Big argument in the garage tonight, Diamond Dave the New Brunswick Nuisance insists that all stock GM engines came with exhaust manifold gaskets and that they should be used every time that the manifolds come off or on a rebuild. WE were focusing on my L48 in the corner of the garage, a small block 350.
Big Ray says he's never seen them on any original small block he tore down and he has never used them when replacing a stock manifold with stock. Headers is a completely different animal but we are talking about stock manifolds here.
Big argument in the garage tonight, Diamond Dave the New Brunswick Nuisance insists that all stock GM engines came with exhaust manifold gaskets and that they should be used every time that the manifolds come off or on a rebuild. WE were focusing on my L48 in the corner of the garage, a small block 350.
Big Ray says he's never seen them on any original small block he tore down and he has never used them when replacing a stock manifold with stock. Headers is a completely different animal but we are talking about stock manifolds here.
Let's hear from you boys and girls.
......never seen them on a factory stock small block. Toured Flint engine assembly plant and no gaskets between exhaust manifolds
and the head. Most rebuild kits include gaskets for the purpose of sealing up warped surfaces from high mileage cars
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......big block, 4 speed, bench seat, it doesn't get much better
Chevy never installed them on a carbureted small block, same goes for big block. Bjburnout and Beaumontguru have summed it up perfectly, although I never even use a high temp silicone when I have a manifold off, just metal on metal. Never ever had an issue with one yet. We started seeing them on the 366 and 427 trucks when they went to fuel injection though.
Best way to make a Chevy manifold leak is to install a gasket in it, just like Dave says!
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I think the perception that exhaust manifold gaskets are necessary comes from all the people who run headers (and chase down exhaust leaks until they have been retorqued numerous times). Stock manifolds, no gaskets.
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
Yes, the 4.8 and 5.3 have an issue with that. We usually replace the manifolds. We use jobber manifolds and they have been fine. However, we only use GM manifold gaskets because we've had issues with the aftermarket gaskets. What gasket are you using Kevin?
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Yes, the 4.8 and 5.3 have an issue with that. We usually replace the manifolds. We use jobber manifolds and they have been fine. However, we only use GM manifold gaskets because we've had issues with the aftermarket gaskets. What gasket are you using Kevin?
I just asked for their best at A&A auto parts. I did not replace manifolds.They do seal up soon as they get hot
