Whats the best header sealant

[tom j]

I have not had good luck with copper rtv sealant, maybe I am doing something wrong, what procedure is everybody using, how long do you let the rtv sit before mating the two surfaces, this is with SCE copper gaskets. Has anyone used "right stuff" or "Permatex Super 300 Form-a-Gasket" for headers and had any luck

 

[wbrophy]

Use felpro 1400 header to block and felpro makes one for the turbo that has a metal o-ring that's kickass. the coppers let go after awhile.

 

[VadersV6]

For the header flange or turbo collector? If the surfaces are flat, (a bench stone works really well to get it flat ..also called a knife sharpening stone...its a grey rectangular stone, flat on all sides, about 6-7 inches long, 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick)..after its flat, tack some wheel bearing grease on both surfaces (not white lithium..regular grease), and run NO gasket at all. The grease turns to carbon and seals beautifully...it cant burn out, crack etc. I had zero leaks, and I did this on the drivers side header flange, and also the turbo exhaust elbow...theres no gasket there either. It really does work well.

 

[norbs]

Are you sure that the grease won;t just burn off? Your also the guy who believe's a 2.5" dp is the way to go over a 3 or 3.5"

 

[tom j]

Best sealant?

 

[VadersV6]

Are you sure that the grease won;t just burn off? Your also the guy who believe's a 2.5" dp is the way to go over a 3 or 3.5"

WTF? Im also the guy who has done this on his own car and it worked. Got the tip from another guy on here to did it to his car and it worked. That guy got it from Buick, who did this on some of these cars from the factory.Also the guy who machined and built thousands of engines. Hundreds of top competitive race engines of all types. Also the guy who's been working on cars for 23 years. Had 4 hot rods by the time I was 18 where I did all the work myself. I dont know everything, but I dont give solid concrete advise about **** I know nothing about.
By the way, I said a 5" DP will probably not produce a faster car on a street TR over a 3" DP. Get your facts straight before pulling your head out of your ass to say something.
If you're looking for help and someone is nice enough to take a break from what he's doing at work to help, you say thanks and get another opinion if you're too intimidated by a different approach. You dont respond by talking ****. If you're going to come up with the answers yourself, then dont ask questions. You said youve had bad luck with silicones, and then you want to know what the best silicone is, even though you've been told 2 different ways to do it.
If the 2 mating surfaces are flat, like I said, and the grease has been compressed to an extremely thin layer, it wont blow out because it wont be grease for long. Warm the motor up, get the turbo a little hot, let it cool and you're ready to go. You're dealing with alot of backpressure and heat on a turbo motor, and you need something that can handle it. You keep trying to use copper rtv, which is rated for 600 degrees, on an exhaust system that sees as high as 1500. DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

 

[Brer Rabbit]

header

I used copper rtv and that lasted till I cracked the throttle just a bit. I bought a set of fel pro 1400s that are gonna go on in the morning, but my buddy used a gasket made by Percys---he said it looks like "fur" and his car sounds great on his stock setup. He got his from Jegs. I got my 1400s from my engine builder---he wacked me for 22 bucks . They gotta be 10-14 bucks anywhere else. I will post back if I get it all done tomorrow.

 

[tom j]

So I should ditch the copper and go with 1400's

 

[neat]

I sell parts at a CAT equipment dealership. We have some manifold sealant designed for use on heavy equipment. It's rated up to 2000 degree's F and can seal gaps up to 1/4 of an inch. The mechanics use it when a manifold is warped, pitted, or otherwise fubar. Some of the machines run 30+ PSI of boost minutes at a stretch and we've never had this stuff let go. It is CAT part number 2P-2333 and sells for almost $100 a can.

If you legitimately can't get it to seal, go get some. Apply it as per the instructions on the can, and let it cure the full 48 hours like the instructions say. If it still leaks, nothing on this Earth will seal it short of the hand of God himself.

 

[Razor]

Careful.. read the note..

http://www.tpub.com/content/constructionrollers/TM-5-3895-383-24/css/TM-5-3895-383-24_393.htm

And looks like 10.00 bucks for a little bit..

http://www.miamitradenservices.com/Hydraulics.htm

Down the page under cat gasket sealer.. :wink:

Neat tip wonder how it works on a TR..

 

[neat]

If you leave it on the inside of the manifold it can harden, then break off and go through the turbo, that's what the warning is about.

2P-2333 is the P/N for a 16 Oz bottle, if you can actually get 16 Oz for $10, that would kick ass!

