Using 1.6mm (0.063") cork.
Was going to simply cut around the old gaskets and spray with copper spray.
Any thoughts?

Curious about final bolt torques - keeping in mind these are quite specific - don't want to strip those buddies.
Maybe they'll need to be nipped up after a few runs.

b22b

 

From my experience I suggest sticking with oem's and copper spray. I never had any luck with cork.

 

OK, I don't want to get pummeled for this post about how wrong my technique is, but here's my experience with cork gaskets. I have Needswings plenums. The first time I installed them, I torqued to spec and determined shortly thereafter that the gaskets had spooged out enough to leak. I remember that while installing them, they compressed and distorted uncomfortably trying to reach the designated torque spec, light as it is. I concluded that torque spec is probably designed for compression of the metal gaskets but too severe for the cork ones. So I removed the plenums and then reinstalled with new cork gaskets, only this time I used a slightly different approach. I very slowly and incrementally torqued everything but STOPPED torquing at any bolt location that clearly showed the gasket distorting beyond limits before reaching the torque spec. I have not had any problem since and I inspect the gasket surface regularly. I used the Needswings recommended gasket sealer. I am running a Eurocharged 185 pulley, unstacked.

 

That is a good approach for cork....but like Anthony stated, I returned to oem and copper spray... No leaks no more.... No more cork...

 

I too had bad luck with the cork gaskets. I tried and tried. The little round ones always got destroyed causing a slight uneven condition. Since going back to the stock gaskets with copper spray I haven't had to retouch them. I addition to the problem getting the torque perfect for a leak free seal, with the cork gaskets the bolts seemed to loosen up. The cork gaskets don't like to be retorqued.

Les

 

many thanx

PS - we should be able to post without fear of being pummeled.

 

I've had really good luck making a set from Mr. Gasket 9615 Compressed Gasket Material. I picked it up from Amazon. I traced out the plenums with paper and then transferred that to the gasket material. Using a mini grinding bit on a dremmel tool, I was able to almost perfectly gasket match the plenums. Since it's a compressed high-temp fiber material, torqueing the manifolds down properly is no problem.

 

I like this approach...thanks. When mine come off again, I'll try it.

 

we have been thru 3 different types of cork/rubber over the years. the first was a dark colored blend, then it was discontinued and we went to a lighter shade colored mixture. that is the ones we saw issues with, I still have about 100 of them in a box here that I use for pressure testing here. Over a year ago when we saw that the 2bd material was slipperier against the mating surface and was compressing outward in some cases when they were not torqued evenly we switched to the material we are using now with a strong concentration of Viton rubber to it, they are back to a darker colored gasket and I am very happy with them. we install them with a light spray of 3m super77 on one side and stick them to the underside of the manifold on the bench, then tilt manifold onto its side and insert the bolts thru and then pick everything up together and go to the supercharger to bolt it down, starting with 5ft pounds from the center out and then 10 ft pounds from the center out. then checking them after the test drive at 10 ft pounds again.
they do have a different feel to them than a traditional "hard" gasket and I can see how some people tend to not like them.


the mr. gasket materials linked above and also their white colored materials we tried back before we went to the cork, those materials we saw leaking right through the gasket material itself. I would have loved to be able to just buy those sheets and cut them out but they just did not seal for us, both waterjet cut and scissor cut.


let's try this, the squeaky wheel gets some grease, I just got off the phone with the waterjet shop and they will be cutting a pair out of 3 different copper thicknesses for us to test with next week. can anyone think of something better to use than that without using a sealant that can cause debris to fall into the motor upon disassembly, I am looking for a "dry" solution.

 

I like that idea Rob....