Quote:
Originally Posted by track73
... wondered if I could just use red silicone sealant instead of gaskets...
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Red silicone has been replaced with copper which has a higher heat rating and better holding power, and the tech told me they only continue making red because too many people demand it and they are afraid of loosing sales if they discontinued it.
There probably isn't anything more disgusting than trying to remove the red goop from the headers and block that for some reason never bothered to set up. I hate working on engines that have been subjected to the red silicone.
A couple of years ago in another thread someone recommended Remflex header gaskets (remflex.com) as the final solution to prevent gasket failures. I bought a set, and then started recommending them to others. I probably know of at least 12 sets on Pontiac's in our area, and not one failure. In one case, #5 bolt fell out and #6 was loose, and the gasket held and was not hurt. I've never seen any other gasket hold up to something like that. They are thick, and while the company claims 50% compression, they actually compress only about 25% - but that's enough to give a perfect seal on even imperfect surfaces.
As far as a replacement procedure, I slot all the gasket holes straight down so all that has to be done is to loosen the header bolts up and slide the gasket down in place. Saves a lot of time and frustration. You just have to use a very sharp razor blade to slot the material so you don't break or crack into the port area. Even the Remflex gaskets will break if you are not careful.