Exhaust manifold gasket - do you run them?

[fordsucks!]

Exhaust manifold sprung a leak. Took it to a shop and they recommend taking the exhaust manifold off, putting it on a belt sander to shave it flat and then running it with no gasket. He said no gasket, no leaks. Does that sound right?

Edit: He also mentioned that I have soft bolts holding my manifold on, he would replace with hardened bolts.

Someone else told me to just loosen up the manifold and put a drop-down gasket... I went to AutoZone and the worker told me that the drop-down gaskets are not the best. I'm not trying to break the bank, wondering if I should try the AutoZone gasket or pay the shop 150 to shave the manifold?

 

[79rustyk10]

Exhaust manifold sprung a leak. Took it to a shop and they recommend taking the exhaust manifold off, putting it on a belt sander to shave it flat and then running it with no gasket. He said no gasket, no leaks. Does that sound right?

Edit: He also mentioned that I have soft bolts holding my manifold on, he would replace with hardened bolts.

Someone else told me to just loosen up the manifold and put a drop-down gasket... I went to AutoZone and the worker told me that the drop-down gaskets are not the best. I'm not trying to break the bank, wondering if I should try the AutoZone gasket or pay the shop 150 to shave the manifold?

Get the correct bolts, and get the cheap metal FelPro manifold gaskets. Cut out the gasket below the bolt holes, so you can start all the manifold bolts, then slide the gasket in from behind.

 

[sweetk30]

Get the correct bolts, and get the cheap metal FelPro manifold gaskets. Cut out the gasket below the bolt holes, so you can start all the manifold bolts, then slide the gasket in from behind.

X2

 

[Bent77]

I only run gaskets on Aluminum heads

All cast iron I have been using no gasket for decades

 

[beags86]

I only run gaskets on Aluminum heads

All cast iron I have been using no gasket for decades

Tried it. Never been lucky not hearing a tick or too.

 

[diesel4me]

Never used exhaust manifold gaskets on cast iron stock manifolds..
Just make sure they are flat,not warped,shave them on a surface planer if need be,then bolt them on without gaskets..GM didn't use any,why should I ?..every time I used gaskets they blew out and leaked..

I used grade 5 bolts--the stock ones worked best,they are not a standard length bolt,if you use hardware store bolts you'll have to use washers so they wont bottom out before clamping the manifold tight to the heads..
Anything harder than grade 5 will be hell to drill out later should one break..nearly every time I have replaced a manifold I had to re-torque the bolts after a few rides,they do stretch,and that is when the gaskets will blow if you used any..

 

[Fastereddie]

The Sanderson headers I have say no gasket.
I put a coat of permatex Indian head shellac on both surfaces.

 

[diesel4me]

That stuff will just burn off in 2 minutes!..
I like Indian Head Gasket Shellac but that isn't one place I'd use it..

High Temp orange silicone RTV will sometimes hold up at the manifold to head area,but that also usually ends up blowing out sooner than later..

One friend with a motor home with a 440 Mopar that constantly blew exhaust manifold gaskets tried using muffler putty, and furnace cement,and a firebrick/mortar sealer for fireplaces in a caulking gun tube on the manifolds and said the fireplace stuff held up longer than any other sealer or gaskets he tried..trouble with all those things is they dry hard and crumble,not flexible enough..

 

[urbex]

I run Remflex and Stage 8 locking bolts on everything now, and haven't had an issue since....even after repeatedly taking the headers off for various reasons.

 

[nvrenuf]

Permatex Ultra Black only per Sanderson Headers, no leaks.