Installing Headers, Need Gasket Advice

[ViperTony]

I'm installing a set of Borla headers along with my B&B exhaust and I'm having a problem with my header gaskets. The gaskets that came with the headers have round ports vs. the D ports found on the manifold and headers. (See pic below). They fit fine but I'm worried about blowing these out after a while and the fact that they don't match the D ports has me worried. They're not copper flanges. The stock flanges would work except for the fact that the gasket sticks out underneath the ports. On the stock headers the 'rail' ran across the bottom whereas it runs across the top of the Borla's. (See pic). My third option is to use the high temp copper gasket sealer until I can find a set of copper gaskets that fit these headers. I think Edelbrock flangers would work with these.

Which option would y'all recommend as a temporary solution until I can find decent gaskets?

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Thanks.
- Tony

 

[Mr Hemi Head]

From the picture the port mismatch is evident but the bolt holes don't match either.If you overlay the two gaskets do the holes match? Have you done a header test fit without the gasket?

The Borla gasket looks similar to Belangers. This type of gasket works fine IF the header bolt torque is checked several times after the install.

I would install the Borla gaskets and use a Dremmel tool to remove any excess gasket material from the ports.

I have tried the high temp silicone that is pictured in several exhaust applications and as long as there is no mechanical movement, to disturb the seal, the stuff works as advertised.

 

[plumcrazy]

would install the Borla gaskets and use a Dremmel tool to remove any excess gasket material from the ports.

I have tried the high temp silicone that is pictured in several exhaust applications and as long as there is no mechanical movement, to disturb the seal, the stuff works as advertised

I agreee !!!

 

[Jim Wilson]

I would use the stock gaskets.

 

[ViperJoe]

Most folks use the stock gaskets

 

[grcforce327]

I would smooth out some of those restrictive welds first!

 

[ViperTony]

I would smooth out some of those restrictive welds first!

Yeah...although they really don't look that bad. We'll see how long these last. I got these as a package deal but I will more than likely upgrade to Belangers next year. I'm going with the supplied gaskets for now and I will re-torque as needed.

Thanks.

 

[Camfab]

With all the constant dialogue about headers, this should be one of the key features displayed with a header purchase. The quality of the flange as well as alignment and gasket seal. Thanks for the picture, that's one header off my list. If your going to dremel that gasket, at the very least use a proper respirator. NOT a particulate mask.

 

[Joseph Dell]

The round gaskets look like those used on GenI's... the U-shaped are the Gen II's. not that this helps... but good luck!

 

[ViperTony]

Re: Installing Headers, Need Gasket Advice - Update

Well, I got the headers and exhaust installed. Borla long tube 3 piece headers with 1 5/8 primaries, 3" collector, 3" b&b high flow cats, 3" b&b cat back. Thanks to Chris for selling me his exhaust! WOW, What a nasty sound . Idle is just nasty and WOT sounds like all hell is breaking lose. Incredible. I definitely feel a difference and I will dyno the car soon and post results. I ended up modifying the supplied compressed fiber gaskets but I smell it burning and its nasty. I took the Dremel (thanks for the advice on the particle mask) and removed any access material that would've interfered with the header ports. PITA this was.

I've been looking for D-Port copper gaskets but I cannot find anything out there. SCE Gaskets has a copper D-port gasket for the SRT V10 RAM and supposedly it should fit the Borla headers. Anyone have these from SCE? Other than that, closet thing I can find is round port copper gaskets from Northwind. Someone recommended using the stock D-Port gaskets that came with the Viper but as you can see from my pic above the Borla headers have a different orientation than the stock gaskets. The gasket does line up with the header ports and bolt holes but the top (or bottom in this case) of the stock gasket would stick out underneath the headers.

I'll do a few more runs and if the smell doesn't go away I will probably go the RTV route until I can find copper gaskets that match. Anyway, I appreciate everyone's help on this and I'm very happy with the results.

- Tony