Remflex gaskets

chris tyler

New member
Sep 14, 2013
446
0
0
I will be needing to replace the gaskets on my coach at some point. It has dougs headers on it and has a leak. Not sure what gaskets are on there now.
Its not that bead yet but on the ever-expanding 'to do' list.

What I have found to work best on other applications is copper header gaskets with a thin film of cpper high temp silicone. Much talk on here about
the Remflex gaskets has convinced me to try them. However the first oppertunity will be on a 340 Cuda Im reviving

I take it no coatings needed on the Remflex gaskets? Planning on using studs for the 340. Prob a combination of studs and bolts on the Olds. I
remember som talk about not fully tightening the center bolt. Is that on headers, manifolds, or both?

If they work out I may use them on a chevy twin turbo engine I will be swapping out soon. It has canst iron turbo specific manifolds. Wondering if the
Remflex is the best choice on those, given the heat and pressure.

Hopefully Matt C will chime in
--
76 Glenbrook
 
I use them on the Motorhome and on a couple of other vehicles.

They are terrific!

Dolph Santorine

DE N8JPC

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 ex-Palm Beach TZE167V100820
1-ton, Sullybuilt Bags, Reaction Arms, 3.70 LSD, Manny Transmission, EV-6010,

>
> I will be needing to replace the gaskets on my coach at some point. It has dougs headers on it and has a leak. Not sure what gaskets are on there now.
> Its not that bead yet but on the ever-expanding 'to do' list.
>
> What I have found to work best on other applications is copper header gaskets with a thin film of cpper high temp silicone. Much talk on here about
> the Remflex gaskets has convinced me to try them. However the first oppertunity will be on a 340 Cuda Im reviving
>
> I take it no coatings needed on the Remflex gaskets? Planning on using studs for the 340. Prob a combination of studs and bolts on the Olds. I
> remember som talk about not fully tightening the center bolt. Is that on headers, manifolds, or both?
>
> If they work out I may use them on a chevy twin turbo engine I will be swapping out soon. It has canst iron turbo specific manifolds. Wondering if the
> Remflex is the best choice on those, given the heat and pressure.
>
> Hopefully Matt C will chime in
> --
> 76 Glenbrook
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Well, here I am.

Flexible Graphite is one of my favorite gasket materials. As Remflex does it, it has a great deal of compliance (if you have non-flat surfaces, it
has a sense of humor) and it has very low creep (when a material moves under load). But all that comes at a price of very little recovery and a
fragile material. Most are coated to prevent handling damage. It does usually have enough recovery to manage normal thermal expansions and other
expected movement. Another problem with graphite is that if you do develop a leak, it will just blow away along the leak path and it enlarge that
path rapidly.

Embossed Solid Copper is another good gasket material. Evidence that it was used in many places before the market price went through the roof in the
late 60's. Even with deep embossing, it will have trouble accommodating mating surfaces that a not at all flat. They do also have very low creep and
limited recovery, but the durability of the material is much higher than that of graphite. If there is a lot of thermal movement, they can out
perform a graphite part. If a small leak does develop, it will stay small for a long time.

Microseal does not matter much for an exhaust gasket, but a graphite gasket does very well there.

Copper gasket that don't need microseal need no coating. (This was why the Chrysler BB head gaskets had to be coated at assembly.) If you choose to
coat it, an anti-seize is the best answer, but the anti-seize I would choose (Fel-Pro C5a) may not be available any longer and it does contain lead
and will foul an O2 sensor. A nickel based anti-seize will do almost as well.

So, there it is in real terms for real situations. You still have to decide what you are going to do, but now you have some reason for your choice.

Be aware that when you are installing a graphite gasket made the Remflex does them, you will be crushing the material for several turns and the
torque/angle will have a very slow rise for a number of turns. This is not true of most materials and surely not of an embossed copper part. I would
expect those to come from contact to full tension (sort of like torque) in about a single turn. This requires that in either case, you pay attention
to what you are doing. (If your phone rings, put the wrench down.)

