Copper coat
 

Yey or ney for the header gaskets. What are everones experience on what works best to seal them. Ive blow out yet another set. Ive seen alot of people have had success with felpro 1406's and copper coat.

How are you blowing out header gaskets?
Never had that issue, I've popped collector gaskets due to a restrictive exhaust but that's about it.

IDK much about the subject, I've used copper coating on steel shims (head gaskets) but from my understanding it is mainly to ensure a seal and not necessarily an adhesive.

Its always #8. I think it might be the headers. Ive already had the passenger side out and plained. It was cupped bad. 10 yr old pacesetters. Im just gona take the headers and y out, check the mating surfaces for flatness again. I got wires to put on to so "kinda" good timing.

Have you tried put 2 gaskets on that side? Used to do that year ago...

Ive tried every type of gasket there is. From GM gasket to Percys, even making my own template out of dead soft aluminum. They all last about 6 months then blow. Im convinced its the headers. You know what im doing today. Yey!

I use felpro's and recheck the bolts whenever I think to check them :lol:

Alright. So I took out both headers and y-pipe. Took them to my machine shop to have the flanges plained. They werent too bad, but they were warped a lil. Just waiting on my new gaskets and will put it all back together next weekend with the copper coat. But Im killing 4 birds with one stone. Get the exh leak fixed, put new wires on while headers are out, put in new steering shaft in and put new wiper arms on. Yey new parts!

Good luck. I wasn't aware warped headers would blow the gaskets because I thought they are forced to sit flush on the exhaust ports when they are bolted.

How to avoid blowing header gaskets:

Step one - Get good bolts. ARP stainess work nice.

Step two - Torque them down, evenly. Start at the middle, work to the outside, alternate front to back as you go.

Step three - Put your tools in the car with you; you'll need them. When you drive the car, after it cools down, re-tighten the header bolts.

Step four - Keep doing this until they aren't tightening any more. The gasket will conform to the surface of the heads and headers, which will in turn relieve some of the clamping force of the bolts. By heat cycling, then tightening, you reach a point where the gasket is done compressing, and it'll stay tight. The key is to throw out the cheap bolts that come with the headers. If this is an LT1, when I did mine I used ARP Stainless Steel Header Bolts part number 400-1212 if I remember right. They're 1" long, so you'll get more thread engagement which will reduce the likelyhood that you're going to rip the threads out.

I have percys seal 4 good on my car right now. I did have copper ones by mr gasket (or summit ones not sure) but they leaked a bit even though the bolts where tight. For bolts im using the ones that came with my pacesetter long tubers.

If u think its your headers why not get new pacesetters?

Thanks for the write up, but I am quite aware on how to properly seat and seal the gaskets. I do retorque the bolts after every heat cycle for about a month after the install from the center out. Both the head and collector flanges were cupped and twisted, which is probably why they were leaking. When I get new headers, Im gonna save up for kooks long tubes, Im not wasting my money on pacesetter again. Good headers for the money paid, just not for me again. Just wont have the money for a while. Im just a broke kid with too many bills, so I am trying to work with what I have for the time being.

They seem to seal fine up until a few runs at the track. They just dont hold up to going through the rpm range.

I thought using stainless bolts on aluminum was a no-no. I was under the impression that over time the threads would become galled and could potentially strip out the heads.

Actually, going into aluminum the only thing to use is stainless; a standard ferrous bolt, unless plated somehow, will chemically react with the aluminum in bad, bad, impossible to remove it ways.

Galling is prevented by a bolt lubricant, like anti-seize.

/\ I learn something new everyday. Thanks for the good info!!

I've had similar issues with header gaskets. I have a set of FlowTech headers on my 87 (would never buy again) I ended up coating the problem area with Red Permatex High Temp RTV part number 26B. It's been good for the last 5 years. At some point when I have money to spend on my car I would like to get a better set of headers.

I wouldnt even get kooks id get lpp stainless headers. Alot cheaper than kooks, when i wanted there headers they where only doing ls1 headers and not lt for reason

Lpp comes and goes. You never know when they will run another set. The lpp knockoffs on ebay sold by the seller ap1ap2 were decent. Same jig just a lower grade stainless. They do have a couple spots they hit that need attention, one being the stock kmember. Tubular k's clear fine. If I were to get another set, it would be Kooks but I doubt I ever will.

Yea I wana go with kooks because of what Ive read. For LT cars they fit in place perfect and give the most possible ground clearance. I could be wrong(as been proven before), but in all the other forums, the guys that went with kooks loved the fit and clearance and never would go with anything else.

Yea, I ran a set of ebay knock offs on a PAracing K member, fit was great and I really liked em. I have come to terms with if want stuff to fit right out of the box, pay the money or do it yourself.

Next set of headers will be custom SS ones.

Pretty rare, but check the header bolts aren't bottoming in out on the head. This was real common on 93s still happened but not as often with ealry 94s.

The bolts bottomed out in the heads just enough to cause issues, such as when the engine twist over time they can break off the bolts or blow out the paper type gaskets.

I've blown out a few sets of the felpro gaskets, there isn't alot of material on the ends. I do use copper coat and also retighten the bolts often. Have to go through the heat and tighten process 4-5 times to get them to seal well. It's a PITA having to keep taking the alternator off to get to one bolt!