[DeTomaso] exhaust gasket for Hall big bore

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/28/08 3:22:17 PM, Lee Farrell writes:

> Does anyone have advice for the gasket at the header-to-exhaust pipe 
> interface, from a Hall big bore to a stock exhaust pipe? The SOBill database says 
> Fel-Pro 2014, with a 2 1/2 inch ID. This looks fine for the stock exhaust 
> section. But the Hall output is a flare or bell shape, with only a lip for a flat 
> surface, and barely reaches to 2 1/2 width by my rough measurement. There 
> would be very little, if any, gasket under the flared lip. Or do you use a 
> "donut" gasket, like Steve Wilkinson lists?
> 
Lee, my driving experiences with a set of used Hall Big Bores was short- 
about 250 miles. In that time, it failed two exhaust 'donuts'. The problem with 
this assembly is, the mounting bracket position on the mufflers creates a 
considerable force forward against the donut: unbolting the exhaust flange will 
cause the pipe to swing forward quite a distance and it takes some force to push 
it back into position. That force is always pushing against those thick, soft 
donuts. Vibration and heat conspire to crush the donuts, which then fall apart 
and you have an open exhaust. Over-tightening the flange bolts only begins 
crushing the donuts quicker. I was not able to make donuts live in this assembly, 
but flat gaskets did. Flat gaskets need not seal against the header-pipe lip, 
only seal between the flanges. I used flat gaskets that had steel rings 
inside. I sold the Big Bores some 3 months later-mostly because of the excessive 
noise even sealed up, and the present owner's still running those gaskets today. 
This was in 1998. FWIW- J DeRyke



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