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Exhaust manifold/downpipe gasket

To: spitfires <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Subject: Exhaust manifold/downpipe gasket
From: Richard B Gosling <Gosling_Richard_B@perkins.com>
Date: 20 Sep 2000 05:29:45 -0500
A couple of months ago, fed up with replacing my manifold/downpipe gasket, I
 just decided to do away with it, and promised to let you all know how I got
 on.  And then never mentioned it again.

Well, it got through the MOT fine, they weren't bothered (not that I drew their
 attention to it...)

Then I started feeling that it was still noisier than it should be, and I was
 still getting popping and crackling when engine braking - which sounds quite
 cool, but does indicate that all is not as it should be.  Further
 investigation showed that the brass nuts (which should be the standard fit,
 and I had replaced brand new) had stripped their threads, so the downpipe
 wasn't clamped too firmly against the manifold.  So, I whipped those off, and
 replaced them with some rather good anti-vibration ones I had nabbed from work
 - not the ones with nylon in them (which might burn off), but with the end
 thread slightly too fine (or perhaps course) so it jams against the threads.

Hmm, bolts on nice and tight, still sounds just like before.  Yet further
 investigation (yesterday) showed that the nuts were indeed tight - against the
 ends of the threads on the studs, which didn't allow enough tightening to pull
 the joint tight.  Easy - just stick a couple of nice thick washers under each
 nut.  Now Daffy runs fine, as quiet as she ever was with the gasket in place,
 no popping or crackling (which I miss), no problems.  As long as these nuts
 don't strip their threads (shouldn't, work uses decent quality stuff), or come
 undone (shouldn't, being anti-vibration, and I used spring washers), this is a
 fine solution, and much better than replacing that b*%#$y gasket every couple
 of months!

So, my advice to anyone suffering another blown gasket - just get rid of it!

Richard and Daffy

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