I gotta change the header gasket on my rs, its the passenger side and it has a/c and air tubes on the edelbrock tes, yeah it sucks. anyway i got some mr gaskets (the cheap white paper ones) and was wondering if i should use one or two of them?? Also any tips on loosing that last bolt (the back one, i got all the others! PITA) ?

 

use exh manifold gaskets, they are metal and rarely burn out


i dont know why ppl use header gaskets when all they do is burn out



waste of money and time


i always use a 1/4" drive socket on the last one, real long extension and universal joint if need be

works fine

 

Well DON'T use 2!

If your headers are straight and flat you can just use a bead of HiTemp silicon. If they are not straight get a set of copper ones. they will form to the header and won't burn out. Retighten them after running the car for a bit and you won't have any leaks. Check them a day later and you should be good to go.

 

I used a set of these. They're a bit on the pricey side, but I haven't had to re-tighten my header bolts yet. They claim 50% crushable to fill gaps of 1/16".

http://www.remflex.com/

 

I already bought the cheap mr gaskets, im selling the car so i dont care if they last or not. No way i can get a socket on the last bolt, couldnt even get a box wrench on it!! I think i might have to go from underneath the car, all i gotta do is lossen thankfully and the gaskets just slip in. These headers got the friggen air tubes on them and AC in the way and a coil and heater hoses and other wires in the way!!! I HATE AC!!

 

Gotta love Edelcrock Ha Ha

 

you can get a socket on it if you tap it on/ding the header tube a bit

remove the a/c parts and anything else

do what ya gotta

have to all the time

:

 

Good advice, Ive got close to 60,000 miles on the cheap header gaskets by using the red sealant and proper toquing

The last pass bolt can be reached from beneath just fine

I must have tiny hands because Ive never had a problem reaching any of the bolts from the top with my headers
I use the MrGasket socket head bolts and there is plenty of room for the allen key even with the AC box still installed

 

i got it done, i dont know how but i did what a PITA, doin the sparkplugs was almost as bad.

 

dunno if you kknow or not but installing spark plugs trick is to use a length of vacuum hose on them

works great

i use it all the time

andi cant understand how gasket maker silicone rtv can hold up to flame

i cant imagine this is possible

that makes no sense

exh manifold gaskets are the way to go

they always work GREAT and are dirt cheap


everyone has their own ideas and opinions and luck with whatever they use i guess haha, even if it is very odd!

good luck!

 

i use an old spark plug boot.. same thing pretty much

 

I've heard the manifold gaskets are fail-safe, but unfortunatly I didn't hear it before I dropped coins on a set of Percys Dead-Soft Aluminum's.

And yes Randy82WS7, the trick with the stiff vacuum line/hose is quite handy. Learned that one back in the day changing #2 plug on the ol' 3.1

Max

 

razor32 your a mean sob, u went to all the trouble to install the gaskets and then put in gaskets that will need replaced in a year cause your selling the car. Thats mean, the next guy will be changing the gaskets.

I have a gasket problem right now and am tring to find out what is the "best gasket" to use. I want this problem gone for good.

I do agree that last bolt above the starter is a pain in the

 

the guy just got new gaskets im not gonna spend a bunch of money on a car im getting rid of thats just stupid!!

 

I put headers on my car 3 or 4 years ago I went with the Percey's dead soft aluminum gaskets and Stage 8 locking bolts. I never had to retighten the bolts a single time and I never had an exhaust leak. This winter I had to pull the heads to have some work done on them and when I put it back together I was able to reuse the gaskets. They looked just fine. Good gaskets and locking bolts are worth every penny in the long run.

 

you no how much them percys were? I think i might go with them dead softs for my new iroc i bought. The ones that were on my car before were mr gasket ultra seals. I also heard fel pro is pretty good. My irocs got no ac or air tubes or nothin on it so changing them isnt a problem!

 

use an open end wrench on the last bolt i just installed a set of Tes on my car last night

if wouldnt be bad i had a set of the ratcheting wrench's but i dont so it took some time and the air tubes make for some really nice plug wire holders

 

I couldnt the bolts were 3/8 12 pointers, I had to use a 10mm stubby box wrench to get the last one through a mess of wires, it was a pain, yeah try TO TORK with that thing. I actually had a gear wrench but it s the old style kind thats too big to do any good

 

mine are a 7/16 open end wrench or 11 mm or 12 mm cant remember
but the 7/16 wrench was what i used and it worked fine
all of my bolts where 6 pointer

 

I use the felpros on all my header installs never had any leakers unless the bolts back out and them all I ever do is just retorqe them.

 

I just fired her up today, STILL LEAKING!!!! Should I try using two gaskets now??? i cranked these bolts as tight as i could but its so hard to get any leverage

 

are these brand new headers or used is it possible its leakingfrom around the weld on the primary and header flange?

to torque mind down i had to borrow a old fashion bent wrench not sure what its called but it has 2 closed ends of differant sizes but its bent for hard to reach places any place i couldnt get a socket or normal open end wrench this worked flawlessly my dad has a full assortment of these from his days of working gtos and chargers
like i said not sure what there called but im sure somewhere like sears would sell these

with this you can get great leverage almost to much in fact as i forgot to set them simi tight for the 1st run

 

yeah i used that wrench too, they should all be tight enough, im wondering if maybe the straightness is outta round on the heads or headers. no way i could apply rtv in such a tight spot. I can see where the smoke is leaking out n turning the gasket black.

 

i know mine is leaking from the number 5 primary where it hooks into the flange im just gonna have to get it welded but mine only leaks above 3000 rpm i hear a tick
and its very hard to get it to leak when not driveing

 

Take the header off the car and check to see if it is flat with a straight edge. If it is not flat have it surfaced or rewelded and surfaced. If it is flat and it is still leaking. Are you using the correct gasket for the header and or head?

 

That 30.00 for a good gasket set does sound to bad now.

But I feel for ya

 

make sure header flanges are flat where they mate to cylinder head . use a GOOD gasket , i used mr. gasket copper . good quality bolts with loctite . 2 yrs. , many long trips , many miles , no leaks . cheap is cheap .

 

go 100% graphite header gaskets, pick them up at your local speed shop or order on summit. best 20 bucks youll spend. i stopped trusting fail-pro (fel pro) when it turned out they made defective head gaskets.

oh the graphite header gaskets are prone to cracking, i mean not once installed but i mean if u throw them around and **** before u install them u might crack them, but they are guaranteed not to cause leaks and no re torquing required

 

I have REMFLEX header gaskets, costed me $35.00 phone ordered. I don't have the # off the top of my head, but do a google search. I've gone through about 4 sets of Fel-Pro's before I was referred REMFLEX. The gaskets are about 1/4" thick and when you torque them down, they "Squish" to an 1/8" thick. When it heats up, the gasket expands and fills any voids in the header which would lead you to a "Guaranteed leak free" header gasket. I've had em on for 2 years now, no leak whatsoever.