best exhaust gasket

[lofty]

traditional copper/fibre, solid copper or alloy, new fangled fibre ones from MB or Cam lam... or something else..??

any opinions?

in my case its for a traditional shape port rapido and a solid U bend (no stub) style expansion..

[bazza3004]

Personally i dont use any. I make sure both surfaces are flat and then use a decent sealent. If an exhaust blows in this area its usually down to the gasket going. On standard fixing pipes you have one nut compressing the gasket at each side this must compress it more nder the nuts than it does in middle. Just my own opinion.

[gaz_powell]

never had any problem with copper/fibre on my TS1s

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Post by bazza3004 » Fri Oct 14, 2016 3:30 pm

Personally i dont use any. I make sure both surfaces are flat and then use a decent sealent. If an exhaust blows in this area its usually down to the gasket going. On standard fixing pipes you have one nut compressing the gasket at each side this must compress it more nder the nuts than it does in middle. Just my own opinion.

As mentioned by bazza3004, you can get away with a good sealant & we all have our favourites.

However, as said previously on this Forum, a solid copper gasket gives the benefit of using it as a template to match the exhaust port to the manifold in use. Once that has been achieved I use it rather than discard it.

I think that with the Rapido & it's inherent mismatched exhaust port plus the alloy/iron construction, it might not be a bad thing to allow as much surface as possible to seal against as well, which is another good reason to use solid copper. I also lock-wire the fasteners which is easier with cap head socket screws.

[Toot]

Solid copper for me. Not had any issues with this is the last umpteen years.

[Donnie]

Big bore standard copper type for me, never had a problem and always use wickes silicone sealant both sides too.

[a.lo]

^ as above, all fibre gaskets red or grey have hardened and blown out when i have used them.

[gaz_powell]

Just stripped a TS1 for a major service after several thousand trouble free miles. When I built it I used a copper type from AF and there was no sign of leakage when I stripped it.
I did lap barrel and stub before assemble, no sealant used.
Ordered one for this rebuild, and a few more for stock.

[corrado]

I like the thick solid copper and alloy ones that MB sell, they're re-usable as you can re-temper them.

http://www.lambrettaspares.com/spares/e ... b0809.html
http://www.lambrettaspares.com/spares/e ... b0808.html

They're the 4 hole type but can be used on standard 2 hole oval port. Good for matching purposes too.