scott2173

ok guys i need some help i dont know what im doing wrong never had this much trouble with a donut gasket.
i have the stock manifolds on my 71 and the passenger side donut gasket ive replaced and tightened up put lock washers on and locktite and it still keeps getting loose.
when i replaced it they had 2 different donut gaskets one was steel and one was the regular i guess espestes gasket one i got the regular one thinking the surface in there is no way perfect enough to seal with a smooth steel surface.
do i need the steel one ?
whats the deal with this thing its a real pain in the a@# to keep getting under there to tighten it up.
oh btw the drivers side is fine no problem replaced it tightened it up drove a bit let it cool tightened it more never a problem.

Ironcross

The better gasket is the Felpro brand. The steel gasket was used by Ford several years ago. I have sold both the fiber and steel. The fiber is more forgiving. The only way I see you having a problem with the gasket [either one} is that you are not getting the pipe and manifold lined up correctly and then vibration of road, engine or whatever allows the pipe to move. Try a muffler shop to get it up in the air and i`ll bet they can resolve your problem very inexpensively and maybe for nothing if presented to them correctly.....

scott2173

oh when i replaced them i had it on a lift
i just dont have one here
and i used the as you say fiber one

GUSTO14

I realize it may be a silly question, but do you have the heat riser or spacer on the passenger side between the manifold and the pipe?



GUSTO

mds3013

try an all steel self locking nut on the studs. the lock washers and lock tight may not be able to handle the heat and thermal expansion and contraction. some times the original lock nuts are damaged if they are removed with an impact gun and will feel tight when cold but loosen when hot. mds...

scott2173

yes the heat riser/ spacer is there

...Roger...

Are you putting the sleeve inside when you put it back together ?

GUSTO14

I only asked because the passenger side manifold is flat on the bottom to match the top of the heat riser. A flat gasket goes between them. The bottom of the heat riser has the taper to accept the donut. If the heat riser were installed upside down there would be no taper and the donut would have difficulty seating properly.

Another thing is to be sure the EXHAUST DONUT ALIGNMENT SLEEVE that holds the donut in place is in good shape to properly position the donut.



Good luck... GUSTO

Budman68

This sounds like your problem.

scott2173

i can get my hand down in ther when its running and feel where its coming from below the riser and i can get it tightened up and its great and dosent leak for about 2 weeks then i start to hear it leaking again so i go to my friends lift and tighten it again
my friend even checked what your saying to see if it was above the riser while it was on the lift running and he had a welding glove on and thats when we replaced the donut.
i guess ill take it to a muffler shop tomarrow and hope they dont break the studs off with a impact

TimAT

You can also use tall brass nuts on the studs. They won't seize on the studs, and there's enough extra threads they usually don't back off. If the sleeve is inside the donut and everything is reasonably square, you'll be done with this problem.

imariver

I agree with MDS, you should not usr lock washers, use the steel lock nuts. Also check to make sure that the studs are not backing out ........ I have seen manifolds where the threads were all shot and the studs were not holding.

Steve

Jughead

I thought those were for BB's? I didn't use these when I had a SB.

...Roger...

They go on both.Keeps the donut from being forced in which will cause constant tightening of the 3 nuts to have to be done as the OP is having to do.

scott2173

well i took it to the local muffler shop and there was a guy there that said oh ya we can fix that right up for ya no problem .................i said im afraid if you hit it with a impact it might break the stud..............he said oh no we aint gonna break it.
they took it apart cleaned it all up with a wire wheel and put back togather with new gasket i already had and put new locking nuts on it and well its not leaking as of yet we will see in 2 weeks