68 289 Exhaust manifold leak

[dewdrop]

Anyone have issues using the standard exhaust gasket for the drivers side stock manifold? Just rebuilt engine and put on standard gasket (head to manifold) on to a stock exhaust manifold. It is leaking on the front two cyl. towards the top. You can see where the gasket is bigger than the manifold holes and lets the gases leak straight out in the little "cut out" areas of the manifolds. It's all stock 68 289 2v stuff and worked before. Looks like the gaskets they sell are too big for these units. Any thought?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[2+2GT]

Yeah, those cutouts are for the Thermactor injectors you don't have. The factory didn't use exhaust manifold to head gaskets. Any chance you can clean yours and go without? The gaskets you have are probably "universals", meant to fit 289-302-351. Unfortunately, by trying, they don't fit ant of them very well.

One other possibility would be to get manifolds that don't have the cutouts.

 

[dewdrop]

thats it

Now that makes sense. That is exactly the issue. I will look at "header" gaskets tomorrow, but if they won't do it I will go with no gaskets and use a sealer maybe (high temp). The manifolds are a little pitted but the sealer may fill that. Funny, the pass side seems to have sealed. I'll leave it.

Thanks for "educating" me!

Dan

 

[68RCodeConv]

I had the same problem. I got a new set of gaskets and test fit them on the manifolds and the heads separately. I had to open up some of the gasket bolt holes to get it in the right place. I marked an outline of the manifold on the gasket with a Sharpie. Then I glued the gasket in the proper location on the head and lined up the manifold with the lines on the gasket.