Gasket Question...

[The Hitman]

I just aquired a set of BBK Shorty's.. what gasket should I use with them?
Thanks.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Copper's last forever.

 

[04sleeper]

Felpro 1415.

 

[The Hitman]

Are those coppers by any chance?

 

[SlowGT]

The 1415 is not copper, but it'll last forever also as far as most street enthusiasts are concerned. Copper is a good investment when you're constantly tearing things apart. Unless you plan on removing your headers several times each year, I'd just go with the FelPro. That's the only gasket I've ever used (& reused). I think I got 4 tear downs on the last set and they'd be good to reinstall if they matched my new heads.

 

[Green 94 5.0]

yes they do.....havent lost a header gasket since i started using them.

 

[swingline]

Fel-Pro 1415. You might also consider picking up some Stage 8 locking header bolts. They are GREAT. It is nice not to have to worry about leaks plus trying to tighten those little bastards can be a pain with all the crap in the engine bay.

 

[Green 94 5.0]

one word.....loc-tite. i have the stage 8 bolts and they are major PITA. i dont even use the locks anymore. loc-tite on the bolts and i have never had one back out on me yet.

 

[SlowGT]

What Green 94 said about them being a PITA. Especially if you've got equal length headers.

Can't vouch for the Loctite on header bolts though. Most people don't have many varieties of loctite on the shelf and even if they did, Loctite's 'Hi-temp' thread locker isn't rated to the temperatures the header bolts will see. That's not to say that it doesn't work though. You know how some manufacturers give very conservative ratings.

All I've ever done for header bolts is multiple re-torques. As many as 4-6 times on some of them. After a fresh install, I keep retorqueing them after cooldown until none of them tightenup anymore. I've never lost one yet.

Almost forgot to mention: I put mine in with Cu-Ni antisieze.