New Grand National in Peoria, IL. Need to find local GN peers

[Tori]

Pictures ! I read the whole damn thread and no pictures ! I used to live in Peoria, and worked in E. Peoria.... so this thread caught my eye.

 

[Phoneguy]

Yes...pictures....

Bryan

 

[BennyBuick]

My apologies for the inexcusable delay

 

[BennyBuick]

Oh how I miss warm T top weather already

 

[BennyBuick]

A couple more

 

[BennyBuick]

Time to remove headers and inspect. New gaskets and locking header bolts will be in my near future. Header gasket leak appeared fast right after my first couple rides. I believe the wastegate has failed as well. The last ride of the year I heard a metal noise, like a spring letting go or a puck clank, right as I was starting to get on it into boost. Before I hit 10 psi it happened and I instantly lost boost before I could even back off of the accelerator. Hopefully someday soon I will be equipped with the knowledge and time to address noise, rattles, and fitment issues of windows, doors, T tops and panels.

 

[BennyBuick]

For now, wastegate and exhaust issues before the little things. It would be awesome if I could nail down all the oil leaks too

 

[we4Mateo]

Time to remove headers and inspect. New gaskets and locking header bolts will be in my near future. Header gasket leak appeared fast right after my first couple rides. I believe the wastegate has failed as well. The last ride of the year I heard a metal noise, like a spring letting go or a puck clank, right as I was starting to get on it into boost. Before I hit 10 psi it happened and I instantly lost boost before I could even back off of the accelerator. Hopefully someday soon I will be equipped with the knowledge and time to address noise, rattles, and fitment issues of windows, doors, T tops and panels.

For now, wastegate and exhaust issues before the little things. It would be awesome if I could nail down all the oil leaks too

I wouldn't use an exhaust gasket bc when you blow it out, it'll leak worse than it does now. Get the headers crack repaired and make the flange flat and call it a day. There's a reason the factory never used them.

As far as oil leaks, that's easy. Just take all the fluids out and it will no longer leak. . Sorry, old Buick joke. But seriously, it will always leak.

 

[BennyBuick]

I don't know about not using any gaskets. I have a hard time believing 1987 wisdom is still the end all be all here for this application. The headers on it have gaskets and they look well worn. I was looking into either the copper ones from gbodyparts.com or the ones buickgn.com carries. No header gaskets?? I dunno bout all that, anyone else want to chime in with opinions?

 

[Phoneguy]

I ran my stockers for years with no gaskets with no leaks. Get them flat and put some high temp copper on them

Bryan

 

[boosted-para]

I put rimflex on my car when I put the motor together, I heard they are good. While I have not yet fired the motor, I anticipate doing so here real soon.

 

[we4Mateo]

Many run no gaskets. T/A stock replacement headers here with 12k miles and at least 50 passes on them and no leaks. Fixed my stockers three times but never had a leak at the flange. Exhaust pressure at 25psi of boost is any where from 40 to 75psi...gaskets will most likely blow out. There are those that run them successfully but there are more folks not running any. A gasket is a band aid for a flange that isn't true. I cracked my stock headers in numerous places and even cracked the crossover pipe but in nearly 300 total passes and 80k miles, I've never needed gaskets yet. Jmho.

 

[Tori]

i'd bet it's the bolts loosening that's causing the gasket to fail. Gaskets will continue to work for you IF you can keep the bolts tight.

 

[we4Mateo]

i'd bet it's the bolts loosening that's causing the gasket to fail. Gaskets will continue to work for you IF you can keep the bolts tight.

Plenty of tr people have disproved that but there's always more than one way to skin a cat. Question is chicken or the egg. If you don't have a leak at the flange now and it's designed to be run without a gasket, what is there to be gained besides a day turning wrenches? I'm not trying to start anything, but if you search, this has been debated at length already.

 

[we4Mateo]

i'd bet it's the bolts loosening that's causing the gasket to fail. Gaskets will continue to work for you IF you can keep the bolts tight.

And that gasket theory works on an n/a engine but plenty of exhaust gaskets have been pushed on a tr with tight bolts. Too tight and it'll blow out between the bolts. The stock engines have very high exhaust pressure ratios when you start going fast and most gaskets simply aren't designed for those pressures. Guys who use remflex installed properly say they work. Never come across them yet in my days though.

 

[BennyBuick]

Hmmmm, something to think about. So no gaskets at all are the concensus? Do I use any goop between the header flange and block? If so, What brand of "goop"? I haven't purchased anything yet other than some stage8 locking header bolts, so maybe I will try it with no gaskets. My fear is to get it all put back together and have to do it all over again because of a bad decision.

 

[boosted-para]

Use the high temp copper rtv. I really like that stuff for a lot uses

 

[we4Mateo]

Agreed that a very thin layer of high temp rtv goes a long way.

 

[Phoneguy]

 

[boosted-para]

Yep that's the stuff,