Ok, i was wrong on the Hooker Headers. They do offer a long tube, but once again they are 1 3/4 primary tubes and generally long tubes are better for low end, but not in a 1 3/4 primary. Spoke to the folks over at Dynatech and they agreed that on their headers, which are also 1 3/4 tubes you are not going to see a gain in the low end, especially in a stock application. They would work best in a highly modified or a supercharged application.

 

Are they leaking around the flange or between the flange and pipe? Get some stainless lock washers to keep the bolts from backing out.
Hooker coats inside and out but if you bang them with a tool they will scatch through the ceramic and you'll get a rust spot. Granted, you have to bang them pretty hard....try working on a small block chevy in a lowered '87 2wd toyota.

 

You can also try soaking the gasket in water first and then let them dry before installing. That way they have already expanded and contracted.

 

I have the edlebrock ceramic coated in charleston, SC and have had no issues. They look brand new except for the lock washers (they are having heat issues so I plan to replace them with better ones) and have been on for 11 months.

 

http://www.stans-headers.com/
Get the Tri-Y's preserve your low end.

 

i went through three sets of gaskets trying to get the leak to stop, and now i have the Mr Gasket copper ones. i bought new header bolts and they are all tight, so ill just have to pull them off again.

 

Are you using the locking header bolts, like a Stage 8? Also Percy's make's a dead soft alum gasket that seems to work rather good