Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

[Brwndrvr05]

Which Exhaust Manifold Gaskets work best with stock manifolds and stock vortec heads, unported. What brand and part # are you guys using. Thanks

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

None are required.

If you really want to use some though, use the FelPro drop in ones. That way if they go out, you can loosen the manifold a 1/2" and lift the old ones out and drop new ones in.

FelPro MS9275B - Every parts store has em by the dozen.

 

[atomicmecha]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

Any benefit one way or the other to have these on?

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

Any benefit one way or the other to have these on?

None that I can see. Peace of mind knowing that it is sealing is no consolation for the risk of developing a leak. Stock doesn't leak, so why introduce something that might.

 

[Brwndrvr05]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

None that I can see. Peace of mind knowing that it is sealing is no consolation for the risk of developing a leak. Stock doesn't leak, so why introduce something that might.

So Mike your saying not to run a gasket? If so the manifolds have to be perfectly straight, surfaced and not warped for them to seal right without a gasket, correct?

 

[0966Sy]

Use a little bead of copper RTV, 1/16-1/8 bead around the center of each mating surface of the manifolds.

 

[sytyguy]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

So Mike your saying not to run a gasket? If so the manifolds have to be perfectly straight, surfaced and not warped for them to seal right without a gasket, correct?

Correct. I use nothing on mine....no gasket, no RTV, nothing. I straight edge the manifolds to check for warp, clean any debris or carbon lip with a Roloc disc (07480) and slap em on. If it's a full rebuild and the heads/block are getting surfaced, I'll do an MPI (Dye Pen on non ferrous parts - AL heads, marine ex. manifolds, etc...) on the manifolds while I'm at the machine shop and check straightness with better equipment, but I've rebuilt dozens of SyTy engines and have yet to have a set of manifolds surfaced for warping.

In a nutshell, clean em, check em for straightness, and slap em on. That's what GM did and it worked just fine. :tup:

 

[Peter]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

I smear a very thin coat of the hi-temp copper silicone on the exhaust manifolds and haven't had a problem. I used the FelPro gaskets once and had a problem with two of them. The head bolt snagged the hook on the gasket and twisted it so much the gasket was warped out of shape, misaligned and caused a ticking exhaust leak. Never used exhaust gaskets since.

 

[SchnellGhostTy]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

I ran a bead of high temp copper rtv, actually on all my vehichles...

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

I had my manifolds machined flat and used the MLS gaskets from the later model S10s.

 

[bezerk]

Re: Exhaust Manifold Gasket Recomendation

I had my manifolds machined flat and used the MLS gaskets from the later model S10s.

did u run into a problem with them?:rotf: