y5e06

I just got my Percy's Dead Soft Aluminum Exhaust Gasket. Boy, these things are thick. For those that have used these, which direction did you install the gasket? the 'rounded' side or 'cupped' side towards the head? I was thinking 'cupped' (or serated) side towards the head. I will be using these in a stock application w/ stock exhaust manifold.
Also, what setting did you torque the manifold bolts to?

thanks,
md

Scott 97 Z28

I installed mine with the smooth side toward the head. They leaked quite badly. I tried retightening them several times and still had leaks. I changed them out for the stock SLP gaskets and had no leaks or problems afterward. I hope you have better luck.

y5e06

hmmmmm, thats not what I wanted to hear. I too hope I have better luck. maybe I'll try smooth side towards manifold

Jesse_Boyer

i used alum. gaskets on my xover pipe for my turbo and they leaked like no other! Ended up going with NO gasket at all... just used some RTV and made sure the surfaces were clean and FLAT. that's the biggest thing to worry about. If either of the mating surfaces are warped, you won't seal it no matter what you use...

JB

QCKZ28

i have a set of these, just waiting on warm weather
it hasnt been above freezing for a week.

heres a thread:

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=percys

jesse

drewstealth

hmm...that doesn't sound good. I'm gonna be installing my headers in 2 weeks and i don't want to run into this problem. I wonder if i should go with some different gaskets.

Newbie97

my percys have been on for 2 and 1/2 yrs with no leaks at all. Well take that back couple of my hedder bolts backed off and thats the only leak I ever had. I put the smooth part towards the head. Get this I dont even have the lt1 ones. I have round port hedders and gasket with no leaks. I love these gasket. Ive put them on everything I have hedders on.

y5e06

QCKZ28, thanks for the link. that thread and the percy's link was what I was looking for. I searched over 3x and never got that thread as a search result.....

y5e06

I just called the Percy's tech line about exhaust manifold gaskets, not collector gaskets.
they guy said:
"It doesn't really matter... it should work either way". He also said I may need to retighten them up to 3 times after heating/cooling cycles. Yikes. what a pain in the ***. Also said after the 2nd or 3rd time I should never have any leaks. Last thing he mentioned was to NOT over tighten them but he was unable to give a torque spec. So I suppose I'll make up my mind on the direction of install and also use factory exhaust manifold torque specs.

QCKZ28

FWIW here is percy's website with the instructions.

http://www.percyshp.com/sealexgas.html

"Installation of the gaskets is critical to the life of the Seal-4-Good gasket. On Percy's Header Flange gaskets make sure you install the gaskets with the smooth side facing the Head. All old gasket material must be removed from the flange so as not to create a "high" spot for hot gases to flow thru. Second, file down any raised areas on the flange again limiting the risks of a leak. Third, do not over tighten the bolts this may cause the flanges to warp causing an incurable leak. And finally be sure to retighten the bolts after a few hours of use to prevent leaking."

jesse

y5e06

I saw that link in the previous posting. For some reason when I read the Percy's instructions on their site I read ' Header Flange' but thought ' Collector flange ' and assumed they weren't talking about the manifold/header gasket. Probably because the pic is of the collector gaskets. Anyway, I'll try smooth side towards the head.

drewstealth

If you are using Stage 8 header bolts do you think you have to retighten them after a few hrs of use?