[455firebird1969]

I have been using felpro performance header gaskets for many years. The reason I used to like then is they last long and are reusable. The set I used recently on my new engine tore & ripped and are not reusable. The left header cracked and had to come off for a weld repair after being on the engine for less than a week. The right one was removed Sunday to drop my transmission, so it's been on the engine about four months maybe. I guess they changed the materials.

Is there a company making quality header gaskets that can be reused? No more felpro for me!

[GTO Dan]

No gasket. If the headers have a good flange use hi temp RTV.

[T Syron]

I have had good luck with Percy's header gaskets.

Tom Syron

[Mikes455Wagon]

As long as everything is reasonably flat, the Butler exhaust gaskets are fine. If not, I have also had good luck on turbo builds with "Ultra Copper" RTV. Held up fine on the hot side of the turbo on my truck for about 50,000 miles. I did prep everything as good as possible with a flat file.

[Probird]

Originally Posted by GTO Dan

No gasket. If the headers have a good flange use hi temp RTV.

X2...just use high temp silicone. Works great.

[Squidward]

Any technique for the rtv stuff? Like, lay down a bead, let it cure for a bit?

[mysticmissle]

Yes^^ I have used hi temp, reg clear, black. It all works. If surface email is clean and smooth. Little messy but ez and cheap

[grandville455]

I just went thru this with my gasket on drivers side blowing out on my sub flange, so I used ultra grey on it nothing else!, For the header I used a gasket with the ultra grey on both sides too, get sick of changing out gaskets, So I was told to try this

[BruceWilkie]

Originally Posted by GTO Dan

No gasket. If the headers have a good flange use hi temp RTV.

X4. No gaskets...hi temp red or copper! Debs car has now over 12 years on hi temp red.

Clean surfaces, apply, tighten lightly, let cure overnight, then tighten up. As a bonus the header bolts have never loosened !

[lakefect]

I have used percys also with good luck, never tried the rtv deal wouldn't like the deal of having to wait overnight for it to cure

[stickboy]

Man I had to do this at the track one night on the passenger side center 2 tubes.

Gasket blew out and I just cleaned out the residue and put some Black silicone on a putty knife and smeared it in there as best I could. I could only get the forward bolt in, so I torqued it up and it has been good ever since!! Went right back out there and made a run and then drove home. no leaks, no curing time, still holding.

[Probird]

I never let it cure either. Stick the headers on and fire it up and put it in the trailer. Usually sits at least over night waiting to race the next day I guess though.

[stickboy]

I let it sit long enough to throw the tools back in the car and go make another pass.
I did sit in the staging lanes for a while.

[455firebird1969]

When I had to remove the left header to fix a crack I ended up glueing the separated gasket back together with RTV. I let it cure overnight on the workbench, and then installed it in one piece. I guess I'll try to do that with the right one. Half of it stuck to the header and the rest is stuck on the head. I got my transmission back, so it's going back together tomorrow after work, so I can test on Saturday.

Those older felpros were great, they never stuck to the head or header flange, and lasted for a long time. I guess I'll look into the Butler and Pearcy gaskets. I'm not fond of wet RTV on the flange while I'm struggling to get it lined up and a bolt started.

[lust4speed]

My favorite street header gasket is Rimflex, but they do seal up to the head and header and will split down the middle when the headers are removed. They don't leak and last for years and thousands of miles which is great for an engine that shouldn't come out for a long time. On the drag car I use and re-use dead soft aluminum header gaskets - no fuss and no mess to scrape off. I can't really see myself scraping RTV or even gasket remnants off the head and header every time things come apart. The nice thing about aluminum or copper is they seal pretty fair, but even if there is a slight leak from header warpage it never gets any worse, and that little extra noise on a drag car won't be noticed.

[455firebird1969]

I got the transmission back in last night, and then I put some silicone on the gasket that was falling apart, so it would be cured this morning. It seems sections of the gasket stick to to head and header flange, rendering the gasket unusable. This is the same way I fixed the other side when I had to remove the left header to fix a crack.

[455firebird1969]

Here is the other side of the gasket.

Hopefully my transmission problems are fixed, I'll find out tonight at Northeast Dragway. I want to run Capitol in a couple weeks, and race with the ECM gang. It's nice to run full track once in a while too.

[fallonracer]

I use a copper gasket coated with high temp red

[rad400]

Remflex nuff said.