Exhaust gasket replace

[FFMan]

The exhaust gasket is blowing a tad on my 1994 5L Griff. Its the off-side bank so I need to change the gasket as tightening alone is not doing the job.

Two questions - where can I get a gasket and what do I ask for ? Is it a standard Rover part ?

Whats the trick to getting at the manifold bolts. The top ones are easy enough but the bottoms are hard to get at. Does a special or curved spanner help. Best done from the top of the car of the underside ? Looks a bit of a pig of a job but like all these jobs I expect there are a few tricks to make it easier.

thanks

[Barreti]

You're in luck. The Offside is the easier side to do - or it is on my precat at any rate.
Some say you can do it all from above, but I think its easier if you pull off the wheel to get to the lower bolts through the wheel arch.

Get the gaskets from Clever Trevor, everyone seems to be recommending the ones he is selling.
http://www.tvrspareparts.com/cars/3-griffith.html
Stick S0091 in the Quick Search box at the top left of the page.

[Simon.b]

It’s one of those jobs that can be done in different ways, I’ve only ever had to do the left hand side, but done it three times in two years. I prefer to work from above and use a home made bent spanner.

I have so far only used the standard orange gaskets, but if it goes again I’m all for trying the reinforced type. Last time I also used Blue Hylomar, it may not be much use, time will tell, but it definitely made re-assembly easier as I stuck the new gaskets onto the manifolds first.

Good luck,

Simon.

[350Matt]

Use the metal gaskets from TVR parts, treat yourself to some new 3/8 UNC bolts, (you can squeeze slightly longer ones in to de-stress the thread a bit)

And I'd heartily recommend a set of nord-lock washers to stop it all coming undone again

Matt

[clive f]

something thats worthwhile doing when the manifolds are off the car, is to slot the bottom holes, use a grinder with a thin cutting disc and carefully cut without making the slot wider than the bolt diameter, that way you only ever have to slacken off the lower bolts then lift out the manifolds, it saves a lot of time struggling the get the bolt started in the thread when refitting the manifolds.
also positions the gaskets nicely when refitting as well.

[FFMan]

thanks for the replies - i knew there would be some top tips out there.

Not sure i understand about getting longer bolts though, is there not a danger they will bottom out and shear off - much care needed I guess.

Like the slotting tip, but I guess at this stage i was hoping to slide the gaskets in and out without removing the whole manifold or am i just being lazy ?

thanks

[clive f]

FFMan said:

thanks for the replies - i knew there would be some top tips out there.

Not sure i understand about getting longer bolts though, is there not a danger they will bottom out and shear off - much care needed I guess.

Like the slotting tip, but I guess at this stage i was hoping to slide the gaskets in and out without removing the whole manifold or am i just being lazy ?

thanks

you`ve got to disconnect everything including the y piece to slide the gaskets out anyway, so all you have to do is lift the manifolds out of the car

[350Matt]

FFMan said:

thanks for the replies - i knew there would be some top tips out there.

Not sure i understand about getting longer bolts though, is there not a danger they will bottom out and shear off - much care needed I guess.

The std bolts used by TVR don't use all the thread in the heads, you can make use of at least another 1/8" of a an inch, believe me its all too easy to strip the threads with too short a bolt.

If you've got all the manifolds off invest in a 3/8UNC bottom tap and clean all the threads out while you're there

Matt

[Simon.b]

If your replacing the std gasket material type, then you’ll need to clean both mating faces as some will stick.

Cheers,

Simon.

[Hamburglar]

In my experience I would stay well clear of the orange card type gaskets. I had two sets fail on my 500 that left me thinking my new De-precatted ACT manifolds had poorly machined faces! Stuck the composite/alloy jobs in and have enjoyed a nicely sealed exhaust for over 5k now.

Be prepared to give the bolts a further tighten down after a couple of days of running, as the material will have changed shape, and no doubt left the bolts in need of a tweak.

Tom