I have blown two intake manifold gaskets on a 302 with an Edelbrock aluminum Performer Intake Manifold (Standard, not RPM) and was looking for the best intake manifold gasket I could find. I was told you have to have a steel reinforced intake manifold gasket, especially with an aluminum intake. I contacted Cometic, got the right guy and he is making me, it is not a stock item they have to make them, High Temperature Steel Intake Manifold Gasket, Steel core with a High Temperature Coating, that is built for blown, high compression, nitrous and alcohol racing applications, IR-149060-HTS, for $26.48 plus $8 shipping. I could not believe it. If you are having Intake Manifold Gasket problems, this looks like the strongest, most chemically resistant, best sealing gasket you can get.

Thanks
mjac

 

When you get it installed, give us some feedback. I am building a blown 408 for towing and would love to prevent that problem ahead of time. If you could include the port size, that would help too.

Thanks for the tip.

 

I can give you the port size for my engine, a stock Windsor 302, but I do not know how much good that will do you on a 408. Do you want it?

The fella I dealt with said the gaskets should arrive about the middle of next week, so I won’t be doing anything until then. I have a Fel Pro Steel Reinforced set of intake gaskets and when the Cometics come in I am going to compare them. I have been told there is no comparison, the Cometics are it. You can go on Cometic’s website and look up High Temperature Steel in their material section to get some information. I have not used one yet, but from what I know right now this looks like the strongest, most chemical resistant, best sealing intake manifold gasket you can get your hands on, like I said. These things look good. If you follow through, I must stress, you have to get the right guy, I am hoping his name is on the invoice when it comes, if it is I will relay it. That is a constant mistake I keep making, I do not get the name of the person I am talking to.

For the price he gave me these for, to me, it is a no brainer.

Thanks
mjac

 

I am gathering parts for my build and do not plan on putting things together until next winter. I have AFR 185 heads now and probably will be using Cometic headgaskets. I just need to know what size is the intake gasket port to make certain it would be correct for my application. No hurry on my end.

 

Best thing to do is give the man I talked to, if I can ever find his name (I am going to try and send business his way for what he did for me), your specifications and let him fit a gasket for you. They are not pulling a gasket off the shelf, they are going to make a gasket for you to whatever specifications are necessary, stock or whatever. I needed the best intake manifold gasket I could find because I did not want to change the gasket again for the fourth time, so I was willing to pay whatever it took. I thought the intake gasket was going to be $60-$70 being Cometic. When he quoted me a price of $26.48 plus $8 shipping I almost fell out of my chair. That is less money than an Edelbrock all fiber gasket (7022) and a Fel Pro Steel Reinforced Gasket MS- 90361. At those kind of prices you have got to go Cometic, there is supposed to be no comparison.

Thanks
mjac

 

Make damn sure the intake and heads fit perfectly
Like the old days of angle milling heads making the intake gaskets blow out
Your aftermarket intake most likely fits poorly to the heads
Inspect it closely with no gaskets (there are a bunch of tricks to do the inspection) (washers strategically placed then set the manifold down) and use feeler gauges
Of course, all of that is easier with the engine out of the car and on a stand

 

I hope that is not it. . When I say blown, the first time after about a year, the corner seal blew out and shot water out of the manifold I think because I used the end gaskets despite everyone saying do not use them. The second time I used a bead of ACDelco Engine Sealent (10-2006) all the way across both ends and now after testing everything it seems I have a bad internal vacuum leak, it is pulling 10-12 inches vacuum with the vacuum gauge rigged up to the PVC Grommet and Breather hole taped up. This is after several years. It was, I believe, an all fiber Mr. Gasket Intake Manifold gasket that failed around one of the ports. I am thinking because it was an all fiber gasket and not steel reinforced with the aluminum intake and cast iron block so I was going to try a high temperature steel reinforced Cometic gasket. It is supposed to be a very good sealing gasket and good for irregular surfaces. Does all of that sound likegasket problems or an alignment problem? If it is a bad fit that would mean what, having the heads milled? This old truck would not be worth that. If I lay the intake on dry, could I get a pretty good idea of a really bad fit?

Thanks
mjac

 

Right, lay the intake on there and take a close look at the fit.
I never use an end gasket and have been using silicone for years
Well, never say never, I do use the cork or rubber end seals occasionally.
Where a composite or plain gasket material gasket works the best
If the surfaces are warped or mis aligned
The metal and rubber ones are less forgiving to surface irregularities IMO
Your boosted application I would use sealer (gasket adhesive) (Edelbrock Gaskacinch) all the way around both sides

 

I am racking my brain, what other thread you helped me with, I can’t find it.

I will inspect all of the surfaces very carefully for cracks or damage and dry fit everything and take a look. This Cometic gasket has a perforated stainless steel core with a 75% graphite/ kevlar fiber blend bonded on both sides made to really seal in high compression, blown applications. I don’t know if it is good for surface irregularities but the guy said it was. My engine is not blown, that was the other fella, would you still use the Gaskacinch instead of a smear of ACDelco Engine Sealer? I have heard people swear by that Gaskacinch.

Thanks
mjac

 

That gasket sounds like it will work
Too bad you can no longer get the Ford silicone gasket adhesive stuff anymore
It was made to glue those silicone gaskets down like an old 85 Tempo pan gasket had with an aluminum oil pan and a formed silicone gasket
You could glue the crap out of it and it would never? fail on your boosted motor
I would still use the Edelbrock stuff on your fancy gasket
What did they say about using sealer?

 

My gasket ain’t fancy, it’s something that will work. I will tell you what, like I stated above, this guy is making me this gasket, it is not a stock item, for $26.48 plus $8 shipping. Without the shipping that is cheaper than Edelbrock 7022 all fiber gasket and Fel Pro MS-90361 steel reinforced gasket…I’ll take that all day long.

I will have to look at their website and see if they have any technical videos or installation instructions. Does Gaskacinch glue the gasket down so it does not move when you drop the manifold on top of it?

Thanks
mjac

 

Put the question in, we will see if they respond.

Thanks
mjac

 

Well, ever since Ford quit making their gasket adhesive (gorilla snot), The Edelbrock stuff is the best I have used since
Yes, it will hold the gaskets in place if you let it dry long enough
I install the manifolds with the glue still wet, and just make damn sure that none of the gaskets move during the bolt down and torque procedure

 

If that is the best way to install the gasket, that is the way I want to do it. I was just going to smear some ACDelco Engine Sealant on the head then smear some around the water Jacket ports and exhaust crossover like someone suggested. I don’t see why Gaskacinch won’t work, it is a bonded fiber on the outside of the gasket (I thought it was a rubberized coating), we will see what they say. That sounds tricky, installing the manifold with the Gaskacinch is still wet, how to do keep the gasket from moving and screwing everything up? That is a lot of weight you are dropping on top of it, at an angle. I do not want to mess this up, I want to do it one time.

Edit: I just checked it on Amazon, it is not expensive and everyone raved about it, one guy liked the Permatex Black Silicone better.

Thanks
mjac

 

You have to hold your mouth just right and be strong as an Ox
A good light and a good assistant helps too
You just make sure you are going down straight
Then there is no repositioning needed that will deform or move the gaskets
Patience is the key
Take a few minutes to do that manifold set
A pick tool is your friend if you need to move a gasket slightly