Source for header gaskets that won't blow out?

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 17:29:56 -0500, travis shared the following:

Hey, look at what I found:

It says it's only for a 390/401, but it looks like it's EXACTLY the same header gasket I'm using right now... When they say "dog-leg ports" are they talking about the little bump on on corner of each port? Most header gaskets I find say they fit the 304/360/401 so I'm wondering how this one can fit the 401 and not a 304... Here's another one they sell that says it fits 304/360/401...

Notice how it doesn't have the little bump on the corner of each port? Hmm... Seems like I could still use the copper gasket with the little bump thingie...doesn't it? What do y'all think? I'd need to pull the header again to know if the ports themselves have the dog-leg shaped ports or if they're just kinda round. Even if they're round I could use the dog-leg-shaped gasket, right? I mean I have one on there right now but of course it's blown out... but I'd think the copper one would be much stronger... And that last gasket that I showed the link to...how would it work on a 401 if the 401 had the dog-leg ports on it? The exhaust would just burn through the portion of the round gasket that covered up the little bump on the corner I guess... The inconsistency of information I see about these gaskets is confusing me. Advice, please? Thanks.

-- Travis

meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.:wq!

I think I just answered my own question. I just now went out in the garage and was putting my one last good header gasket away when I saw the old blown-out gasket that came with the headers I bought. It also has that dog-leg shaped port to it. Screw it, I'm buying the copper gaskets from Summit that say they're only for a 390/401. I think their product description is just wrong.

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 18:19:18 -0500, travis shared the following:

-- Travis

meek shall inherit the earth. After I'm finished with it.:wq!

I would take the header to an engine rebuilding shop and have them put it on their machine to make it flat again.

Headers warp after being installed and sometimes that warp is too big for a normal torque when doing a re-install. Sometimes tightening down the bolt closest to the blowout way over torque will work, but a quick shot on the shop planer can just do wonders for it and is really cheap to have done.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

travis wrote:

Hey Travis,

Header leaks suck, don't they? There are quite a few things you can do to help solve the problem, but what we've been doing on the circle track cars we work on is not use a gasket at all. We just use the ultra hi temp copper RTV sealant. This was kind of discovered by mistake because we needed a gasket on one of these cars in an emergency and didn't have one. We figured we would patch it up with RTV and just hopefully get through one race with it, and then fix it during the week. Well, the sealer worked so well, we just left it and it lasted almost a whole racing season, and in fact, was still holding up until we pulled the engine out for freshening. I would also suggest like Mike said, have the flanges checked for flatness. If you are having problems with the bolts constantly loosening up, you may want to also look into the Stage 8 brand fasteners with the retaining clips on them. Here is what they look like:

Chris

Before you install that header again, take it to a machine shop and get it machined so it is flat.

The flange that bolts up to the side of the head can be warped to an amount that is greater than the gasket's ability to correct. When I bought my Borla header, the flange was badly warped and the gasket would never have filled the gaps. I put it on a large flatbed belt sander until all of the high points were ground off. I installed it without a gasket almost 4 years ago, and it still doesn't leak.