Header gaskets
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: College Station Texas
Header gaskets
I bought some Hooker 2151 headers for my LT1. What gaskets do you guys recommend for these headers?
Another questions. The gaskets that summit says I need for an LT1 are D-port gaskets. The headers aren't d-port, they are rectangular. Is this right? Thanks.
-Matt
Another questions. The gaskets that summit says I need for an LT1 are D-port gaskets. The headers aren't d-port, they are rectangular. Is this right? Thanks.
-Matt
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by carriker
But it's ok that the headers are rectangle?
A lot of people spend horrendous amounts of money on gaskets and fasteners. If you will rake the tome to re-tighten your header bolts after the first few heat cycles, you will find that any decent gasket will work well. Didn't the headers come with gaskets?
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From: Slidell Louisiana
You are right. The gasket only seals between the metal of the head and the metal of the header flange. A "D" shaped gasket, if anyone makes one, is a wasted effort. All a "D" port shaped gasket would do is leave gasket material heat up, burn off, and choke the header tubes with ash and residue.
A lot of people spend horrendous amounts of money on gaskets and fasteners. If you will rake the tome to re-tighten your header bolts after the first few heat cycles, you will find that any decent gasket will work well. Didn't the headers come with gaskets?
RACE ON!!!
A lot of people spend horrendous amounts of money on gaskets and fasteners. If you will rake the tome to re-tighten your header bolts after the first few heat cycles, you will find that any decent gasket will work well. Didn't the headers come with gaskets?
RACE ON!!!
My Percy's Dead soft aluminum header gaskets are LT1 specific D-ports and they didn't burn up, don't leak, have been reused numerous times. Did I mention they don't leak.
My car was used during extreme conditions IE -20 degrees fahrenheit in the winter and 100 plus in the summer without a header leak, I'd buy/ will buy Percy's again (Who knows I may goon them up on the next install) In the past I'd have to replace header gaskets at least once a year and I've always tried to re-tighten the header bolts.
Mike
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: College Station Texas
By the way, what size reducers do I need to get. 3 inch to 2.75 inch? I think that my pipes are 2.75 right? Is that a hard reducer to find at an autoparts store like NAPA, Autozone etc?
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by aboatguy
I disagree this time. Thirty bucks for a good header gasket is money well spent.
My Percy's Dead soft aluminum header gaskets are LT1 specific D-ports and they didn't burn up, don't leak, have been reused numerous times. Did I mention they don't leak.
Mike
My Percy's Dead soft aluminum header gaskets are LT1 specific D-ports and they didn't burn up, don't leak, have been reused numerous times. Did I mention they don't leak.
Mike
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From: WI
I know Summit and Jegs to I think, have reducers, they are kind of expensive though.
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From: Slidell Louisiana
I'm not saying the expensive gaskets are no good, I'm saying they are unnecessary. A good Fel Pro or Mr Gasket gasket can do as good a job for half, or less the price. So Mr. Percy's gaskets have "D" ports, eh? Explain the advantage of having gasket covering an area of the head that isn't backed up by header flange. I DO concede that an aluminum gasket won't burn up. I have had cheap conventional header gaskets last for years, until the next tear down.
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I'm just saying that I've blown out and burned up lots of Mr. Gasket and Fel-Pro header gaskets on other cars over the years and the Percy's have worked fine. I'd rather spend the extra 10 bucks and do it once. As for the D-port they were the same price as the regular SBC gaskets so there was no difference in cost and having a piece of aluminum thats covering another piece of aluminum= no drama.
It seems to me that many people don't have the time/money to do something right. However, they always find the time/money to do it over.
Le Mans Master
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From: Magnolia Mississippi
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by aboatguy
I'm just saying that I've blown out and burned up lots of Mr. Gasket and Fel-Pro header gaskets on other cars over the years and the Percy's have worked fine.
Originally Posted by aboatguy
As for the D-port they were the same price as the regular SBC gaskets so there was no difference in cost and having a piece of aluminum thats covering another piece of aluminum= no drama.
Originally Posted by aboatguy
It seems to me that many people don't have the time/money to do something right. However, they always find the time/money to do it over.
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
I whole heartedly agree with that. If it weren't for that, the expensive "cure-alls" for the lazy or uninformed wouldn't exist. Properly applied and maintained, the conventional, popularly priced parts, work great. Ineptitude has created a market for the likes of Mr. Percy, Stage 8, etc.
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Le Mans Master
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From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
I didnt miss it. I have used two recently. Earls Pressure gaskets. Never had a leak. And I used factory gaskets that come from GM for the stock exhaust manifolds and no leaks. I used the OEM stuff for a fix/check I was doing.
One thing that is really important for gasket sealing properly is torque of the bolts, and how well the header is made, with thickness of flange, flatness being very important. My DRM headers are very good quality, and I think almost any gasket can work well with no leaks. I also have my heads with timecerts (similiar to helicoil(which LPE does too)), so the bolts are going into steel vice aluminum, and they dont back out over time.
So, my 2 cents here.
One thing that is really important for gasket sealing properly is torque of the bolts, and how well the header is made, with thickness of flange, flatness being very important. My DRM headers are very good quality, and I think almost any gasket can work well with no leaks. I also have my heads with timecerts (similiar to helicoil(which LPE does too)), so the bolts are going into steel vice aluminum, and they dont back out over time.
So, my 2 cents here.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
I whole heartedly agree with that. If it weren't for that, the expensive "cure-alls" for the lazy or uninformed wouldn't exist. Properly applied and maintained, the conventional, popularly priced parts, work great. Ineptitude has created a market for the likes of Mr. Percy, Stage 8, etc.
If you want to save $15 and increase your chances of gasket failure, have at it.
Also, Percy's are reusable and not a bitch to remove. Ever try scraping a steel reinforced composite gasket off of an aluminum head?
Le Mans Master
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From: Clearwater FL
St. Jude Donor '06
Drifting
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From: Winchester Virginia
I also just put LT Coated Hookers, Hooker Front Y-Pipe, High flow Cat, and brand new Cat-back on my 91. I used the Percy's Dead soft SBC Square header gasket #66012, and the Dead Soft Alum 3" collectors. I still have to retighten everything, but I'm very happy with it so far! The next adventure is to duplicate this effort for my LT-4. 