Exhaust Pipe gasket at stock manifold

[quick60]

The gasket that came in the kit fits perfectly onto the pipe but it is so thick that it holds the pipe off the manifold so far I have to get like 4 inch bolts to cover the distance. I thought of cutting it in half with a recip. saw but wanted to post first.

The pipe fits in the manifold perfectly with no gasket and seals pretty good but I imagine it is leaking some, makes me think there no gasket required? or is there another gasket that is not so thick for this application? It is an L6 250 GMC

[quick60]

BTT

No one has any experience or comment on my gasket dilemma? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[bigdog57]

I am glad you brought this up. My exhaust came loose from my passanger side header. I just bolted it up without even thinking that it needed a gasket. I guess I need to locate one

[JimKshortstep4x4]

Someone has made the pipe with the bulge in it to act as a gasket. If you can make sure the pipe is straight with the manifold and you tighten the bolts equally it should work like it is. From the picture it looks like the bulge is well made.

Jim

[zeldman]

Look at the manifold. If my memories are still clear, it has a bevel going up into the manifold, then it takes a "doughnut" gasket that fits over the end of the pipe and then fits into the manifold. There should be a 2 or 3 hole flange that fits the studs. The pipe will not touch the manifold, and yes, the studs, not bolts will be about 4 inches.

[quick60]

Awsome thanks for the replies.

JimKshortstep4x4- Yes the pipe is well made. It is sleeved inside that area to so the inside of the pipe is smooth walled and reinforced. It fits perfecly inside the manifold and there was no gasket there when I got it. BUT the pipe was a little loose making me think there was maybe a small gasket there that fell apart.

zeldman- Yes the manifold is beveled inside kinda like a valve seat but the gaket is beveled on both sides and the flange on the exhaust side is more or less flat with a slight shoulder. When I put in the doughnut that came with the gasket it does not look natural at all. I will bolt it up and send a pic. The studs are gone they snapped off when I tried to take the nuts off. I had it helicoiled so now it takes bolts.

[chew652]

Mine was bolted up without the gasket and looked like your pipe. When I bought a new pipe I had the same problem you are having. A new stud kit from Autozone fixed things up.

[sKnNyPpY]

Had to do the same for my manifolds/exhaust on my 350. One was missing the donut but seemed to hold together. The other was hanging on one stud because the other two had rusted out and lost the nuts. I hear the brass nuts are the way to go because they don't rust.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...exhaust+flange

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-03113/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-03147/overview/