2007 JBA header install - I feel so defeated
I took a week off work to take my time and do it right.
Ended up taking me close to 5 days for a variety of reasons. The 2005-2007 models seem to be specifically challenging due to the air injection system taking up more room in an already tight space.
Anyway, I got OEM manifolds off and cleaned the heads as best as I could. They felt smooth to the touch across the mating surfaces.
I bought and installed OEM Toyota gaskets.
I installed the headers and had a few heat cycles on them when I began to hear them leak a bit. I then spent the next day retorquing the nuts. They were all tight still. A couple got MAYBE 1/4 turn out of them.
The next day, the sound is gone on my way to work. I start the truck up to go home for lunch and I can very clearly hear an exhaust leak.
It's devastating.... the gaskets were crazy expensive, I did everything I could to make sure it sealed properly. I followed all the advice and all the instructions... and now the idea of having to remove one of the headers and redo a VERY expensive gasket is... well its fucking defeating man... I'm not sure what to do.