good budget gasket for nitrous?

[Allforspeed]

coudl someone recommend a good but cheap gasket set that i can safely spray a 100-125 shot on, i will be using stock ported heads and arp head bolts as well if that helps and dont plan to rev past 5900rpm

would stock replacements be enough for this? i have reusable header and valve cover gaskets and plan to use RTV for the lower intake and thermostat, so basically all i need is the headgaskets right?

thanks guys! stangnet rocks!!!

 

[txstang84]

ROL makes some gaskets that are for high heat/compression...I'm not 100% sure how much, but somewhere in the neighborhood of the 1011-2 fel-pro's (about $60/pr), FRPP also sells the fel-pros under their moniker for about $10 less/pr out of summit...they are all decent gaskets, they should be able to handle your 125 shot for a while...if you want ultimate sealing though, either get your heads o-ring'd and buy some 1006's or some cometics...whatever you do though, don't buy copper...they won't seal the water ports on a street engine-one lesson hard learned

honestly though, the lower intake gasket is only like $7, and the thermostat gasket is only $1.50....I can fully understand saving as much money as possible, but RTV is not the best way to seal an intake or a therm gasket. The tiny imperfections between the upper and lower intakes if not properly sealed (with a gasket) will most certainly cause some vacuum leaks (very bad on any engine, especially one that's nitrous fed), and trying to seal the therm housing with only RTV is just waiting for a leak to happen...I found that one out too.

If you're looking for a good complete set though, summit offers trick flow sets in varying degrees of trim from like $85-$140 that include: head, intake, valve cover, and exhaust gaskets...etc etc ad nauseam

hope this helps

 

[Scorcher2005]

stock gaskets work fine...at least for my 125 shot of nitrous. I am about to put o-ring TW heads on though w/ the steel type gaskets.

 

[Allforspeed]

i was always told that rtv is the way to go when sealing a lower intake and to not use the cork ends?!?! i dont know tho, i have a thermostat gasket right here and am not about to pinch 7$ if it means i got to take the lower off even once, so thanks for the tip

by the way,, what do you mean the "sell them under their moniker" using big words confuses us products of public schools!

this is just going to be a budget-home-ported-stock-stuff-street-motor so definately looking to keep cost to a minimum, probably change the timing chain while i'm in there and planning on getting some valanko valves and aftermarket valve springs too.

 

[txstang84]

my mistake, i thought you meant sealing between the intakes with RTV, the cork ends...well, that's a matter of opinion, i've always used them and never had a problem, but even FR recommends using RTV there...oh well

the bit of selling them under their moniker just means that the head gaskets listed under a FRPP number (M-6051-A302) are actually Fel-pro 1011-2 gaskets, FRPP just puts their part number on them-thus the moniker bit...but anyway, since FRPP sells them through summit for less than Fel-pro, then you can bet your sweet bippy that I'll save the $10 by buying them.

i wasn't tryin to confuse you though-my bad <chuckling>

 

[Allforspeed]

thanks! i guess i'll use the felpro ones and save 10$ to boot,

sweeeeeet


thanks everybody

 

[QDRHRSE]

The best gaskets that I've ever used are the blue cheapie Felpro's from Pep Boys. For whatever reason those always seem to hold up better than the high dollar gaskets. Next best are the graphite Ford/SVO gaskets.

 

[txstang84]

yeah, the 8548's ($14.95 per gasket) that most all parts stores carry are good for up to moderate amounts of boost or nitrous, but over time they tend to put a small groove into aluminum heads, also called "brinnelling"...that's the only reason i personally would use the FRPP A302's (fel-pro 1011-2)

 

[Allforspeed]

i'm going to be using the stock E&TE iron heads, so does that mean i can use these 15$ a piece gaskets and be fine up to a 125 shot??

and what do you mean: "the pep boys cheapies are best" does that mean they have held the best for you?? under what conditions/compression/nitrous/boost?? if so thats awesome that the cheap ones hold better than even the graphite ones

thanks yall! keep it coming!

 

[Allforspeed]

up, i'm going to buy the ones out of summit for 60$ unless someone can explain to me that these pep boys cheapies are just as good and half as much, i know its only like a 30$ difference but why waste a dime?

 

[Michael Yount]

allforspeed - you are buying new lower intake gaskets right? The rtv is simply used by many to replace the lower manifold to block cork seals; but you'll need new gaskets to seal the ports/water jackets between lower intake and heads. Personally, I prefer the rubber manifold end pieces to rtv or cork.