What are the best exhaust manifold gaskets?

[94burb]

Hey guys,

i have some headers that are leaking from the gaskets. There seem to be several different types and I'm not sure what would be my best bet. I'd rather spend a little more to get a better seal. Thanks.

 

[kennythewelder]

Copper gaskets are the best, but they are expensive. I have shorty headers on my 97 5.7L and I am using Percy seal 4 good. They have been on my truck for at least 1 year, and they don't leak. I did however tighten the hell out of my header bolts. The Percy's seal 4 good are aluminum. I think copper gaskets are around 80 or 90 bucks and Percy seal 4 good are like 35 or 40.

 

[badazzbulldog]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...opper+Exhaust+Gasket+chevy&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[Steve's Chevy]

I've always used Copper seal with my gaskets, one day I found all but one bolt fell out of my headers and it never leaked . So now I swear by it!

 

[df2x4]

Interestingly I've had an opposite experience with copper gaskets. I bought some SCE copper gaskets to go with my Pacesetter shorties and they leaked on the drivers side within two months. I torqued and re-torqued them properly, too. Switched to a standard Fel-Pro gasket and haven't had a problem since.

 

[94burb]

I'm about to order some. Square port 1.5 is stock right? I'm just making sure before I order. Thanks guys.

 

[someotherguy]

Switched to a standard Fel-Pro gasket and haven't had a problem since.

I ran the stock type metal gasket in Fel-Pro on many headers back in the day, always worked great. Of course periodic header bolt re-tightening is pretty much required on most header installs...

Richard