Mk1 2Litre Vitesse manifold gasket..advice

[Mike]

Years since I have been on here but seeking a little advice. The Exhaust manifold gasket on my v.early Mk1 2Litre Vitesse has been blowing lightly, “phut  phutting”for several years now and due to my local specialist telling me he was not taking on anymore work (that was two years ago). I now feel I should have a go myself. I have tools and a Haynes manual and am reasonably competent in a take it off clean it and put it back together again kind of a way. Does anyone have any ideas on time to do and any tips?

thanks in anticipation 

[Pete Lewis]

Make sure the gasket fixing holes match the head  some mk1 gaskets were not good ,  needs a bit of work tomget all holes aligned

Make sure the fixing bolts and studs are clean and nuts go fully on , if they jam up on crud you dont clamp the casting with the clamps

Give the clamp bolts a coat of coppaslip.

If the manfold is off its worth checking the coolant bypass tube is sound and not blocked

Takes about an hour to swap the gasket

Pete

 

 

[Mike]

Thanks Pete, only 4 years late replying. Job done and was quite satisfying, at the time I ended up down a rabbit hole with my XK 140 FHC  Jaguar which honed my limited skills.

[johny]

I had several exhaust gasket blows on my MK1 Vit but have found retorquing the clamp bolts regularly is the way to stop it happening. For some reason mine come loose so keeping them tight unsurprisingly stops the gasket from leaking🤪

[68vitesse]

12 minutes ago, johny said:

I had several exhaust gasket blows on my MK1 Vit but have found retorquing the clamp bolts regularly is the way to stop it happening. For some reason mine come loose so keeping them tight unsurprisingly stops the gasket from leaking🤪

Same on my Mk1 2L, I have fitted two nuts to the end studs to stop them backing off and have a cut down socked for my ⅜ drive torque wrench which gives easy access to the bolts to check them.

The manifold gasket sold by all the usual suspects is thinner than the Payden? ones and the stud holes do not have the reinforcing rings.

Regards

Paul.

[martyn wright]

Did my 1600/6 late last year!  Make sure you get the right Gasket?  There are a few different ones out their?  It only took less than a hour to fit! with no problems!  The is a set number sequence for Torqueing them down

[johny]

Not had a problem with the latest plain thin gasket Ive fitted but have kept it tight this time...