The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop exhaust manifold gasket question

These are a pain in the rear to install as they are three separate pieces. Does anyone know of a company that makes one piece gaskets? Sure would make it easier to install when using two piece cast iron headers.

Size and year engine?

If 216/235/261, are you using the alignment rings?

Tim,
It's a 59 261 .060 oversize with a Howards m4f cam, been running it for 10 yrs. Just cleaned up engine, and when putting it back together got frustrated trying to hold the intake and two fenton headers and the exhuast gaskets all together with one hand. While trying to put bolts and clamps on with the other. yes the alignment rings are on the engine.

Just seems like it would be simpler to have a one piece gasket that would be held up with the two end studs/posts.

Pre'68 Dave,

Thanks for that info. That looks like a solution, though a little pricey. It may well be worth it for the aggravation of trying to hold everything and three gaskets.

Nice, Dave

Thanks,

^^^^^^^^^^^^ until you add the shipping

Yep, you're right. About 40 cents higher with shipping. Dang pennies anyway.

regardless of the price, this material can't be beat. If installed with any sort of care at all, you will never have a leak. We fought the old standard gasket material for years where I worked in Alaska, then somewhere this showed up, never a problem, ever. Not to mention it is really easy to cut if you need to buy some sheet stock and make your own gaskets for anything else.

I agree on the material. I've had some installed on mine since march, it still looks exactly like it did the day I installed it. It was easier to get in place, it was leak free on the first try, doesn't seem to be deteriorating, and other than collecting a little dust I'm betting it will be there until the next time I need to remove the manifolds for other reasons. Only down side was I had to cut my own for the between manifold gasket because I couldn't find a precut one for my year model, but it was easier to cut than standard material. I have a review thread on it on here if you want to read more, I think it will come up in a search. Time will tell, but previously I had to replace my standard gaskets about every two years, always one exhaust port would give out, usually not the same one as the last as the material just deteriorated to the point of blowing out.

I didn't see that it was available in bulk for cutting ones own, did I miss that?

Ed

They have several sizes of blank sheets available. I'm not sure what vendors stock them, but I purchased mine from the manufacturers web site. Might not have been cheaper but was close to at least one vendors price once shipping was included. They offer a decent selection of precut ones on there that you might not see at some vendor sites as well.

Thanks, I'll try there.

Ed

I have a Buick straight 8 engine and it's manifolds are even longer than the Chevy ones and very prone to warping. After surfacing the manifold to head surface several times the alignment rings were too wide for the manifold to seat against the head so I shaved a bit off of two rings for alignment, threw the gaskets in the trash and used high heat RTV RED silicone. Been at least twenty years with no exhaust leak. The RTV silicone seals with adhesion, not compression, so all surfaces have to be operating room clean and let to cure at least a day at normal temperature. I left mine cure a week. Picture is when sealant was about 15 years old and is starting to peel around the edges but still not leaking.
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/coilover/media/Straight%208%20a-c%20mount%20001.jpg.html

I received one of those gaskets today (from Amazon). Very impressive - it looks to be at least 4-times thicker than an original gasket.

Remflex Exhaust Gaskets 1937-1963 CHEVY 216.5/235/261 2027