I have to replace header gaskets on my 01 gt 4.6. I have met a couple of old school hot rodders who say they prefer doubling up the stock gaskets. By the way they are BBK shorties. From the threads Ive read here sounds like the Percy 4 ever seal are the way to go. So what do you experts recommend? What about copper or rtv red gasket seal to make sure I don't have to go back in there again for a while. Will it screw up my o2 sensors? Also I have heard some people leave out the notorious 3rd top bolt on starter upon reinstall? God I love working on my foxbody that has a 289 edelbrock 600 carb with shorty headers compared to the 4.6. this job would take about an hr on the fox compared to several hours for 4.6l gasket swap. Guess I will put those locking header bolts also cause I really don't want to do this job again for a long time.

 

Welcome! Also shorties are a complete waste of money on a 2V. Not telling you something I heard this is something that I know. Put them on my car and gained like 3 rwhp and to me the car had no difference in sound. GL though cause they are a (you know what) to put on...

 

A good set of headers with a nice thick mounting flange should not require a double gasket. I have used red RTV on metal to metal factory flanges and on paper header gaskets as well, without issue. They shouldn't mess with your O2 sensors either unless you move them. I have never had a problem with the upper starter bolt, I use multiple extensions and go through the motor mount area from the front. I tape everything together and its all good.


Brent


Shelby Canada West

 

Thanks guys. I agree with you on shortiess. I just bought the car recently and that's what it had on it. That's why I plan on just trying to fix passenger side leak until I can afford new LTs. I also heard LTs were a real tight fit in there requiring rocking engine side to side to get them in?

 

I tried the tape on the swivels and multiple combos of extensions and found right combo bur after trying for a while like hour or 2 got my 13 yr old daughter under there with long skinny fingers and got er done in 10 minutes. putting it back was easier but still a pain for me. That was a week ago when I hoped tightening header bolts would fix leak Got better but not good enough. What about the transmission support when raising engine. I have to loosen it because I bolt hole threads are jacked and new bolt barely stays in. So if I raise motor like that it will twist support after further stripping threads. After last time I noticed when I let off accelerator on freeway car seemed to jerk b4 slowing and same jerk when accelerating afterwards did I possibly jack up linkage when raising motor last time? I raised it pretty high.