Flathead Manifold Gaskets

[Bob Schuman]

Have any of you used Remflex brand manifold gaskets on a flathead V-8 and can share experience? My 40 LaSalle has developed an exhaust manifold gasket leak a year after assembling with copper clad gaskets that I thought were the best. Remflex website touts their gaskets as being superior, and able to seal small surface irregularities. I'm hoping my next regasketing will be a permanent fix for the problem.

Bob Schuman,CLC#254

[Doug Houston]

I've reassembled several engines over the years with the regular copper clad gaskets with no problems, other than once when a small flag of the old gasket had stuck to the exhaust manifold, and one other time, when there was (is) a minute vacum leak, which has burned a valve, just enough to need another valve regrind. Other than that, I've had no problems with the regular gaskets. On the second case, I think that if I were to remove the manifold, there will be some other  bit of something that I missed when reassembling.

I was (am) the blame when the gaskets didn't work properly. 

[harvey b]

Hi Bolb, not sure if this is relavent or not,but on my 37 manifolds when we were installing them we seen a couple of small hairline cracks on the base,around the port holes?,my manifolds were not pocelenized anymore so i ground out a little bit of the crack and used a mig welder to weld them and they have held up for the last 3 years,i had my manifolds off the other day and the welds are still intact.When i put mine on i did no special things,just dropped them in and tightened them up and have never had a leak or anything like that,have you checked to see if they are tight,not just the stud nuts that are tight?.HTH Harvey Bowness. 

Harvey Bowness
Frenchfort,P.E.I.
Canada

[Classic]

Exhaust manifolds can warp.  My '37 crossover pipe flanges were warped after it came back from being porcelainized and had to be ground flat.  '60's Lincolns are notorious for warped manifolds.  Suggest you have a machine shop check all the flange surfaces for flatness the next time you have the manifolds off.

Gene

[Bob Schuman]

Thanks to all for your comments and advice. Since nobody replied about the Remflex gaskets, I'm not going to experiment. I will stay with the copper-clad fiber gaskets made by Best Gasket Co., and will be more careful then in the past to inspect and measure all mating surfaces, and to resurface any that are in doubt.
Bob Schuman,CLC#254

[Coupe]

I have no experience with Remflex gaskets and a flat head. I had good results when I used their exhaust gaskets on my '62 when I could not get one of the exhaust manifolds to seal.