Header gasket missing

[fazil]

i took my headers off today to clean them and come to find out a missing gasket. checked if it was stuck somewhere but no way, %80 sure it wan't there already for a long time. I oredered a set of aftermarket copper gaskets.

how bad is this? what kind of damage could be done?

 

[FinalImpact]

Exhaust gas temps go from 1200 - 1800°F so a leak right at the header flange can allow the gases to wear through an aluminum head. You would HEAR this leak every time it fires a cylinder. It would Sound like a tick.

The hard part now will be cleaning the carbon/deposits from the sealing area so a new gasket will seal.

FWIW place your legs under the bike to hold the header up and now you have two hands to drop in the gaskets. Leave a tiny gap and drop all four in, gently seat the header and get a couple of the flanges secure.

 

[ozgurakman]

I'm not exactly sure but exhaust valves would be off. so you would check the valve clerences.

and don't forget to go with step by step for balanced installation when tightening the header nuts.

 

[FinalImpact]

^^ Should only be a factor if they were leaking...

Something I did think of; because the header is steal and much harder than the aluminum, the steal flange could displace aluminum. That said, if you pull the exhaust later in life, yours is a good candidate to REPLACE the gaskets every time.

I just had my header off a couple times and reused the gaskets. They appeared completely flat but you could easily see the HEAD side had no spiral impressions while the pipe flange side had the same Machined spirals the headers have.
I made certain to put them back the way they came out.

POINT: If your head now has impressions from the header, it would be wise to replace the gaskets every time the header comes off. Make sense?

Inspect this sealing surface:

 

[fazil]

FWIW place your legs under the bike to hold the header up and now you have two hands to drop in the gaskets. Leave a tiny gap and drop all four in, gently seat the header and get a couple of the flanges secure.

I can use some grease to stick them in the bores may be.
I oredered a set of aftermarket gaskets, waiting for the postman.

 

[ozgurakman]

I can use some grease to stick them in the bores may be.
I oredered a set of aftermarket gaskets, waiting for the postman.

I'd Use exhaust assemble paste.

I'd Use exhaust assemble paste.
I can send it to you if you want, or you can Buy from ebay.co.uk [emoji4]

 

[FinalImpact]

I had the header off 4x recently and even with the mid-pipe being a PITA its possible to drop them in. Just hold the header close and once the 4th one in, seat it in there.

Its 10X easier if you're not fitting the midpipe at the same time. No need for paste...