 

[Razor]

If you leave it on the inside of the manifold it can harden, then break off and go through the turbo, that's what the warning is about.

2P-2333 is the P/N for a 16 Oz bottle, if you can actually get 16 Oz for $10, that would kick ass!

10-4

I'll call Monday and experiment with the stuff

 

[tom j]

I am going to give the felpro 1400's a try, should I use the copper sealant or put them on dry (poston headers)?

 

[wbrophy]

I am going to give the felpro 1400's a try, should I use the copper sealant or put them on dry (poston headers)?

dry

 

[Clark6]

I just simply use the ORANGE rtv sealant, dont know what heat range it is but it works guy used it on his engines & my engine rebuild. NO LEAKS after you let it set. just put it on both sides clean it up a litttle and thats it i put the coppers on they leaked on one side.

 

[neat]

I just simply use the ORANGE rtv sealant, dont know what heat range it is but it works guy used it on his engines & my engine rebuild. NO LEAKS after you let it set. just put it on both sides clean it up a litttle and thats it i put the coppers on they leaked on one side.

The orange sealant is only good to about 650-700 degree's, just like it says on the tube.

Awhile back I put a thick glob, and then a thin smear on a steel plate and let it cure for a day or so. I took my infrared thermometer and measured the temp as I hit the back side of the plate with propane torch. At 700 degrees, the thin smear was the consistency of burnt paper. It flaked off with little agitation from a screw driver. The glob had a thin burnt paper style crust on it that crumbled as soon as I touchd it with the screw dtiver. The inside of the glob was the consistency of water. Once I broke that crust, the RTV ran out like water.

If your headers are sealed with just the orange RTV, I am pretty sure it has little or nothing to do with the RTV. At the temps the TR exhaust components see, the RTV is pretty much worthless.

 

[Clark6]

doesnt have rating on it heres a pic, i gave him the copper gaskets when i went to go get engine he gave them back i asked how did you mate the headers he said the sealer i said youre gonna have leaks everywhere he said he's done many hasnt had a leak yet so one day i had a header leak between the tubes on driver side took it off got it fixed put the coppers on he gave me , leaked , used the orange or red stuff, got it right the first time.
iVE tried to post a pic but wont let me or i havent figured it out yet but it says on the tube, high temp rtv silicone gasket maker 26B......... The tube is actually red with white letters no temp rating no where on the front or back surely its rated higher than 700 headers are the hottest thing on the car i figure somewhere around 1500deg. i may be wrong , if you email me i could send a pic and maybe you or some one could post it up for me. thanks.

 

[Brer Rabbit]

correction..

I used copper rtv and that lasted till I cracked the throttle just a bit. I bought a set of fel pro 1400s that are gonna go on in the morning, but my buddy used a gasket made by Percys---he said it looks like "fur" and his car sounds great on his stock setup. He got his from Jegs. I got my 1400s from my engine builder---he wacked me for 22 bucks . They gotta be 10-14 bucks anywhere else. I will post back if I get it all done tomorrow.

The leak I had was actually at the band clamp where the crossover feeds the passenger side header. The Copper RTV worked real well, there was no black carbon sneaking past on each port. But since I had it off I used the 1400 felpro gasket on that side WITHOUT SILICONE to answer the question. I also put a thin layer of copper RTV and let it dry over night on that leak I had at the crossover. It sounds quiet now. As long as u prep the surface with carb cleaner the RTV will work like a champ.

 

[Clark6]

doesnt have rating on it heres a pic, i gave him the copper gaskets when i went to go get engine he gave them back i asked how did you mate the headers he said the sealer i said youre gonna have leaks everywhere he said he's done many hasnt had a leak yet so one day i had a header leak between the tubes on driver side took it off got it fixed put the coppers on he gave me , leaked , used the orange or red stuff, got it right the first time.
iVE tried to post a pic but wont let me or i havent figured it out yet but it says on the tube, high temp rtv silicone gasket maker 26B......... The tube is actually red with white letters no temp rating no where on the front or back surely its rated higher than 700 headers are the hottest thing on the car i figure somewhere around 1500deg. i may be wrong , if you email me i could send a pic and maybe you or some one could post it up for me. thanks.

Here's the kind i use. i finally got it. It actually doesnt look like paper on mine the left over on mine looks like hard but rubbery bubble gum.

 

[tom j]

I tried the 1400's dry and no luck, has anybody tried the caterpillar sealant yet, or am I going to be the 1st one, if I go ahead and try this stuff should I use a gasket with it if so wich one , copper, 1400's, or no gasket