john banks

H&S are making an insert, but can't do the gaskets. It is whether to use the insert without gaskets? Exhaust paste probably wouldn't last a few minutes

Scoty

Thermiculite

The blurb: Thermiculite, an innovation by Flexitallic, is a high temperature sheet gasket comprised of chemically and thermally exfoliated vermiculite on a tanged 0.1mm (0.004”) thick 316 stainless steel core. Simulating the structure of exfoliated graphite this material is capable of withstanding extremes of temperatures without oxidation. This asbestos free material is thermally stable and chemically resistant and independent test results reveal a high level of tightness.
Thermiculite’s temperature ranges from cryogenics to 1600°F (870°C). Recommended for Class 150 through Class 300.


Been using this stuff for about a 2 month's now, with no problems as of yet. (Gruppe-S headers, 05/06 20G)
Bought a small cut, enough for about 2 gaskets, cost was £30.
Made my own gasket up, it's easy to cut to shape with a pair of scissors.

john banks

Thanks Scoty, phoned suppliers in the UK and they quote £170 +VAT+delivery for 1m2!

Where did you get your small quantity?

Scoty

John, been hunting for the receipt for their address but can't find it.

I got it from their Glasgow suplier who are based in Hilligton Indistrial Estate, they cut me an 8 inch circle from what I remeber.
I can pop over tomorrow and get their address and number if you want, I'm over there anyway.
They have got a branch in Aberdeen too

Unit 4a
Wellheads Industrial Estate
Dyce
Aberdeen
AB21 7GA
United Kingdom

(01224) 725241

john banks

Thanks Scoty. The place that quoted £170 is going to give a quote for doing a few gaskets, will see what they come back with, otherwise I'll get a smaller cut from the Glasgow supplier who supplied you - some of the others don't want to cut 1m2 sheets.

Mr J

John, Iwill buy some gaskets also if you get some made up

Jan

DeanF

iTrader: (1)

John,

Same here, I'll purchase a couple as well if this makes it cheaper for you

Dean

john banks

I'll see what the quote comes back as. If cheap I'll just try them first to check fitment and whether it is a solution.

john banks

£44+VAT for two delivered, and not sure it would sort the problem, at this price I'd be better buying a flexi uppipe?

Scoty, the number of the Glasgow branch would be very useful if you can,

Scoty

John,

G+H Engineering Services

Phone: 0141 810 1160
Fax: 0141 892 0843

john banks

Thanks Scoty, I'll give them a call.

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

john, i have a flexi uppipe you can have for £50 if you want, its already lagged too

john banks

Thanks Steven, what size is the collector though? I have a small collector version I could use, but would need about 60mm bore to avoid a nasty step.

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

drop me a mail tonight and i will go and measure it, pretty sure its a 2 inch bore, but will check. Could always port it out to 60mm?

john banks

If the bore is about 2 inch like standard, it would be difficult to get a shallow enough angle for good gasflow by only porting out the flange to match? That is what we thought about the one that T-uk has that I could have tried.

Pavlo

unleash the welder!

Andy F. special on the collector required me thinks.

Paul

Scoty

John, cancel that, mines started leaking today funily enough.

The material itself is well up for the job, it the absence of a crush ring which has caused it to fail, is there anywere to buy 2.5 inch crush rings?

john banks

Scoty, I've already ordered some material, perhaps the the stainless inserts I have from H&S it might all work. The inserts will put more clamping pressure on the gaskets I think rather than trying to draw them together with the bolts.

Scoty

Cheers John, will get in touch with H&S tomorrow for some inserts and get some more material from Hillington.

I had asked the company who supplied the Thermiculite if they had any inserts, but they didnt have any.
The good thing is it's lasted all this time without the insert, so I recon with the addition of the insert it will be a long term fix.

What size of inserts can they do, mines is a 2.5 inch bore.

john banks

Think they can make inserts to whatever size you want if you give them a template.

Mine has failed again with a 3mm stainless insert and two thermiculite gaskets - it lasted about 300 miles.

The insert has been refitted now with single sheet stainless Ford gaskets which have a crush area at the edge of the lumen. It is already leaking slightly.

I think the Gruppe S headers are just plain crap. The flange on the header side has warped.

One more try with a 60mm copper crush washer with the 3mm stainless insert, after that, it is weld time when the iON turbo goes on.

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

Well I decided to give up with the Gruppe S up-pipe after they blew on track the other week at Castle Combe... I had to go home and put another car on track!!!

I decided to make do with a new H&S up-pipe - I think only 54mm but hey-ho its slip jointed and doesnt appear to be blowing at all yet!! - although the finish of the up-pipe can only be described as crap.....

Cant believe the amount of aggro an Up-pipe can give - just pays to wait on the sidelines these days and see that the products out there are of good quality - the older Gruppe S stuff certainly is not

Just need to decide now what to do with the car - sell it or get a larger turbo put on it - I just cant decide..................

Pavlo

I can confirm that the new headers have much thicker flanges too. Although I had to port the collector a little to provide a good match for the H&S slip jointed up-pipe.

Paul

DeanF

iTrader: (1)

Well as per everyone else, The Damn up-pipe is leaking again, Must admit it has lasted for ages this time, Time to revisit it again with the same combo i think or might try 2 composite & 1 laminate sandwiched in the middle so the flanges bite into the composite on the outer edges & the steel laminate bites into the opposite side,

Here Goes

RB5_245

My next attempt will be with a high temp CF compound gasket. Unfortunately I have never been able to find this stuff ashore. It comes in up to about 3mm thick, soft and should be good for 900 degrees. I'm sceptical but will give it a try.

Dave

GBruce

Hi guys,

Found this when I was looking for exhaust systems, copper gasket set.

I also have problems with my Gruppe-s headers leaking with 54mm H+S solid up pipe. Dont know if they are worth trying?

http://home.att.net/~teaguesauto/exhaustw.htm

George

RB5_245

All their headers have a collector bore of 48mm, our v1's are 52mm i think.

Dave

DeanF

iTrader: (1)

Rb5 , let me know how you get on , The Gruppe-s up-pipe standard gaskets that came with my headers have a 60mm hole in the gasket, So the standard subaru & above ones just don't seal as the crush ring is not compressed. I have been searching like yourself for some form high temp sealer, there must be something out there that will cure it once & FOR ALL (besides the welder )

Dean

AndrewC

Do copper gaskets use any special type of copper? Do they have crush rings?

Andrew...

john banks

Guys, just weld them up, then you can get on with blowing something else more important up, like the engine or gearbox

DeanF

iTrader: (1)

You can get varying degree's / Grades of softness (or Hard Etc) But not all copper gaskets have crush rings, due to the nature of copper being so soft,
Why ? do you have some sheets lying in your Garage ??


DEan