Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers????
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
Likes: 2
From: Beverly, NJ
Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers????
What are the best gaskets to use for Hooker 2149 headers? I used the ones that came with the headers and the passenger side is leaking bad. I need ones that will last, and that will be think enough. Opinions please...
Scott
Scott
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
Likes: 2
From: Beverly, NJ
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (Pete K)
Fel-pro 1406 will fix you up.
Team Owner
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From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
your local auto parts store should have them. yes, #1406 is the full number. they're about $20/set. they are excellent.
the gaskets and hardware that come with the Hooker headers suck. therefore i recommend getting the following from Summitracing.com:
Percy's soft alum. 3" collector gaskets #PHP-66002 $14.95
Fel-Pro #1406 header gaskets #FPP-1406 $15.95
Stage 8 locking header bolts #STG-8911A $43.95
with these materials, you will not have any more exhaust header leaks.
the gaskets and hardware that come with the Hooker headers suck. therefore i recommend getting the following from Summitracing.com:
Percy's soft alum. 3" collector gaskets #PHP-66002 $14.95
Fel-Pro #1406 header gaskets #FPP-1406 $15.95
Stage 8 locking header bolts #STG-8911A $43.95
with these materials, you will not have any more exhaust header leaks.
Race Director
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
Damn near any gasket will do a good job, if you tighten them and keep them tight. The more you spend for gaskets and fancy fasteners, the better you'll think they work.
RACE ON!!!
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (CFI-EFI)
Damn near any gasket will do a good job, if you tighten them and keep them tight. The more you spend for gaskets and fancy fasteners, the better you'll think they work.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (bradvette)
Bradvette,
I really wasn't addressing your post. But since you point it out... The bigger problem with header bolts loosening is from expansion and contraction and the gaskets compressing. As the gaskets become thinner (compressed) they exert less force on the bolts, the tightness (torque) of the bolt decreases. This allows further loosening. The gaskets may leak before the bolt actually turns, or not. The Stage 8 bolts and similar fancy set ups DO prevent the bolts from turning, but they still loosen. Check the torque on some of your header bolts and see if they are what you set them at. "Fancy" may be in the eye of the beholder, but in MY opinion, a $44.00 set of bolts, where a $10.00 set will do equally well, is fancy. It is a little bit like header size. If you're happy, what else counts?
RACE ON!!!
I really wasn't addressing your post. But since you point it out... The bigger problem with header bolts loosening is from expansion and contraction and the gaskets compressing. As the gaskets become thinner (compressed) they exert less force on the bolts, the tightness (torque) of the bolt decreases. This allows further loosening. The gaskets may leak before the bolt actually turns, or not. The Stage 8 bolts and similar fancy set ups DO prevent the bolts from turning, but they still loosen. Check the torque on some of your header bolts and see if they are what you set them at. "Fancy" may be in the eye of the beholder, but in MY opinion, a $44.00 set of bolts, where a $10.00 set will do equally well, is fancy. It is a little bit like header size. If you're happy, what else counts?
RACE ON!!!
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From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (CFI-EFI)
CFI-EFI, that was a damn good explanation that I'm sure will help out many who read this. And yes, what makes one happy is all that counts :cheers:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
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From: Beverly, NJ
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (CFI-EFI)
Okay guys. I checked this thread after I already bought some gaskets at Pepboys. I am desperate to fix this. I picked up a couple different sets, so tell me what you guys think. I don't want to bolt it down, and start it up again, and leaks. Okay, I got a set of exhaust manifold gaskets made by Mr. Gasket, part#5901. They should fit headers, right? Also, I picked up a set of Fel-Pro gaskets. They come as one side only in the box. They are not the long ones. They have them devided up into 6 pieces. They are part#MS 9275B. I will tell you guys this, I did have some trouble getting these headers to line up perfectly with the hooker Y-pipe. I mounted the headers first, but could not tighten the rear bolt closest to the firewall on the passenger side. Then when I put the car on a lift to install Y-pipe, I had to use a helper to pretty much force the y-pipe into position to get the bolts in through the headers into the y-pipe, then tightened the nuts and bolts on collector. Is it possible that the force we added to get the collectors to light up with headers pulled open a little on that last bolt near firewall? The holes for the collectors were less than an inch off from the y-pipe holes. Let me know what you guys think. This is my first time installing headers, so I am a bit of a learner. If someone here in the new jersey area is experineced with installing headers, and would like to give me a hand, then that would be great. I'll buy the beer. But I really got to get this car going. Thanks!
