6.9 Exhaust manifold gaskets

[koan]

Started collecting gaskets for my valve job, head gaskets are $260 each, expensive but was expecting worse.

Exhaust gaskets not available off the shelf from Germany but can be made up at around $45 each.

I found a place in Melbourne who can make them for $10 to $15 each assuming the material they use for high temperature gaskets is suitable for this application.

Any ideas?

(where is the spell chcker?)

koan

 

[Styria]

Hi Koan, I am surprised at the comparatively low price of the headgaskets - I would have thought they'd be more seeing that the rocker cover gaskets are supposed to retail for $175.00 each. Anyway, one shouldn't complain. Regarding the exhausts, the originals are beautifully made and used to sell for $30.00 each-say two to three years ago.

At that time, I had new ones made up locally (in Sydney), as well as four head gaskets (not to mention six head gaskets for 6.3's) and there has been no come back on any of them.
However, I am now in the situation where my old 6.9 gaskets have disappeared and I therefore no longer have a pattern to work from to produce new ones. Any clues as to how to overcome this problem. I can also get more exhausts made up, but they're no cheaper than your quote, Regards, Styria

 

[Michel]

(where is the spell chcker?)

koan

Spell checker is in the "writing" window (top right): it's a tick with REC written above it.
However, you would probably have to download the Iespell programme to be able to use it (it prompts you to do it)
I have just dowloaded it as we speak and I cant get it to work
Maybe I need to reboot.
Doing it after I post this.
I'll come back and let you know

 

[Michel]

Spell checker is in the "writing" window (top right): it's a tick with REC written above it.
However, you would probably have to download the Iespell programme to be able to use it (it prompts you to do it)
I have just dowloaded it as we speak and I cant get it to work
Maybe I need to reboot.
Doing it after I post this.
I'll come back and let you know

Ok I have just rebooted and I am writing a message in answer and I have tried the spell checker and ..... dodom.......

Nothing

I leave it to Admin... sorry

 

[koan]

Ok I have just rebooted and I am writing a message in answer and I have tried the spell checker and ..... dodom.......

Nothing

I leave it to Admin... sorry

I can't see anything top right with "REC" on it.

I use firefox and get a sort of progressive spell check as I type.

Are you saying it depends on an external program?

If it does I'm stuffed as I run Linux.

koan

 

[koan]

I assumed the exhaust gasket price would be in dollars range, not tens of so $45 each is not too bad but I'll still keep looking for/at alternatives.

Did you (Styria) have head gaskets made?

With head gaskets I thought it wise to use M-B and have ordered accordingly.

What material were your made up exhaust gaskets?

You are welcome to have my old head and inlet gaskets.

I also have 5 used but not totally stuffed suspension spheres if anyone is interested in the recharging experiments.

koan

 

[WGB]

Hi Koan - nice to see you here.

I Know M-B put a lot of effort into their headgaskets in the 70's so original would be best and as Styria says that does not sound like too bad a price compared to what they want for cam-cover gaskets.

I take it the 450 exhaust gaskets are totally different as they were readily available when I purchased them a couple of years ago. Not sure if they could be modified or not as they were only about $10 each (from memory) from the agent.

Bill

 

[koan]

I take it the 450 exhaust gaskets are totally different as they were readily available when I purchased them a couple of years ago. Not sure if they could be modified or not as they were only about $10 each (from memory) from the agent.

The parts gent told me they were different and they have a different number, modifying them didn't occur to me.

Anyone familiar with 450 gaskets? Is it a possibility?

koan

 

[Styria]

Hi Koan and Bill, the answer is "NO" to just about everything. The exhaust manifold gaskets are part metal/some composite material, and are very similar to the original units as made by Daimler Benz.

I am aware that Mercedes have emphasized that their head gaskets made by Reitzle obviate the need for re-tightening of head bolts when carrying out a valve grind and de-coking job. I had problems with one of my cars when the mechanics basically refused to re-tension the heads after 1000 kilometres. "She'll be right mate" was their verdict and subsequent problems started appearing soon after.

Next time round, another mechanic slightly exceeded the recommended poundage when tightening the heads, and some six years later, the job is still perfect. So, locally made units can be satisfactory, but the choice MUST be made by an individual themselves. I can only draw from my own personal experience. Regards, Styria

 

[WGB]

Hi Koan and Bill, the answer is "NO" to just about everything. The exhaust manifold gaskets are part metal/some composite material, and are very similar to the original units as made by Daimler Benz.

I am aware that Mercedes have emphasized that their head gaskets made by Reitzle obviate the need for re-tightening of head bolts when carrying out a valve grind and de-coking job. I had problems with one of my cars when the mechanics basically refused to re-tension the heads after 1000 kilometres. "She'll be right mate" was their verdict and subsequent problems started appearing soon after.

Styria

"She'll be right mate" and "no worries" are two statements that make me cringe as I know they will be followed by all imagined disasters occurring as soon as the person making the statement has cleared the horizon.

Koan - The 450 has a separate composite gasket for each port with a metal sandwich on both surfaces and presumably fibre (? asbestos) between. I assume the 6.9 is similar.

If I can find one of my old ones I will measure and photograph it today or tomorrow and make it my first photo on my new photobucket account.
If I can't find one I will measure the size and spacing of the studs on my 450 vs my 6.9 but obviously will not be able to measure the diameter of the port.

I am assuming the M100 has a separate gasket for each exhaust port like the M117.

Bill

 

[WGB]

I know I kept tripping over the old exhaust gaskets for some time and then I must have had a rare "tidy" moment and chucked them so no photos.

I did measure the span between the studs and it came out about similar in both motors - about 62.5 mm.

Equally the thickness of the exhaust manifold at each port came out about the same when measured with callipers so they must be close unless the width of the port is dramatically bigger internally.

I also checked my EPC (2005 vintage) and the part number given for the 6.9 is A100 142 05 60 - for the 450-M117 it is A116 142 02 80 - and there is another two alternatives for the 560-M117 of A117 142 06 80 and A117 142 05 80 (which are said to be interchangeable with each other on the 560 motor).

Personally I would be getting a quote for one of each of the 450 and the 560 gaskets and if they are around the 10 to 12 dollar mark each and they fit with minimal changes it would save a few bob. If they don't fit I guess C'est la vie and the pocket hasn't been damaged too much.

Bill

 

[Styria]

Hi Bill, your description is spot-on and you do have individual gaskets for each port. I still have one brand new original gasket as well as one or two sets of the replacement units I had made up - but, as I said, Koan's quote is very reasonable. Regards, Styria