HEAD PIPE GASKETS yes you have them and how to remove w/pics

@Franz Both of your questions should go into a thread about YOUR machine please.

 

Thanks k-moe how do I do that thanks.

 

Go to the Technical or Modifications section of the forum. Click the "Post New Thread" button. Come up with a clever title, perhaps including the type of xj, and describe your problem. Geniuses will be with you shortly...

 

Thanks MattiThundrrr

 

Did Fitz ever pen an article on removing old collector/crossover and muffler gaskets? I’m currently dealing with them on my ‘83 Maxim: going to try soaking them with Liquid Wrench overnight and then prying at them with a thin flathead or razor blades tomorrow. Anyone have any tips or tricks? Thank you!

 

That sounds like the right thing to do. If you have a pick tool with a bend in it to get behind the gasket that would help. If you have a heat gun that might help as well. I don't think I have had any that were ever that stuck. Did PO put RTV or something behind them?

 

I think he is talking about the collector and the joint gaskets for muffler to collector or head pipes to collector

 

XJ55H you are correct, I guess I missed that first time around I read it from the beginning too...

Unless you have a good solvent for the old gaskets I would think a wire brush and then a dremel with a wire brush end would do it. Take a old knife and get rid of most of the gasket first and work from there. Years and years of grime...having them blasted would to it too, depending how stable the condition of the collector is.

 

Thank you both: I ended up having pretty good luck using a pair of flathead screw drivers, a smaller one to start them a medium size one, as chisels to separate the old gaskets from the inside of the pipe. The key was to not destroy the gaskets in the process, because the more they deteriorate the more they become cruddy fibrous metal messes (I got better at it as I went).

I did soak them in a penetrating fluid over night and then again in the morning before tackling it this afternoon. I can’t say for certain if it actually helped but I can’t imagine it hurt, either.

 

Which side of the aftermarket exhaust gasket goes towards the engine, Green or White? Gaskets purchased from Chacal, (xj4ever). Thanks.

 

It doesn't matter.

 

Thanks. Just wanted to be sure and didn't see an answer above.

 

Following a repair to one of the OEM header pipes on my 1980 XJ650 4K0 (UK), needed to replace all four cylinder head exhaust gaskets. The Yamaha OEM ones are £9.54 each, Wemoto do copper or aluminium fibre for £1.81 each. I chose to use the copper ones, worked a treat.