Can you hurt an engine

[insomniac391]

can u hurt an engine by riding around with damaged header gaskets, because i want to bring out my Caprice so bad I'm about to cry.

[FordMan77]

I wouldn't think so, other than risking burning plug wires, wiring harnesses, or anything else around where the manifold/header is leaking.

[insomniac391]

I wouldn't think so, other than risking burning plug wires, wiring harnesses, or anything else around where the manifold/header is leaking.

awesome cause that bitch comes out today!

[jayh]

it would take alot of miles but you can eventually burn the exhaust valve/valve seat up

gaskets are cheap?

[insomniac391]

it would take alot of miles but you can eventually burn the exhaust valve/valve seat up

gaskets are cheap?

I'm gettin some from Summit for my birthday which is the 25th. Still, they're only 30$.

[jayh]

you can also use red rtv- $5

alot of people do not know this

[P72Ford]

you can also use red rtv- $5

alot of people do not know this

Really? I might try that if I do headers on my truck.

I know Ford has this goop that they recommend for manifolds and stuff on the diesel trucks.

[packman]

I usually use hi-temp Never-Sieze on the side of the gasket that goes to the cylinder head flange; and that Copper Seal crap on the side that goes to the header flange.



Packman

[jayh]

I dont even use a gasket, just red rtv

learned this trick yeas ago from a racer, I was very very skeptic of doing it on street stuff, then years later I found out ALOT of turbo guys do this, then I did it myself, more or less being cheap at the time, then I found out alot of people do it

I found the bolts dont loosen up over time like headers with gaskets and I have never had a problem. I dont doubt some people are skeptic, I know I was for a LONG time

speaking of which, OP if you have headers, have you made sure all the bolts are tight?

[insomniac391]

I dont even use a gasket, just red rtv

learned this trick yeas ago from a racer, I was very very skeptic of doing it on street stuff, then years later I found out ALOT of turbo guys do this, then I did it myself, more or less being cheap at the time, then I found out alot of people do it

I found the bolts dont loosen up over time like headers with gaskets and I have never had a problem. I dont doubt some people are skeptic, I know I was for a LONG time

speaking of which, OP if you have headers, have you made sure all the bolts are tight?

what exactly are they?

[jayh]

the bolts that bolt the header to the head. get a 7/16 wrench and make sure they are all tight, if you havent burnt the gaskets up yet, they may just need to be tightened up

this is why they make stage 8 locking fasteners, but those things are just a pita imho

[Pirate]

I've made both man and machine cry.

[packman]

My Malibu used to make me cry with the Doug Thorley headers. I couldn't get those things to stay tight. The BBKs on the CV have been good to me. I feel like crying right now.


Packman

[insomniac391]

the bolts that bolt the header to the head. get a 7/16 wrench and make sure they are all tight, if you havent burnt the gaskets up yet, they may just need to be tightened up

this is why they make stage 8 locking fasteners, but those things are just a pita imho

they dont need to be tightened, they blew apart like confetti one time when i floored it before it was up to operating temperature.

[gadget73]

the copper rtv is more designed for this sort of stuff.

and I'll say again, as I have many times in the past. The reason for constantly loosening header bolts and blown header gaskets is usually a warped header flange. No matter how much magic stuff you use, if the gasket surface is not flat, its never going to maintain a seal. If things are flat, you can use $5 exhaust manifold gaskets and it won't blow them.