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
'73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
The comment on not tightening the center bolt refers to the OEM iron manifold. You can pull the top of the manifold towards the head and an exhaust
leak can develop along the bottom edge of the manifold. You need the even pressure on the four center bolts to clamp the gasket correctly.
Reflex is your friend, done properly.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG
 
I used Remflex on my last 340 car (Duster) with good results. Note that I had both the manifolds and heads surfaced before assembly, I probably could
of used copper with the same results. It was an automatic car, Mopar Performance advised saving the price of headers, they said the supplied
manifolds would breathe as well up to 5K or so, which is about as fast as you want to spin the TorqueFlite anyway. They worked well, the little car
went like stink - my first LA car.
Miguel fitted Remflex to the leaky side of my 26', I still have one on hand should the other side need it at some point in the future. He left the
center bolt out and it seems to work fine.

--johnny
--
'76 23' transmode Norris upfit, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.

"Sometimes I wonder what tomorrow's gonna bring when I think about my dirty life and times" --Warren Zevon
 
I have Remflex gaskets on Thorley headers, and I installed them some years
ago. No leaks yet. The center bolt doesn't need to be structurally tight,
but I installed them on my coach. Headers are lighter than manifolds and
much more flexible under thermal load, so they tend to flex instead of
fighting back--one of their key advantages.

With cast manifolds, I would probably prefer copper gaskets--their chief
advantage is efficient thermal transfer so that the cylinder head and
manifold don't have a big jump in temperature at the gasket interface. I
think that's why they were originally installed without a gasket. But
that's not so much of a concern with headers.

With Remflex gaskets, follow the torquing instructions carefully (as Matt
cautions).

Rick "suspecting the graphite is a better thermal conductor that the old
crushable asbestos gaskets" Denney

On Thursday, November 17, 2016, Chris Tyler
wrote:

> I will be needing to replace the gaskets on my coach at some point. It has
> dougs headers on it and has a leak. Not sure what gaskets are on there now.
> Its not that bead yet but on the ever-expanding 'to do' list.
>
> What I have found to work best on other applications is copper header
> gaskets with a thin film of cpper high temp silicone. Much talk on here
> about
> the Remflex gaskets has convinced me to try them. However the first
> oppertunity will be on a 340 Cuda Im reviving
>
> I take it no coatings needed on the Remflex gaskets? Planning on using
> studs for the 340. Prob a combination of studs and bolts on the Olds. I
> remember som talk about not fully tightening the center bolt. Is that on
> headers, manifolds, or both?
>
> If they work out I may use them on a chevy twin turbo engine I will be
> swapping out soon. It has canst iron turbo specific manifolds. Wondering if
> the
> Remflex is the best choice on those, given the heat and pressure.
>
> Hopefully Matt C will chime in
> --
> 76 Glenbrook
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
'73 230 "Jaws"
Northern Virginia
 
There are two design when it comes to Copper gaskets.
The embossed ones work well on Manifolds, but does not work on Hedders as
the the ports are not precision so the embossed sect does not match the
opening majority of the time. We carry both as it gives you a choice.

> I have Remflex gaskets on Thorley headers, and I installed them some years
> ago. No leaks yet. The center bolt doesn't need to be structurally tight,
> but I installed them on my coach. Headers are lighter than manifolds and
> much more flexible under thermal load, so they tend to flex instead of
> fighting back--one of their key advantages.
>
> With cast manifolds, I would probably prefer copper gaskets--their chief
> advantage is efficient thermal transfer so that the cylinder head and
> manifold don't have a big jump in temperature at the gasket interface. I
> think that's why they were originally installed without a gasket. But
> that's not so much of a concern with headers.
>
> With Remflex gaskets, follow the torquing instructions carefully (as Matt
> cautions).
>
> Rick "suspecting the graphite is a better thermal conductor that the old
> crushable asbestos gaskets" Denney
>
> On Thursday, November 17, 2016, Chris Tyler

