New bests THROUGH THE MUFFLERS! AND CAI thoughts

[3X00-Modified]

I used an 05 3400 gasket set.

And I cut up to where the flange crosses to the next port... Above that stayed, so the shield for the spark plugs are still there.

[Asylum]

Well this one is for an '05 Mailbu (to match where the damn engine came from) and the flange is not flat. In fact it pulls away from flat about 1/4"- 1/2" for the spark plugs.

Cutting the bottom shield part off is no problem but it looks like I'm going to have to cut almost all of it off, and end up with just the three separate ports.

Anyone got the 3400 part number? (Rear/right side)

I'm going to order the 60* ones too because once this thing is apart I'm not going to start fiddling with parts that are a compromise.

[3X00-Modified]

Um, I have 3500 heads there too... do you have a huge heat shield below that looks as if it blocks the heat from the block/trans? If so I hacked that off of mine to get it to work... Mine is the 3 port seals and the TOP PORTION of the gasket where the nooks are for the plugs. Most of it is still there above where the flange is flat. Trust me it fits.

[Asylum]

The only part of this ruddy thing that is going to sit flush with the head is the ports themselves.

Between the ports the face is pulled away from the head, and then above that flares out for the plug shields.

Stupidest thing I've seen, but I can see how it would work with the manifolds.

It's not going to work with the flat flanges on the headers so I'm going to have to cut it so I have three nice but seperate port gaskets.

They are going to end up looking like the 60* set by the time I'm done anyway.


What a PITA!! This is looking like about a 12 beer job!!

And if it still leaks I'll have a fire claim!

[3X00-Modified]

You keep NOT listening to me, so never mind you can keep your 3 individual port gaskets and I'll keep my nicely trimmed but 1 piece gasket.

I have a 3500 one on the rear MODIFIED to fit and a 3400 on the front MODIFIED to fit. They work.

[woody90gtz]

Looking at my 4mile header gasket again today I'm wondering if maybe I'll be trimming my stock gasket. haha

[Asylum]

Well it was not as bad as I had envisioned. Once I got it up in the air

Turns out all the nuts on the bottom of the rear header were.....well.... they were GONE! ARP Stainless junk!

Some lock washers and more stainless Allen bolts and it's as quiet as it has EVER been. S&S gasket is obviously fine.

But what a PITFA!!

Now what to do with this unreturnable GM gasket, LOL!

[Cliff8928]

Man, you should've done it right the first time..

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PHP-21008/

[Asylum]

Man, you should've done it right the first time..

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PHP-21008/

Cliff you must be reading my damn mind!!

I ordered a set of those Monday! Just over $120 shipped to Canada (YIKES) because I'm sure this latest effort may be temporary.

I just wish I had seen those before I spent $130 on ARP Stainless Studs.

[3X00-Modified]

Hrmm, I've had stainless alan cap screws with stainless lock washers this whole time and never had an issue of them loosening up.

[Asylum]

ARP says NOT to use lock washers and use the supplied washers.

BULL-CRAP! Three of their fancy-arse 12 point SS nuts are AWOL!

Allen bolts and lock washers for now 'til the Percy bits show up.

Lived with the damn header leak since B'Fest last summer and it just kept getting worse.

Today the car is as quiet as it has ever been (with headers) and the old man is happy.