Exhaust Gaskets

[scotty2]

I was trying to buy some exhaust manifold to head gaskets for my SE and was a bit surprised at the quoted price, and the difference between the other type. Anyone got a good source for them ?

Will get back on the road soon..........

[njgsx96]

What price were you quoted? These are usually a little mroe expensive on most cars.

[scotty2]

The SE gasket was quoted as £20 and the similar looking but different one was about £4.

I'd expect a set for £20 !

[njgsx96]

I don't know what the Esprit one looks ike but usually these gaskets are multi-layered gaskets. This would account for the price, as long as it's design is what I think it is.

[Dr.Hess]

They are roughly triangular shaped to match the individual runners. 3 layers of thin stainless steel, probably around 28 ga each, maybe thinner. There is a raised ring pressed along the perimeter of them such that all the layers sort of stick together.

Dr.Hess
(back to pounding/hacking/grinding on stainless)

[deecee]

I woud suggest that the cheaper ones are made of Aluminum, whereas the more expensive are Stainless Steel.

I've used both types and can tell you that you'll get what you pay for.

[njgsx96]

Dr.Hess said:

They are roughly triangular shaped to match the individual runners. 3 layers of thin stainless steel, probably around 28 ga each, maybe thinner. There is a raised ring pressed along the perimeter of them such that all the layers sort of stick together.

That is what I imagined it to look like. Well worth the money. Don't skimp out on this part unless you enjoy torturing yourself with pulling and reinstalling the manifold again.

[Dr.Hess]

I wonder how a pure copper gasket would do. I have the CAD done on a 1 piece. All I have to do is source the copper and bring it to the water jet place. Probably only be $25 in water jet time. The 1/2" 304 stainless cuts pretty slow and you pay by the amount of time, so the flanges cost quite a bit to get cut, but they can blast through a piece of aluminum or 20ga steel in nothing flat. I imagine even a soft (pure) aluminum gasket, say about 3/16" thick might work if you annealed it between uses.

The company that makes copper head gaskets says they are reuseable if you anneal them.

Dr.Hess