exhaust manifold gasket

I bought a MR Gasket set from the U.S. and it comes with white exhaust manifold gaskets. I'm sure there is a right way of installing them, they have "mr Gasket" writing on one side. Does this go toward the head or manifold? Never struck these before, only the perforated metal type.

 

If you have cast iron manifolds, do not use gaskets. If you have headers, you do need gaskets, the white ones are not very good but will work if you keep the bolts tight. It does not matter which way you install them.

 

I'm using cast manifolds, they are straight but I don't like my chances of getting a gas tight seal without at least using some exhust "goop" on the joint. Maybe I'll just dig up a pair of the metal type (they look better too).

 

Yea, probably better off with the metal ones for your application.

 

As long as both surfaces are flat, they should be fine. Detroit built millions of V8 engines without exhaust manifold gaskets.

 

There is no place in the automotive world to use.."exhaust goop"

All it does is make an ugly mess and make it harder to fix the problem correctly so that it does not return. Use a straight edge to check the surface. If it warped or scored from years of leaking, take the manifolds to a machine shop and have them surfaced. A good machine shop will have a large bench top belt sander just for this purpose. Not an expensive job. Chrysler manifolds were famous for warping. A quick run to the machine shop and they were fixed for the next 20 years.

Just say no to muffler cement....goop

 

Let me get this strait. My 85 Chevy stepside just blew an exhaust gasket. Your saying I'd be better off just removing the gaskets cleaning the surfaces and bolting them back on with no gaskets.

 

yep.

 

If it has cast manifolds, the gaskets weren't there when the thing was built, they were added later by someone working on it. The gasket sets come with manifold gaskets, but Chevy didn't use them.

The manifolds move around as they heat and cool, that's why they have lock tabs on the bolts. And adding gaskets prevents the manifolds from being cooled properly, it insulates them from the heads, and makes them more likely to over heat and warp or burn.