Exhaust gaskets???

What would you guys suggest for exhaust gaskets for a 460 BBF in a motor home, with cast iron manifolds? The red high temp silicone, or some high temp gaskets, or ?????? I am having to replace them every couple of years.

Dind't Lem or someone have some special high temp ones?

High temp silicone

Might try some steel or graphite ones.

I run these from Summit never had mine to leak and have reused them from my dove heads to my a429 heads they are header gaskets but will work on manifolds they have like hairy black carbon and seal good be careful they will cut the crap out of you.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/php-68054/overview/make/ford

Permatex Ultra Copper. Run that on the race truck, and my old play/street toy. Headers on the street toy been on for the last 10 years with no issues.

Thanks for the suggestions, I have the red high temp silicone, but didn't know if it hold up on hwy driving. I did see the composite ones, and see Trick Flow has multi layer steel ones made by Cometic.

I've had good luck w/permatex red.

69F100 wrote:I run these from Summit never had mine to leak and have reused them from my dove heads to my a429 heads they are header gaskets but will work on manifolds they have like hairy black carbon and seal good be careful they will cut the crap out of you.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/php-68054/overview/make/ford

Been running these with headers and had no issues AND yes they will cut you

Silicon may not hold up on a motor home application they get pretty hot

I've used Ultra Copper silicone stuff on my E-350 barge w/460, w/a broken stud on #5. Mostly cuz i was waay to lazy to try to get it out. Still goin.............after 7 yrs. Probly just jinkxed it.

I used to work for a cup team permatex copper is all we ever used

Fel-Pro 1419 for standard heads , 1420 for cj
They have a steel core , best gaskets I have used

Best header gaskets I've ever used are victor nitro seals. Now I use copper permatex and don't see myself ever going back to a gasket.

racnrick wrote:What would you guys suggest for exhaust gaskets for a 460 BBF in a motor home, with cast iron manifolds? The red high temp silicone, or some high temp gaskets, or ?????? I am having to replace them every couple of years.

Use NOTHING which can contribute to being a "heat barrier", not even ANY kind of sealer. This is critical with using a cast iron exhaust manifold in a confined space limitation; especially as exhibited with a motorhome.

Solid soft copper is the best for this application.  Completely flat flanges with nothing at all is MUCH better than any kind of sealant for keeping the heat away from that manifold flange.

If it gets to hot it will literally warp the manifolds enough to break the attachment bolts.

rmcomprandy wrote:

racnrick wrote:What would you guys suggest for exhaust gaskets for a 460 BBF in a motor home, with cast iron manifolds? The red high temp silicone, or some high temp gaskets, or ?????? I am having to replace them every couple of years.

Use NOTHING which can contribute to being a "heat barrier", not even ANY kind of sealer. This is critical with using a cast iron exhaust manifold in a confined space limitation; especially as exhibited with a motorhome.

Solid soft copper is the best for this application.  Completely flat flanges with nothing at all is MUCH better than any kind of sealant for keeping the heat away from that manifold flange.

If it gets to hot it will literally warp the manifolds enough to break the attachment bolts.

Thanks Randy, I never thought about it that way. It does make sense with a gasket or sealer that it would insulate the manifold from the head and not allow heat to transfer.
I was thinking about trying the MLS gaskets that Dave suggested, mainly because I wouldn't think they would burn out as easy being steel, I do like the idea of the copper for better sealing.
Now you have me in deep thought, (which is hard on my head)     Which way do you think that the heat would transfer, from the manifold back to the head, which has coolant running thru it, or from the head to the manifold with air moving over it? Or maybe not have much heat transfer at all, but just keep the mating surface between them about the same temp? I do know the manifolds get very hot on a good pull over a pass, like cherry red sometimes!  

My Step Dad on his 92 Chevy Dually with a 454 they had to pull the exhaust manifolds off for some reason while it was still under Factory Warranty they put gaskets back on it he was having trouble with it blowing them pulling their 5th wheel Camper when they had it. He said someone told him to pull them off and have them checked and see if they had any wrapping they had a little and he had them machine flat and put them back on with no gaskets he still has the truck and they have never leaked again but only has something like 75,000 miles on it. I had forgot about his until we was talking today about the Chevy Tahoe I bought that my Mother had and ask him about the exhaust on his Dually. Might be something you might want to check also.

If done correctly ... the cooling system of the engine also draws heat from the cast iron exhaust manifolds.