John et al, all manifold gasket I have ever installed here have been installed using Loctite Ultra Copper High Temp RTV Silicone Sealant.  Both surfaces must be as flat and clean as possible as well as the gaskets, lacquer thinner is my preferred cleaner.  In any instance that I have had to remove a header pipe where this sealant was used it was noted that the gasket was still glued to the head side "usually", therefore I presume it's working.  Any imperfections in any of the mating surfaces will be sealed with this product and method.  So, yes, the gaskets were made to be used without sealant but we are usually not dealing with all new parts and surfaces so using the sealant make sense to me.  See my > www.frankcondelli.com/exhaustinstall.htm < for more details.

On 2011-08-17, at 12:00 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Hey Group, what's the common wisdom re: using a gasket sealer like hi-temp
> copper on the exhaust and intake manifold gaskets? I need to re-gasket my
> headers.and did use a sealer when I installed the Frank Condelli stainless
> system about 5 years ago. The pipes are fine but the gaskets are starting to
> leak at least till everything gets up to running temp. I've heard sealer
> isn't needed but thought I could get a few expert opinions. Thanks.

Cheers,    

Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale)
Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2011