A1 Exhaust Gasket

oxymoron, havent seen one yet

@Michael McKelvey - is this a 3-bolt flange, or the smaller 2-bolt flange for the heat exchangers?

3 bolt

here is a big-flange gasket or a small-flange gasket, depending on the size of your exhaust. If you've got a 1-5/8 or smaller, it's most likely the small flange. I believe the big flange is BBC size - I know for sure that it's the same gasket all the muscle-car guys use as header collector gaskets, so those are available from Summit Racing or your local Speed Shop (assuming you still have those - we do).

Regardless, if you have the small one, lots and lots of online places sell them - I've got a copper one I picked up from CB or Appletree or somewhere. They're the same as the EMPI header gaskets.

I'd absolutely use a gasket, and I like the copper one because it can be used again and again.

OK, thanks Stan

https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/3640.htm

Thanks again.  This looks like one of those times the shipping is more than the item.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

Thanks again.  This looks like one of those times the shipping is more than the item.

CB Performace’s shipping calculator is funky. Yesterday I got a message that a high roof case is back in stock, so I decided to order one, just in case the TF-1 I ordered almost 2 years ago never happens. The shipping was $97.  I than added 2 more things to my cart, a Hoover bit, and cylinder heat deflectors, which are both very small. The shipping charge then went up to $136! I removed them from the cart and placed the order for just the case.

CB should send out those exhaust gaskets in an envelope for about $1, imho.

What happened to the Scat link?  I already placed the scat order before I saw the CB link.

On scat the gasket was $9 something and the shipping was almost $17.

In any case, Stan, thanks for your help.

There are many times when I think an item could be mailed first class for less than a dollar and it goes priority for $16.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

What happened to the Scat link?  I already placed the scat order before I saw the CB link.

On scat the gasket was $9 something and the shipping was almost $17.

In any case, Stan, thanks for your help.

Sorry man - I posted the Scat link, then replaced it with the CB link, because more people buy from CB.

I think I got mine from some Amazony kind of place with free shipping.

I've used Scat for some esoteric stuff, they had 5/16" thread rocker adjuster screws in stock after on broke on me.

There is metal clad gasket material, available at most parts stores, for this purpose. The sheet is flat and about 12" x 24". I think it cost $20. You cut it with tin snips and x-acto knife. I made my gasket 3 years ago and am still using the same one.

@Michael McKelvey

I have a similr 3-bolt gasket between my header collector and the muffler flange, but it's slightly larger?  Like 2-3/8" between the bolts (I believe the center hole is 1-3/4").  

I just took the old one to the NAPA guys and they matched it up.  It's pretty common, so they had them in stock and didn't even have to look them up.

I highly recommend the copper gaskets. I've been using the same copper gaskets from cip1.com that I got in 2006. Yup, that long. They are the two-bolt style at the head. The best thing is they are slotted: you bolt it up loosely, then drop them in.

And they seal every time so far, and I've had the motor out a half-dozen times at least.

So that's cool that they have them available for 3-bolt flanges. It will be the last one you ever have to buy.

@Stan Galat, I guess I was too hasty.  I looked on Amazon and also Moore Parts with free shipping but didn't find the gasket.

I'll just keep telling myself that the more expensive Scat one must be better than the cheaper CB one.

It is nice that the CB illustration is dimensioned.  The bolt hole spacing seems to be about the same as what I measured.  I thought my center diameter is closer to 2" rather than the 1.6875" CB shows.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

As part of pulling my engine, I removed my A1 muffler.  As recommended by Tiger I have been using RTV between the flanges.  In this case Ultra Copper Gasket Maker Exhaust.

I am really getting tired of cleaning off the old RTV every time I remove and replace the muffler.  Is there a gasket others are using for this joint?  A reusable gasket would be great.

My recently added vented valve covers have the hose right at the forward hanger for the muffler which makes dealing with that a little tricky.

When I built the Spyder exhaust I made a paper template of the flange and carried it into Pep Boys: "Hello! I need something like this in 600-degree-F-proof material."

Yes, right this way sir, we'll see if we have something on this rack-of-a-million-exhaust-flange-gaskets. . . . Ah, this looks pretty close.

And done.

@DannyP, I ordered a set of the 2-hole gaskets you show.  It is a set of 4.  I just realized I need 6 because I have flanged heater boxes. So, I guess I will have to buy another set of 4 when I really only need 2.

I am wondering if I can leave a thin film of RTV on the flanges when I slip in the gaskets.  If I have to clean the flanges, I lose the slip-in benefit.

I doubt RTV would survive the heat.  They make high-heat sealers for such things.

If you use the copper gaskets you'll have ZERO need for any type of sealer. That's the point, no belt and suspenders needed.

@DannyP, I don't plan to use sealer in the future.  Until now I have been using the sealer and no gaskets.

I am wondering if I need to remove the existing thin film of sealer when I install the gaskets.

I would remove the sealer, i.e. clean everything, then throw the tube of sealer away. You won't need it.

OK, this means I don't get the benefit of the slip-in feature this time. 

I am still annoyed that I need to buy 4 more when I only need 2.  First, I need to confirm that the heater box flange is the same as the flange at the heads.

Michael, please forgive me, but I do not understand. Why does not using sealant affect the slip-in feature?

I can use the slip-in gasket.  If I didn't have existing sealant on the flanges, I could just loosen things a bit and slip the gaskets in. But, if I have to totally disassemble things to remove the existing sealant, I lose the slip-in benefit.

I guess, after cleaning off the sealant, I can loosely assemble things and then slip the gaskets in.

Ok, I get it now.

You don't want to spend a half-hour taking it apart, cleaning it, then re-assembling and never having a problem again.

Is that about it?

Yup, that's it. 

Since I am going to completely disassembling things, it seems like I get no benefit from slip-in gaskets and could have bought regular ones.

I don't really get why someone would use slip-in gaskets.  If they are replacing regular ones they would still have to disassemble things.

I like them on my mid-engine system. You need to assemble the entire system loosely to the engine. Then I slip the 4 exhaust port gaskets in and take up the minimal slack left. The bends are so tight on the header section that you have to start the nuts and slide the system all the way on the heads as you tighten the nuts. It's weird but it works.

The point for your application isn't so much the slip-in feature, it's that the copper gaskets seal very well.

Danny, I guess I could have used the copper version of regular gaskets.  But, I just ordered 4 more of the slip-in ones so I will have the 6 needed.

Thanks for your contributions to the discussion.