Header Install: Re-use stock gaskets??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,844
Likes: 12
From: Alpharetta Georgia
Header Install: Re-use stock gaskets??
I will be performing a header install within the next couple of weeks. I know a lot of people say they re-use the stock ones, however, the ones that kooks don't seem that bad. I woud like to note that my car doesn't even have 4k miles on it yet, so the stock gaskets will be in great shape. What is the general consensus on this? Kooks gaskets or stock?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,647
Likes: 1
From: Objects in your mirror are losing , Long Island, NY
St. Jude Donor '08
After a year and a half my kooks gaskets blew, I replaced them with factory, steel layered exhaust manifold gaskets..much better than kooks..can be reused. Don't get cheap on this not worth it, order the factory ones from Gene Culley, for $27 bucks shipped cheap insurance..replaced mine last week.. Should have seen the kook ones fried 
Both sides went after 1.5 years..
Both sides went after 1.5 years..
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 343
Likes: 1
From: Houston TX
re-use the factory gaskets. Done it on the last 2 vettes I did. The $$$ saved went to the celebration beer fund. 
After looking at the gasket, it appears you could reuse it as many times as you want. It works like a mechanical seal and requires no silicone or anything to seal properly.
After looking at the gasket, it appears you could reuse it as many times as you want. It works like a mechanical seal and requires no silicone or anything to seal properly.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 995
Likes: 2
From: Virginia Beach VA
Too late now what?
I just did mine & the CF article posted from Vette mag on Kooks install said to use the new gaskets supplied by Kooks. Which is what I did, it would appear the concensus would be otherwise. That said, would you go to the trouble of changing them out. If I choose to change them out, can it be done w/o loosening the collectors from the cat/x-pipes, but rather just pulling the bolts at the heads? They also gave torque specs, can you get one in there to all the bolts. I also have saw a fair amount of comments about reusing the stock bolts vs the ones supplied by Kooks which are shorter I assumed b/c the header flanges aren't as thick as the manifolds. Any thoughts here?
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 667
Likes: 0
From: Marysville WA
I just did mine & the CF article posted from Vette mag on Kooks install said to use the new gaskets supplied by Kooks. Which is what I did, it would appear the concensus would be otherwise. That said, would you go to the trouble of changing them out. If I choose to change them out, can it be done w/o loosening the collectors from the cat/x-pipes, but rather just pulling the bolts at the heads? They also gave torque specs, can you get one in there to all the bolts. I also have saw a fair amount of comments about reusing the stock bolts vs the ones supplied by Kooks which are shorter I assumed b/c the header flanges aren't as thick as the manifolds. Any thoughts here?
Cheers.
HOOK-EM HORNS
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,517
Likes: 842
From: Port Aransas, Texas Tx
St. Jude Donor '08
re-use the factory gaskets. Done it on the last 2 vettes I did. The $$$ saved went to the celebration beer fund.
After looking at the gasket, it appears you could reuse it as many times as you want. It works like a mechanical seal and requires no silicone or anything to seal properly.
After looking at the gasket, it appears you could reuse it as many times as you want. It works like a mechanical seal and requires no silicone or anything to seal properly.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 89
Likes: 6
I just did my kooks install over New Years. Want some really good advice?
USE THE GM GASKET!!!! I thought the .062 thick gasket from Kooks was really trick and ignored all the forum advice and used it. Immediate leak as soon as I started the Vette. Sounds like a bad lifter, real metallic sound.
Screwed around for two hours - different torque and tightening sequence.
The thicker Kooks gasket isn't compliant enough to correct any out of flat condition in the header flange. I could always fit a .003 feeler blade in between the header gasket from Kooks and the flange. Changed out to the used GM gasket and NO PROBLEMS. It was the only hitch I had in my otherwise excellent Kooks header experience.
USE THE GM GASKET!!!! I thought the .062 thick gasket from Kooks was really trick and ignored all the forum advice and used it. Immediate leak as soon as I started the Vette. Sounds like a bad lifter, real metallic sound.
Screwed around for two hours - different torque and tightening sequence.
The thicker Kooks gasket isn't compliant enough to correct any out of flat condition in the header flange. I could always fit a .003 feeler blade in between the header gasket from Kooks and the flange. Changed out to the used GM gasket and NO PROBLEMS. It was the only hitch I had in my otherwise excellent Kooks header experience.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
From: South Texas
I'm hard headed and used the Kooks supplied gaskets just because everyone has had problems with them. Don't do it. After just a few miles these things started leaking like crazy.
George, start sending GM gaskets with your headers. These gaskets you're sending with your headers aren't worth a darn.
George, start sending GM gaskets with your headers. These gaskets you're sending with your headers aren't worth a darn.