>
> > I will be needing to replace the gaskets on my coach at some point. It
> has
> > dougs headers on it and has a leak. Not sure what gaskets are on there
> now.
> > Its not that bead yet but on the ever-expanding 'to do' list.
> >
> > What I have found to work best on other applications is copper header
> > gaskets with a thin film of cpper high temp silicone. Much talk on here
> > about
> > the Remflex gaskets has convinced me to try them. However the first
> > oppertunity will be on a 340 Cuda Im reviving
> >
> > I take it no coatings needed on the Remflex gaskets? Planning on using
> > studs for the 340. Prob a combination of studs and bolts on the Olds. I
> > remember som talk about not fully tightening the center bolt. Is that on
> > headers, manifolds, or both?
> >
> > If they work out I may use them on a chevy twin turbo engine I will be
> > swapping out soon. It has canst iron turbo specific manifolds. Wondering
> if
> > the
> > Remflex is the best choice on those, given the heat and pressure.
> >
> > Hopefully Matt C will chime in
> > --
> > 76 Glenbrook
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
>
>
> --
> '73 230 "Jaws"
> Northern Virginia
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
 
The key to using Remflex gaskets is to NOT over-torque them. They
state the torque specifications on the package. Naturally I had to
learn this one the hard way.

> There are two design when it comes to Copper gaskets.
> The embossed ones work well on Manifolds, but does not work on Hedders as
> the the ports are not precision so the embossed sect does not match the
> opening majority of the time. We carry both as it gives you a choice.
>
>

>
>> I have Remflex gaskets on Thorley headers, and I installed them some years
>> ago. No leaks yet. The center bolt doesn't need to be structurally tight,
>> but I installed them on my coach. Headers are lighter than manifolds and
>> much more flexible under thermal load, so they tend to flex instead of
>> fighting back--one of their key advantages.
>>
>> With cast manifolds, I would probably prefer copper gaskets--their chief
>> advantage is efficient thermal transfer so that the cylinder head and
>> manifold don't have a big jump in temperature at the gasket interface. I
>> think that's why they were originally installed without a gasket. But
>> that's not so much of a concern with headers.
>>
>> With Remflex gaskets, follow the torquing instructions carefully (as Matt
>> cautions).
>>
>> Rick "suspecting the graphite is a better thermal conductor that the old
>> crushable asbestos gaskets" Denney
>>
>> On Thursday, November 17, 2016, Chris Tyler

>>
>> > I will be needing to replace the gaskets on my coach at some point. It
>> has
>> > dougs headers on it and has a leak. Not sure what gaskets are on there
>> now.
>> > Its not that bead yet but on the ever-expanding 'to do' list.
>> >
>> > What I have found to work best on other applications is copper header
>> > gaskets with a thin film of cpper high temp silicone. Much talk on here
>> > about
>> > the Remflex gaskets has convinced me to try them. However the first
>> > oppertunity will be on a 340 Cuda Im reviving
>> >
>> > I take it no coatings needed on the Remflex gaskets? Planning on using
>> > studs for the 340. Prob a combination of studs and bolts on the Olds. I
>> > remember som talk about not fully tightening the center bolt. Is that on
>> > headers, manifolds, or both?
>> >
>> > If they work out I may use them on a chevy twin turbo engine I will be
>> > swapping out soon. It has canst iron turbo specific manifolds. Wondering
>> if
>> > the
>> > Remflex is the best choice on those, given the heat and pressure.
>> >
>> > Hopefully Matt C will chime in
>> > --
>> > 76 Glenbrook
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > GMCnet mailing list
>> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> '73 230 "Jaws"
>> Northern Virginia
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
> jimk
> http://www.appliedgmc.com
> 1-800-752-7502
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

--
Ray Erspamer
78 Royale - "The Great Lakes Eagle"
Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
Email: 78GMCRoyale
414-484-9431
Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/