Thread: Earl's Exhaust Gaskets

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With Earl's Exhaust Gaskets, Earl's Performance 29D03AERL - Earl's Performance Pressure Master Header Seals - Overview - SummitRacing.com, the inserts can be replaced for about 60% of the cost of the gasket price ($18). For those who have used them, do the inserts need to be replaced if the headers are removed, or can they be re-torqued a few times? Is it more prudent to replace the inserts?

I have had the same set of inserts in place for 7 years and never replaced them...although my headers have only been off a time or two. Another guy here has them on a 400 small block and has had them off at least 10 times and even changed heads without changing inserts. I figure you just wait until they start leaking to replace them.

mike

I've had one side or the other off several times and 7 of the inserts look pretty good. One is a bit distorted but still doesn't leak - so maybe next time, or the time after or .... eventually

Torque?? Headers??? Tighten the bolts till they squeak then another half turn

I have the Split Bolt fasteners - those that cause the threaded end to expand when you snug down the insert. I have forgotten the torque figure off hand, but it is less then a solid ARP header bolt. They were the smallest diameter bolts (12 point) I could find that would work with the Sanderson Headers for the GT40P heads

Thanks guys! I got the headers pulled, and the seals all looked great, but one has some slimy black around it which I think is liquified graphite showing that it had been leaking a bit. Found & fixed the cause for that and remembered that when Summit sent my original set of Earl's gaskets two of the seals were smashed, so they replaced the whole gasket set. I pulled one seal from that set and replaced the one leaker. Should be good to go.

I would reccommend that you get a set or two of the replacement seal for those gaskets and set them back. The day might come when earls makes a decision of continuing to make the gaskets or just concentrate on the plumbing fittings - sales are not what they used to be, if you know what i mean.

Originally Posted by ojh

I would reccommend that you get a set or two of the replacement seal for those gaskets and set them back. The day might come when earls makes a decision of continuing to make the gaskets or just concentrate on the plumbing fittings - sales are not what they used to be, if you know what i mean.

That's probably the best advice I've seen lately. Great idea.