Exhaust gasket replacement

[Stefnwolf]

Hi
I've asked this question before but I still have doubts. PO had fitted a 4 into 1 which is in pretty bad condition so I decided to replace with a stock 4 into 2. Problem is the exhaust gaskets, or maybe lack of them. PO seems to have used a lot of silicone in there. I've got that all out but the gaskets have defied all (non harming) attemps to remove them.
What is up there looks like ally, and I'm wary that its part of the head and there were no gaskets in there. My reasoning is that the collars on the 4 into 1 are quite a bit longer than the stock pipe (about a gasket thickness and a half), and why did he feel the need to put silicone up there.
Here is a picture of the port if you sawed through the head and viewed in cross section.

Common sense tells me the head without a gasket fitted is like diagram B, but mine looks like diagram A. The step is about a quarter inch. Is that the gasket or part of the head. If its the gasket, and B is correct, I can get a fine chisel and cut them in half.
Obviously I don't want to go up that route if there is any chance there are no gaskets up there................
Thanks in anticipation

[bwringer]

If there are exhaust gaskets in there, they shouldn't require anything more extreme than a screwdriver -- they're either the multi-layer paper/steel or copper.


I vote that there are no gaskets in there.

[rudy]

I'm with BW on this one. There's nothing in there. The PO filled it with schmoo to try and seal it up because $5 for the correct gaskets was too much.

[rphillips]

I'm with them, probably not. If they happened to be there, & weren't badly distorted, I wouldn't think it would cause a problem installing a new set over the old ones.

[pjm204]

does it really matter? If there are gaskets in there, putting a second set on top shouldn't leak much? If there aren't then you are fixing a problem. I say put gaskets in or take a good picture for us so we can tell you.

[Larry D]

I agree, no gaskets. The "step" on your cross section is where the gasket sits or seats. Since you've cleaned every last little piece of siicon out of there, it should be relatively easy to see if there are any. In the process of cleaning, if there were gaskets, I would think they would've come loose.

[mike-s]

Got to agree with the others, you'd notice a definite "step" going from gasket to head material especially as there will be a bump in the metal going from from the gasket to the base metal (gaskets by design distort to accommodate the harder metals in the manifold & head).

[Nessism]

Illustration "A" looks it has gaskets in there.

These photos are of two GS1000 heads.

First two photos show gaskets in place, last photo is sans gasket.

[chef1366]

I got some real bears out with a dental pick.

[Stefnwolf]

Must just be real pigs....

Thanks guys, and especially Nessism for the great pics.
Seems they are gaskets in there. I'll have another scrape tomorrow, and let you know how I get on.

[Stefnwolf]

Mission accomplished

Hi
After your confirmation that they were gaskets, finally got them out.
They seemed to be glued in, came out as long spirals after I got a heavy with a screwdriver.
Gotta get a new screwdriver now

Thanks for the help.

[mike-s]

WHOA!!! that doesn't look like any gasket i've seen, is it possible the past owner couldnt be bothered getting the right gasket so got some heavy guage copper wire and used that instead?

[Nessism]

WHOA!!! that doesn't look like any gasket i've seen, is it possible the past owner couldnt be bothered getting the right gasket so got some heavy guage copper wire and used that instead?

The exhaust gaskets are spiral wound aluminum wire. They crush down when the pipe is tightened down thus they really wedge themselves in there and are hard to get out.

[mike-s]

oh, its just that the ones i put on my kawasaki when i swapped the headers were circular copper tubing that crushed to shape. Similar with the ones on my gsx250, except they were u section with the open segment facing the outside edge of the circumference and was filled with woven steel mesh (think what woven fibreglass would look like if made from steel instead).

That is why i was a little surprised *backs away to the corner*

[steve murdoch]

Getting in a little late on this one.
I have read a bunch of threads on the gasket removal/installation and i still do not have a clear picture in my head.
Is there a shelf/lip for the gasket to rest in? Or does the gasket sit freely between the engine and the header?
The exhaust port on this '78 GS1000 looks to have the gasket still installed?