:cheers:
:cheers:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
Likes: 2
From: Beverly, NJ
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (Pete K)
Fel-pro 1406 will fix you up.
According to this one site, the 1406 gasket is for a LT1. :confused:
http://www.lt1f-body.racenet.net/engine.php
By the way guys, I have a early 86 Vette with Cast iron heads. :thumbs:
[Modified by darkman5001, 5:15 PM 5/23/2004]
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
Those Fel Pro gaskets are a stock replacements, not header gaskets. They may actually work better in your case. I can't promise you that tweaking from below didn't mess you up, but I doubt it. Especially, if things were really tight up above. And I don't mean snug, I mean tight! All of them. Hopefully when you fire it up, they won't leak. After a warm up, go back around and re-tighten. Try to do this every time you drive the car, until they no longer tighten. At that point the gaskets will have taken a "set" and shouldn't be a problem for a long time. Then once a month or whenever you're "playing" under the hood, put a wrench on them for insurance.
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From: Lake Wylie SC
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
I know you are doing long tubes and I have shorties, but we are talking about where the headers join the heads. I'm an old school guy and still use copper header gaskets. After 2 years, still no sign of leaks. During installation I used S/S allen head header bolts so I could torque each bolt to spec. I think this is what helps with the no leaks.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
Likes: 2
From: Beverly, NJ
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (CFI-EFI)
Those Fel Pro gaskets are a stock replacements, not header gaskets. They may actually work better in your case. I can't promise you that tweaking from below didn't mess you up, but I doubt it. Especially, if things were really tight up above. And I don't mean snug, I mean tight! All of them. Hopefully when you fire it up, they won't leak. After a warm up, go back around and re-tighten. Try to do this every time you drive the car, until they no longer tighten. At that point the gaskets will have taken a "set" and shouldn't be a problem for a long time. Then once a month or whenever you're "playing" under the hood, put a wrench on them for insurance.
I am pretty sure that the bolt closest to the firewall was not tight, and when we tried to move the y-pipe with some force, and then put bolts in through collector into y-pipe, i am thinking it might have pulled the header farther apart because that bolt closest to the firewall was not tight due to my lack of clearence. You can accually see a little bit of a gap between header and head. It is very very little gap, but it is more then anywhere else on the headers. Also, the evaporator I think is mounted to firewall, and casing for it was in the way. I tried to separate the two halves so I could get clearence and ended up breaking the cover for it. So now I can get to the bolt, but now I need another cover for condensor. By the way, I tried to retighten that bolt since I now have clearence with the evaporaator cover being broke, and tightened it, and no difference. It still leaks from the damn gasket.
RACE ON!!!
I am pretty sure that the bolt closest to the firewall was not tight, and when we tried to move the y-pipe with some force, and then put bolts in through collector into y-pipe, i am thinking it might have pulled the header farther apart because that bolt closest to the firewall was not tight due to my lack of clearence. You can accually see a little bit of a gap between header and head. It is very very little gap, but it is more then anywhere else on the headers. Also, the evaporator I think is mounted to firewall, and casing for it was in the way. I tried to separate the two halves so I could get clearence and ended up breaking the cover for it. So now I can get to the bolt, but now I need another cover for condensor. By the way, I tried to retighten that bolt since I now have clearence with the evaporaator cover being broke, and tightened it, and no difference. It still leaks from the damn gasket.
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
Maybe you did tweak it badly enough from below. Depending on how long and how badly it leaked, you may have to change the gasket. The leak creates a "fire slot" that no amount of tightening will cure. Good luck, and...
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 935
Likes: 2
From: Beverly, NJ
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (CFI-EFI)
Those Fel Pro gaskets are a stock replacements, not header gaskets. They may actually work better in your case.
:cheers:
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From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (darkman5001)
I tried the Mr Gasket Coppers and had no luck. The FelPro 1406's are a little better but still I'm not convinced they are pefect.
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Best gaskets for use with Hooker headers???? (VictorRussell'92)
...but still I'm not convinced they are pefect.
Darkman5001,
I don't know the specific differences in header gaskets and stock exhaust manifold gaskets. It seems to me that the stock gaskets are thicker, and are metal coated that could help retard burning out. Just an idea. I speak with no authority on that, only speculation. Good luck, and...
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