Running with no header gasket?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Running with no header gasket? So I've had this progressive problem with misfiring and ticking in my 94 formula.
I finally got a chance to look at my car today and discovered that all it was was a header bolt that was loose and had backed out about 1/4". Well I tightened it and it was still ticking really bad so I pulled all the bolts and the gasket, and the gasket was FUBAR'd around the center two cylinders where the leak was.
Problem is though I cant get my new felpro gasket in cause I cant get the header far enough away from the head(hooker LT's). So basically I put it back together with no gasket and to make a long story short it runs like a champ now.
I have a slight tick still and it hesitates a little tiny bit off idle but it is way improved. I'm going to try and tighten the bolts a little more and see what happens.
Anyone see anything wrong with running my car like this? Can I put some high temp rtv around the header to help seal it?
I finally got a chance to look at my car today and discovered that all it was was a header bolt that was loose and had backed out about 1/4". Well I tightened it and it was still ticking really bad so I pulled all the bolts and the gasket, and the gasket was FUBAR'd around the center two cylinders where the leak was.
Problem is though I cant get my new felpro gasket in cause I cant get the header far enough away from the head(hooker LT's). So basically I put it back together with no gasket and to make a long story short it runs like a champ now.
I have a slight tick still and it hesitates a little tiny bit off idle but it is way improved. I'm going to try and tighten the bolts a little more and see what happens.
Anyone see anything wrong with running my car like this? Can I put some high temp rtv around the header to help seal it?
that is an old dirt track racers trick....the motor arent in the car for very long...so thats a temp fix ONLY. If GM didnt think that a gasket was NEEDED there, there wouldnt be one there.
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 325
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From: I moved to over there
RTV is NOT a replacement for a gasket. RTV has many purposes and is a great sealent in its environment--this is NOT one of it's intended uses.
Fix it or you will soon have a bigger problem. A few reasons why I say you will have a bigger problems are:
What happens after you WOT, and let off the throttle? Can cold air flow between the header and head? Do you know what happens to an engine without an exhaust manifold?
