I'm thinking of trying this gasket dressing and I am going back to OEM upper intake mani. gaskets. http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...ge_Sealant.htm
I know some of you have used the copper spray, but wondered if this would be as good or better. Opinions welcomed.

 

Used this in my shop---Worked great!!!!

 

I would not put that goopy blue stuff on there. What a mess LOL!!

 

Form-a-Gasket and other sealants have their place. If the OEM gaskets are SUPPOSED to have additional sealer on there, then it should be fine. Won't really hurt to add a thin layer to each side of the gasket and let it tack up before assembly.

I have used Form-a-Gasket and even the standard RTV sealants in place of gaskets, but you MUST let them begin to set before pre-assembly and then you MUST let them begin to cure before torquing the parts down. Once cured in a shape, the product makes an excellent gasket any shape you want. Just ask anyone who's used it in place of a paper water pump gasket.

 

So stick to the permatex copper spray method I gather.

 

i guess my question is why are you wanting the oem gaskets? they are a 1 time use gasket much like the corks. with proper torque and using a cross pattern i have yet to break a bolt or blow a gasket under full boost ( which for me is 19 lbs at cold temps) arent the oem gaskets only rated at 16 psi or something like that?

 

I find it hard to believe that cork is stronger than metal. Personally I prefer the factory gaskets, but to each his own.

 

i dont think its a matter of strength but sealing ability. the cork will swell and seal but the steel may allow a leak if pushed hard enough. your already using another compound to help the steel seal anthony . what does that tell you? your worried about the oem gaskets leaking

i believe the biggest issue isnt the cork but overtightening and stressing the manis from improper torque sequence

 

Let's see. Torque the cork gaskets to 10 ft. lbs. race a few weeks and the car starts running strange. Check the bolts and they are 5 ft. lbs. or less. Retorque the bolts and after a while the car starts running funny again. Check the bolts and loose again. Retorque and it keeps running funny. Pull the manifolds and the cork gasket is ruined from over torquing. I'm back to the stock gaskets. If you know the secret with the cork gaskets, please share.

Les

 

I quess I have been lucky so far...but I re -check mine...and, you aren't over torquing them if you are at the same torque. If you check them, and they are loose, then re -torque them...they aren't mashed any further than the 10ft lbs...I install them with a little RTV to have them stick in place....later after the RTV is set up well, I put the intakes on. Do the crisscross pattern...I'm not saying this is perfect, but mine do get loose. If you are going back to metal, might as well buy a bunch of them...as you will have to check them from time to time to make sure that thin little ribbon of gasket hasn't broken from boost levels...

 

I use copper coat on both sides of all my gaskets, not RTV which I also use for radiator thermostats. I still have the original gaskets on my spacers without issue. I have cork but find that they have a habit of pooching out like waffel mix at the hotel breakfast bar.

Permatex is good but tends to harden and fail so I use the spray coppercoat and only spray the gaskets, let them dry and do it again before installation. I hate leaky things..........Woody Going to a RC plane meet and skipping the autocross this weekend, up up and away. (rocketeer circa 1938) Look it up

 

no secret for me less. we have similar mods. i start at the back and torque in a back to front cross pattern to 5 ft lbs. the again in the opposite direction to 10 ft lbs. a small dab of blue loctitie on the threads of the bolts and thats it. to date i havent had any bolts come loose. now i dont mess with these much so after its done i havent had to retighten. and i dont race anywere near as much or as hard as you do. with you racing almost weekly i could see were you could have issues. any chance the motor mounts on your car are shot causing excessive vibration? just a thought

does anyone know if a teflon coated oem gasket would work? ill buy a set and have rob coat them if its worth it

 

I'm going back to OEM because the corks aren't doing it for me. And I am very precise in my installation of gaskets; torque, quality torque wrench, cross pattern and sequence, etc.,exactly like the NW's instructions. The corks work for awhile, but then squish/flow out, and I don't know why. I think Woody called it cold flowing?or something like that. Is the recommended 3m adhesive spray contributing to the squish/flow problem? I've gasket matched/ported the intakes and any squish of the gaskets into the ports takes away from my efforts. I'm hoping that the thinner metal OEM's w/ the proper thin layer of dressing, and left to cure, will hold up to increased boost.

 

I have a lot of faith in what you say, so I'll continue using the copper coat with the stock gaskets.

 

let me know how it works. remember the oem gaskets have no sealant on them so theres no proper layer just a guesstimate. i have been reading about the reaction between copper and aluminium so thats the main reason i stay away from it

 

correct me if im wrong but arent the spacer phenolics? not copper to aluminium contact but copper to phonelic

 

Copper-to-phenolic on one side, and copper-to-aluminum on the other. The phenolic is sandwiched by the copper coated gaskets, so it doesn't touch the manifold or supercharger directly. At least that's my understanding.

 

What about that? Will the two dissimilar metals contacting each other cause corrosion? Doesn't onehundred80 know all that metallurgy stuff?

 

this is very broad example and i could be completely off base but gives pause for thought
Mixing Metals Electrolysis Galvanic Reactions on Roof-tops

 

I always use locktite blue BTW. Good to 500º or so the package claims. Copper spray may be completely different than copper, but I've ignored Grip Grip .... or was it Tuna? (sorry buddies .... brain fart, can't remember and too lazy to verify) I may give it a try if I have the need in the near future.

Les