deja Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 My limited experience with headers is that they will eventually leak. My new Sanderson headers claim you don't need a gasket at all but to install them with high temp RTV. Has anyone done this, does it work reliably and would you recommend using gaskets anyway? If gaskets are your choice which type of gaskets do you recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8_DatZun Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I wouldnt' trust sanderson headers on THAT claim for SH*T! The set of Sandersons i ordered from JTR were by FAR the WORSE set of headers i have EVER ordered. I paid twice as much for them as an elcheapo ebay kinda and the ebay was better quality. They didnt clean them up for me at all.. still had metal shavings in them, burrs on the welds inside the flange, and the weld looked like SH*T. I'm highly upset with them considering i had to wait 1 1/2 months on them also. hell they should've been coated with PLATINUM and FLAWLESS for the time they took. Sorry for the rant, but i wouldnt trust that claim. I'd get felpro header gaskets that have the hook holes. if they blow you unbolt the header a little slide the gasket up.. slide a new one in. the holes are cut in half so they just slide down into place instead of taking the header all the way off... hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I would not run those headers without gaskets. While I don't have the part number in front of me, I recommend Felpro, which you can get at Advance/AutoZone. I think the last set I used for block huggers was part number 1404. I'll find the part number when I get home. Which sandersons do you have? Are the D-shaped or not? I also recommend stage 8 locking header bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnjdragracing Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 You can use the hi temp red permitex, we used to that when we ran the Stahl headers on the other Z car. It worked okay, but we do use the header gaskets now on the regular super comp hooker headers we run now. We run three sets on each side to give us extra clearence because of the angle spark plugs. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 I would not run those headers without gaskets. While I don't have the part number in front of me, I recommend Felpro, which you can get at Advance/AutoZone. I think the last set I used for block huggers was part number 1404. I'll find the part number when I get home. Which sandersons do you have? Are the D-shaped or not? I also recommend stage 8 locking header bolts. "D" port angle plug black huggers. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Yikes, tell us how you really feel, LOL. The quailty of these looks great and I got them in a week from JTR. But I have my doubts on the RTV too. Thanks for the felpro tip. I wouldnt' trust sanderson headers on THAT claim for SH*T! The set of Sandersons i ordered from JTR were by FAR the WORSE set of headers i have EVER ordered. I paid twice as much for them as an elcheapo ebay kinda and the ebay was better quality. They didnt clean them up for me at all.. still had metal shavings in them, burrs on the welds inside the flange, and the weld looked like SH*T. I'm highly upset with them considering i had to wait 1 1/2 months on them also. hell they should've been coated with PLATINUM and FLAWLESS for the time they took. Sorry for the rant, but i wouldnt trust that claim. I'd get felpro header gaskets that have the hook holes. if they blow you unbolt the header a little slide the gasket up.. slide a new one in. the holes are cut in half so they just slide down into place instead of taking the header all the way off... hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1noel Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Ok, I had my doubts, but I tried it. Used the high temp rtv, torqued them. Probably only about 400 miles so far, but no leaks. Oh and the Sanderson's I got are really, really nice. Clean beautiful welds. Just my 2 cents worth. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Thanks, maybe I'll give it a shot. These are so easy to put on and take off, not like other headers I've had. And mine are really nice too. Ok, I had my doubts, but I tried it. Used the high temp rtv, torqued them. Probably only about 400 miles so far, but no leaks. Oh and the Sanderson's I got are really, really nice. Clean beautiful welds. Just my 2 cents worth.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 "D" port angle plug black huggers. thanks Part number is 1406 for D ports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Thanks, I found the 1406 at Summit and the locking bolts too. Those bolts are expensive, LOL. Advanced deosn't have them listed on their on-line site but that doesn't nean much as to what they have at the stores. Part number is 1406 for D ports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I must agree that my sanderson headers were very well made. I had ebay cheapo headers that I modified for the ZX. I finally broke down and bought the headers from JTR and I have been very happy with them. I have had no sealing problems for close to 9 months and I move a bit of air through them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSflyer Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 The guy who built my headers builds the prototypes for new Corvettes and Vipers for the proving grounds outside of Phoenix, and he used Permatex on all the downstream connections. You can see just a bit in the joints. I don't know if he did the same with the header to block junction because the seam is so tight. I wonder how Permatex would stand up to the compression right at the inlet to the header... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I have some Sanderson block headers I bought from Z-fan years ago, and they look incredibly well made. No complaints here. Also, anything I bought from JTR has been top notch. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbc3 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I run the 1406 Felpro gaskets. Jody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz8 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I have the Sandersons and they are well made, I used the high temp silicon they recommend and have had Zero problems. You need to go over the mounting bolts after the engine has been up to temperature. I checked the bolts a couple of times after a few hundrend miles and could not find anything loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I've been using the silicone trick for years now. I use the regular black automotive silicone, and put it on both sides of a header gasket, and sandwich it between the header and head. I never have a leak, and the regular silicone takes the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Sanderson is saying not to use anything but the high temp RTV. I have decided to go with Earl's gaskets, highly recommended by a couple of buddies. Expensive but they say they have never had a leak with these. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=EAR%2D29DA3BERL&N=700+115&autoview=sku I've been using the silicone trick for years now. I use the regular black automotive silicone, and put it on both sides of a header gasket, and sandwich it between the header and head. I never have a leak, and the regular silicone takes the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzzzzzz Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 You either love or hate Sanderson. I had a $400 set for 4.3 V6. The quality was subpar. Only the Jethot coating was done with any quality consideration. They burned through at the primary/collector joints in 6 months. This was a stock engine running the stock ecm/harness and full emissions. Tony kept saying it was my engine running lean. He would not offer any help except to sell me another set at $400 again. F**K him and his company. I ended up modifying a set of factory s/s manifolds. That was over 6 years ago and they are still running strong. As to the subject, I have used Permatex grey or black hi-temp sealant on thick flanged machined flat header flanges without a gasket and had no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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