Manifold Gaskets- sucking and eating them- any advice?

[H67bug]

Does anyone else come across stories of manifold gaskets being "sucked" in?

I have never had it but a few of the club guys are having the problem with heavily worked manifolds. Basically the gasket is very thin in the middle and this tears/ breaks. The remedy is to keep removing the engine and replacing the gasket every 1000 miles or so which is a pain.

Is this a common problem we need to learn to live with or is there some good advice out there? Is the only answer to build up the manifolds again and have less radical porting?

Many thanks

H

[BeetleBug]

Yes, that`s why I don`t use paper gaskets between the head and the manifold. Locktite blue flange silicone does the job a lot better.

Best rgs
BB

[Bobby Welker]

you could try the loctite 515 really works try not to get to heavy with it.  Stole this idea from my  buddy Mike Lawless.     

[Bruce]

The VW industry uses crappy gasket material that doesn't stand up.
You can buy a rectangular sheet of gasket material from Mr. Gasket that stands up waaaaaayyy better than anything the VW stockist has.

[Neil Davies]

The VW industry uses crappy gasket material that doesn't stand up.
You can buy a rectangular sheet of gasket material from Mr. Gasket that stands up waaaaaayyy better than anything the VW stockist has.

I've used this too - it's much thinner and so is less likely to suck, as the middle piece is wider than it is tall - it can't "roll over".

[Jason Foster]

you could try the loctite 515 really works try not to get to heavy with it.  Stole this idea from my  buddy Mike Lawless.     

  Same here.  quit using gaskets over a year ago. 

[j-dub]

Can you go into a bit more depth on using locktite 515? I remember this being sort of runny. Do you reapply each time you remove the intake manifolds? Do you have to clean the surface up before you reapply or just reapply over the old stuff?
Lastly is this more of a drag race thing or something that will hold up for a street car?

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

[Lids]

i used some grey porsche sealant.

[Harry/FDK]

i used some grey porsche sealant.

Dirko ?

[Type1/DVK]

make a mould, laser them from copper 

[Harry/FDK]

make a mould, laser them from copper 

IF you have the buddy's...

[Jim Ratto]

not sure where they get their material, but bought a big stack of Berg gaskets 10-12 years ago, and it's still a big stack. I almost never change them. I do apply a dab or grease to both sides every time I have carbs off. Only time I've changed them is when I changed heads in 2007 and then again in July 2008.

[Harry/FDK]

Same here, i grease them very well and they DO come off easy. But with silicone, life would be easy (er). Just don't know about the middle section. Sometimes i'll leave them overnight to suck up the grease. Same with airfilter base-gaskets for IDF's.

[Bobby Welker]

First the obvious see if the manifold is flat.  Clean the manifold, and the head really well.  Apply a thin coat make sure not to run it  inside  the manifold, or head.  Put together and tighten   up I personally snug them, wait a few minutes and tighten a little bit more.   Trust me i tried to pull the manifold after  the next day, and to my surprise had to take a rubber mallet to it, to separate them.   

[Fiatdude]

I've always used plain clear silicon and found it worked very well -- -- intakes as well as exhausts N/A and Turbo -- -- also I use to use a small steel insert pressed into the manifold where the bolts go through (looks like a small piece of tubing) with all the weight of the carbs and manifolds this helped stop a lot of the movement which increased gasket life -- -- Think the last set of these I got from AJ Sims.

[clark2334]

When i got manifold gasket problem i ended up buying new head gasket set which already includes 2 cylinder head gaskets, 2 valve cover gaskets, 2 intake manifold gaskets, 2 exhaust manifold gaskets, 2 exhaust pipe gaskets, 5 soft gaskets, 24 valve stem seals, 14 rubber seals, 2 oil seals, 6 spark plug seals, and 1 upper intake manifold. 

[Kaferdog]

Loctite 515...!!!...When using this how much is too heavy...? I mean how much do you use when using it ...?..I would like to try this !

[BeetleBug]

Loctite 515...!!!...When using this how much is too heavy...? I mean how much do you use when using it ...?..I would like to try this !

When you ruin your time consuming match port job you have used to much.

[K-Roc]

Hi Guys I just wanted to mention that if you like the Loctite flange sealants, also add this primer to your tool box, it has copper solids mixed into a solvent that you apply to the surface before you add the flange sealant. It makes the loctite activate and cure much better thus allowing to fill larger gaps and irregularites, Definately worth looking in to.