Which way to orient exhaust gasket on head?

[Sir Sam]

I'm installing new gaskets onto the head exhaust outlet. One side looks somewhat papery, and the other side is metal. Which side should go where?

TIA
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'91 Carat Westy

87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon

[syncrodoka]

Metal to head.

[1vw4x4]

[Sir Sam]

[insyncro]

Just one of the reasons my installed exhaust systems seem to last longer and stay quiet is that I use high quality gaskets.
Those with the paper on one side I double up.

Here are two that I recommend, if you can still find them:

Ordered from the VW dealer, not a vendor and just a couple of bucks each.
Worth every penny if you ask me.

The ones shown on the bottom with the perforation are really good when a Loctite 2400 degree flange sealant is used.
Those perfs help adhesion big time and stay sealed for years of heat cycling.

No need for sealant with the upper gaskets with the crush bands, they are the bomb

In a pinch, when using the paper ones.
Double them up with the paper side to paper side.
Use a little sealant on the paper.
This way, metal to metal on both sides and they will last longer that way.

Do not over torque any exhaust gaskets or they will fail very quickly.

Hope this helps.

[djkeev]

Good info! ^^^^^^

These exhaust are A PITA to remove! Put on quality gaskets the first time along with BRASS OR COPPER nuts!!!!!

Do not, Do Not, DO NOT use steel nuts.....!!!!!!!

Available at better parts stores and almost any German Auto Dealer Parts department.......

Dave
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[insyncro]

Good advice about nuts for sure.

Bus Depot sells a bag of 100 copper IIRC for a decent price.

Mc Master Carr has solid copper ones, not plated.

[Sir Sam]

I think I have spares of the exhaust gaskets so I certainly could double up. What sealant did you use between the two sides?

The gaskets are what came with my complete engine gasket set, but I also have a complete exhaust gasket set from Van-Cafe. Both appear the same, so I could double up for the metal sides to face out.
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'91 Carat Westy

87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon

[insyncro]

I have made reference to "high heat flange sealant" for years now.
It is a Loctite product I found that is used to mate sections of cast iron steam fittings.
The item numbers have changed over the years so what I have is NLA.
It is only found in large tubes and they are $50+ a pop so most opt for RED RTV from an auto parts store.

Loctite, 3M, Henkles, Wurth...all make something similar, but since it is for industrial use, the products only come in large quantities.

The next time I need more, not soon, I will try to find a smaller size for smaller jobs.
A search for flange sealant will produce a ton of products, narrow the amount by adding 2400 degree and see what pops up.
That is what I did years ago.

Whatever you use, use it sparingly.
For all sealants I recommend putting small amounts on each surface, spread it out as evenly as possible, put the two pieces together and pull them right apart making stringy peaks.
Let them sit for 10 minutes.
Than assemble and torque to spec.

[syncrodoka]

Hylomar EAP5 is what I have been playing with recently on my son's exhaust. It is good for ~1300 defrees IIRC.
It hasn't been on the street yet so I can't say how it will do in the long run but it comes in smaller toothpaste type tubes in addition to the larger caulking gun sizes.

[insyncro]

Thanks Mario.
That is a much better option than FLAPs RTV and I look forward to hearing how well it holds up.

I will order in a tube and give it shot as well.

Always interested in new goop to play with at the shop

[IdahoDoug]

Since we're yakking about exhaust sealants, I recently tried a NAPA exhaust sealant intended to seal exhaust flanges that don't mate correctly. After discovering the exhaust you just bought is crapola, you get this stuff and smear a bit of it upstream of the leaking connection and then reassemble. Start the car, and the hot air thins the product and it flows an inch or two, and goes out the crack and seals it.

My gap was considerable - about the thickness of half a dime in its center and tapering shut. A flange not well made at the factory on the cast iron elbow end of the 1-3 cylinder manifold. For me, it probably stopped about 75% of the leak. I followed the directions, and installed a new quality metal/paper gasket as well. Interestingly, when I got another exhaust manifold, it also had a similar alignment flaw in the flange. Happily, I noticed it before tightening things down and removed it to have a machine shop machine it flat.

At any rate, I think the product would have worked on a narrower or smaller defect. It formed into a hard black glossy final product that was not a problem to remove. I don't recommend it simply because the time it takes to use is so close to doing the right thing - machining the poor mating surface flat. After all, you have to open up the exhaust system to smear it inside the pipe, so by the time you've dealt with that nightmare, you may as well do it right.

So now that I realize it, there is no point to this review whatsoever!!

DougM
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[insyncro]

An 80 grit roloc disc on a 90 degree die grinder or good old belt sander will help flatten flanges a bit on those Y pipes.
I just eyeball them to as close to a flat surface as possible...than the sealants will work.

BTW the GW stainless replacement for that part is sweet.