Thanks in advance.

[Blktjsport]

I would definatly have it welded or if you never want to have that problem again you can get a 2 peice exhaust manifold from a 00-06 and have an exhaust shop make u a y pipe which will be cheap. I have also heard of people welding the cracks and then welding the y collectors together and not having a problem either way good luck

[snydercj7]

Turned out to be cracked around the o2 bung welds. Have a new one in now, hope this one gets more then 5yrs of service life.