Thread: Header gaskets?

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Hi , Which header gaskets do you guys find the best?(copper?? or material soaked in water over-night?) All so what fasteners work the best? Thanks Dave!

Not sure on the gaskets but I always try and get ARP fasteners for everything I can. Somebody back me up?

I agree with Road. I've had regular factory type gaskets on my '86 for two years now and no problems. I believe a lot of problems arise because of warped flanges on the headers.

Originally posted by MI2600
I agree with Road. I've had regular factory type gaskets on my '86 for two years now and no problems. I believe a lot of problems arise because of warped flanges on the headers.

I agree about the flanges. I'd like to see someone make 1/2" flanges that would stand up. I'd pay the extra money.

If you dont use loctite, you will need to retorque them after driving a couple of times.

Loctite . . . not if you have aluminum heads. I use black silicone sealer on my Sanderson headers.

I'm with S10 on the ARP header bolts.
Get the stainless ones, they're stronger than grade 8's.

Far as header gaskets go, I've given up on aftermarket hot rod gaskets.
Some of em melt like Kleenex when they get wet.

Run stock gaskets.
Shim stock style or the aluminum sandwich/asbestos looking stuff.

Either one is better than the aftermarket stuff.


Far as thick header flanges go, 1/4" is sufficient.
All you need is to make sure they're flat.
I build my own headers from scratch and use 1/4" cold rolled for the flanges.
The tubes are TIG'd to the flanges on the inside and a bead of braze is run around the outside.
The braze reinforces the tubing/flange connection.

Header paint sticks just fine on braze as long as you get all the flux off.

The local speed shop in Sunny Central California where I came from last summer recommends red RTV as a header bolt locking compound.

Works fine.
The bolts don't back out and when required, release easily.

HOLD THE PHONE!!!

There is a header gasket made by a company called Percy's High Performance Inc. that is pillowed layers of aluminum. They claim to be reusable and I have reused them. They only cost about twice as much as a Mr. Gasket set (by the way if you use reg. hdr. gskt. as soon as you get them hot retighten them then again every 25 miles) anyway I found these gaskets at autozone of all places Percy's really seems concerned about there customers because they include an insert that tells you haw to save your soul,, no kidding you'll see.. They also have a collector gskt. made of dead soft almn. not convinced the clctr. gskt. is for everyone cause of alignment some should prob. use 2 clctr. gaskets each side.... But I HIGHLY RECCOMEND the header gaskets.