Frankenstein T-5 Waggin' Chronicle (vast doesnt do it)

[Freshmeat]

The first set were cheap, with material and metal backing... I think they were Felpro, though.
The last set were the good Felpros, with material on both sides.

It's not that I'm cheap. Believe me- I spent $55 between valve cover and oil pan gaskets.

The first time, I didn't know I had to retorque them after they heated up. All the bolts came loose and one even fell out.
The second time, I did the gaskets, then it sat for a couple months due to other stuff I was doing and I forgot to retorque after it reached temp.

...and then this time, I think the exhaust is straight, but the gutted cats are fawking loud and I forgot to straighten out the spark plug wires, so I melted four of 'em. Oh, well-- they were cheapies just to get it running, anyway. I'll spend some money and get some good ones this time. At least I know the 90* boots are a requirement, now, so I won't melt the good set like I did with the first ones (third set of plug wires, too).

[Freshmeat]

Oh- this set are made by Mr Gasket. They're really thick, with plenty of material on both sides of the metal. They were $22 at the parts store (not what I paid, though), so I figured I'd give 'em a shot. They'd have had to order the good Felpros.

[grandpaslincoln]

I used standard manifold gaskets on my headers, no problems

[gadget73]

the manifold gaskets I bought blew out in a week. The ones I used on the stock HO headers never had leakage issues. I think it has something to do with the amount of material around the flange. The HO headers have smaller primary tubes so more metal there. I guess the bigger headers need a stronger gasket to keep from blowing out.

[DarkKnight]

Evreyone i know that has header's complanes about the gasket's... Im hopeng i never run into that prob. :-/ eh... That and the dern bolts backin off.

[fomoco01]

I replaced manifold gaskets on an old GMC. Couldnt be any easier to get to. Of cours a simple job can not be so simple. I broke fo a bolt removing LH manifold And had to extract that,then manifold must be warped cause it still leaked a little. Whay side is the metal side of gasket sopposed to go to?

[Freshmeat]

I always put the metal side to the head. Manifolds are easier to deal with... if they didn't warp. Which they probably did, fomoco. 95% of the time that I pull a manifold, it needs to be replaced. Especially if the primaries are all connected. If they're not connected to each other, there's a chance you can torque it down tight enough, but it's not easy.

[mrltd]

I'd rather swap header gaskets on my car than change plugs on a chevy. The gasket swaps aren't that bad...Or maybe it's just because I've done them so many times.

[gadget73]

Chevy plugs aren't that bad. I've done them multiple times on my S10. I just use a really long extension, the swivel plug socket, and go in through the wheel well. Header gaskets are annoying, but mostly because of all the bolts that can only be turned a small amount at a time.

[phayzer5]

Mr Gasket Ultra-seals are teh shit! MAC headers with individual primary tube flanges are not!

[Freshmeat]

Something about the bolts on my header flanges is giving me Hell to remove and retorque the flange bolts. It's all done, but it wasn't easy. I was sore as all get-out the day after. I do need to get back out there soon and retorque the header to head bolts.

[DuceAnAHalf]

with individual tube headers the trick is to install and remove them at the same temp, so if you do install them cold, remove them cold (let the car sit for a day)

Im using the Percy's XX Carbon gaskets, feel like felt with a metal frame inside.

Also ive never had a problem with my header bolts backing out, the collector bolts however do.

[Southern_Pride]

Ive never had a problem with header gaskets. Easy as hell on the capri. Lotso room. Same on my chevy k5 when It came time to change plugs. Just sit on the radiator and go at it. I couldnt stand up and do it cause I rode big on fotty fo's.

Edit post count is 1234 WOOT>

[Mercracer]

Mr Gasket Ultra-seals are teh shit! MAC headers with individual primary tube flanges are not!

with individual tube headers the trick is to install and remove them at the same temp, so if you do install them cold, remove them cold (let the car sit for a day)

Anyone with a flange header doesn't have a thing to complain about compared to a pair of MAC individual tube headers. They are just about guaranteed to be warped. It doesn't matter what temp you remove them at. The material is not strong/thich enough or the alloy sucks.
If you have a problem with flange headers, you are probably using the wrong bolts. 12 point reduced head or socket head is the only way to go.

[mrltd]

Yeah, those F'ng Macs weren't worth a shit..Mine were free and I hated them. Never lined up and always popped gaskets and lost bolts...