I am installing an HRC turbo kit this weekend (and probably some of next week) and found out that NAPA carries an exhaust manifold gasket for eight dollars and some change. It is a perfect fit. Napa part number is MS12448. This definitely beats the dealers price of $21 and $32 dollars. (I called two different dealers and got two different prices....damn satan get your shit straight).

Hope this helps.
Kurt

If your talking about their Felpro gasket, it sucks... will blow/burn up quickly, even if you use two of them back to back i still couldnt get anywhere... cost more to keep replacing them, dealer gasket, once its on, as long as you keep the manifold bolts tight regularly, you wont blow it out. maby for NA, but the extra heat turbo's generate dont do well on those napa gaskets imo.

Thanks for the advice. In that case, I will reuse the metal exhaust manifold gasket that I took off yesterday as it was in perfect shape. I saw that there was some type of sealant on gasket. Any ideas what type of sealant to use?

No sealant necessary.

A word on the NAPA gasket. Although it isn't as durable as the OEM MLS gasket, I used the NAPA one in tandem with a new OEM one. Why? Since the HRC manifold doesn't have the same indentions as did the stock manifold, the small "punches" in the OEM gasket have a tendency to bend inward off the facing of the HRC manifold thereby, contributing to exhaust leaks. Therefore, I used the NAPA gasket (since it has not such punches) and its totally flat surface(without any of the abovementioned "punches) against the HRC manifold face and mated it to the OEM MLS gasket and then to the head. The NAPA gasket made a buffer area for the OEM punches to protrude out towards the HRC manifold, yet not make any contact with the HRC manifold.

I'm really happy with this setup, and ever since I've gone with this, I haven't had any more exhaust leakage. Before, I went with this, any time I reused a OEM MLS gasket by itself I would have problems with exhaust leakage. If I used a new one, it wouldn't leak, but it seems I have had to pull the manifold off a number of times for a variety of reasons.

Postscript: The TTI copper gasket disintegrated when I used that one for an extended period of time. It was good for about 5k miles. I don't recommend it.

_____________________________________
Jason ESi-T

04' BMW 325Ci
91' Nissan 240SX
98' Eagle Talon ESi (sold)

I used the NASCAR one from Schucks! It is way better than the NAPA one. Although I am now going to use both, just to make sure I don't have any leaks.
I hate that, tick, tick, tick, noise of a leaky exhaust system!

Kevin
The old:


The new:

JasonESi_T,

Thanks for the advice. I am going to try the two exhaust gasket idea (OEM and NAPA). I am trying to limit all the problems I could run into the first time this way I don't have to redo and redo.

Thanks,
Kurt