What do you use for header gaskets?

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dgc333

dgc333

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I haven't had that many cars with headers over the years but those that I did I never had problems with leaks until now.

Scared the S*&% out of myself when a whole section of the gasket came out from between the header and the head.

The Hedman's came with a fiber type gasket. I also purchased a set of Mr. Gasket Ultra-Seals. These have a reinforced core with a graphite like coating. Anyway, both of these gaskets are pretty thin and my last vehicle with headers was the \6 I just pulled from the Barracuda and the intake/exhaust manifold gasket was quite thick and never leaked so I though I would be clever and double up the gaskets on the 360. Obviously that wasn't the right choice as a whole piece of the Ultra-Seal is hanging out the side of the flange.

Pursed the Jegs and Summit catalogs last night and it looks like the hot set up is the solid copper gaskets. Any one with experience with these, what are your thoughts?

If I go this route all of the copper gaskets are advertised to have an raised o-ring seal around each port. Does this go toward the header flange (concerned how well it will mate up with the raised area around the port on the flange) or against the head?
 
I had good luck with copper gaskets but that was on my TTIs and I think they are welded on the outside of the flange. Im running cheap fel pros right now and they leak.
 
my experience with the coppers wasnt very good. They worked fine at first but then they need tightened every week to keep from leaking and "spitting".. The best thing I have found and is working for me right now is to double up the Mr Gasket gaskets as you have done but make sure you have lock washers on the header bolts. I use a mix of allen head and 6 points (don't particularly care for the 12 points ) with just a wee spot of aviation form a gasket on the threads (careful don't drown them). I run then till warm and snug them down then when cold I snug again and then never have to touch then again.
PS. I am running Hedmans too
 
Well I ordered up a set of Percy's Seal-4-Ever gaskets. These are multiple layers of soft aluminum. Supposed to be re-usable, not blow out and will maintain header bolt tightness.

We'll see! :)
 
dgc333 said:
Well I ordered up a set of Percy's Seal-4-Ever gaskets. These are multiple layers of soft aluminum. Supposed to be re-usable, not blow out and will maintain header bolt tightness.

We'll see! :)
Click to expand...

I use the Percy's dead-soft aluminum collector gaskets. They're cool, the mold themselves to the shape of the collector, they seal good.

For the headers I use Fel-Pros. And they leak.
 
On my super comps I have had very good luck with TTI's gaskets not leaking yet.

And they are not to hard on the wallet about $16 at mancini's.
 
OUTLAW said:
The best thing I have found and is working for me right now is to double up the Mr Gasket gaskets
Click to expand...
That's all I've done in the past, especially with my proparts Big Block headers.
Just doubled up the Mr. Gaskets, and no more leaks.
 
My Doug's Headers came with thick white paper (asbestos??) gaskets. No leaks at all. I was going try and order another set directly from Doug's whenever I get the stroker motor installed.
 
I use the super thick Doug Thorley header gaskets on my 440 with great results. Everthing else leaked for me. I'll see if I can find a part # around here for the Thorley gaskets.
 
I've had very good luck with the aluminum gaskets, mine are still leak free after 3 years. I only retorqued them after the first 15 or so minutes.
Bob
 
I have Headman Elites on my Magnum and used there gasket. Think white like cardboard-ish gasket works perfectly. Had to take the header down to replace the starter, P/S box and oil pump (Yes all went south at the same time so I replaced them all at the same time) and hooked the header back up. No problems.
I have had ghood luck with Mr. Gasket Ultra seals before.
 
Well I may have made a mistake by using one hedman and one ultra seal per side. Anyway, the Percy's gaskets are back ordered so I switched the order to Mr. Gasket Copper Seals.

In the mean time I will just replace the blown side with a single Mr. Gasket Ultra Seal that I have on the shelf.
 
I wanted to give everyone an update on my header gasket woes.

The single Mr. Gasket Ultra Seal that I mentioned above still leaked between the two center tubes when I installed it. When the copper seals came in I swapped to it. It was better but still leaked. The raised oil ring around the tubes on the header flanges did not line up real well with the raised oil ring on the copper gasket.

I looked at some different gaskets and decided to try the FEL-Pro 1413 gasket. Similar deisgn to the Ultra seal with a coated fiber material on a metal core but they are thicker with more fiber material. I doubled them up and also used some Permatex Ultra Copper silcone sealer on them.

Success, no more leaks! :) don't know how much is do to the gaskets and how much is the addtional sealer but no more leaking.
 
Well, it ain't leeakin, so, your in good shape. Thats all that need be.

I myself just replaced the stock headman gaskets with the Mr. Gasket Ultra seals.
I think that the header bolts became a tad loose. They came off to easy. This lead to a breach in the seal. Reguardless, the ultra seals were hired. I did the drivers side yeasterday, the 24th of 9.
 
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