318LA exhaust manifold gaskets

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:44 pm

Are these gaskets still available?

I'm having a tough time finding them.

Thanks,
Dave

Post by **cowboy** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:09 pm

Dave yes there out there , but I think they took the lip out inbetween the ports , it was just a small cover for the spark plugs never did a lot , take it with you & any 318 before the mag(94) & after the poly (66)should fit , I 'am not sure if the mag's are the same or not thats why I put that in there

bean · Post by **bean** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:55 pm

Cowboy is right...they did take the lip off them. Do u need both of them....i have a new felpro one on the seat of the 70 that i nevr put on. It doenst have the lip...but u can have it if u want it.

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:22 am

Cowboy, thanks for the reply. I was afraid of that. I've got one parts store here trying to sell me a set of header gaskets, and the other one says they can order the steel ones without the lip between the ports. I was trying to see if it was worth a trip to Reno to look for them. Thank the dear Lord, it isn't. You know what they say about Reno: it's so close to Hell you can see Sparks...

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:03 am

Thanks bean for your generous offer. You're a true gentleman. One side's cracked and the other is leaking, so I'm going to need a pair of them.

I have one last hope of finding the originals. I'll talk to the part salesman that comes to the shop and see if he can find them. When I first bought the truck he found a new Detroit 5380 yoke for it, so maybe I'll get lucky. Thanks again for your reply and offer.

Dave

Post by **cowboy** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:39 am

Snowcatskinner , check with cudajimmy he runs a parts store , But he's in OK, He's a good guy to deal with as are all the good folks here both Gals & Guys , & this is different all three post are from Dave's

dodgetkboy78 · Post by **dodgetkboy78** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:26 pm

Try it without gaskets?

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:09 pm

Thanks for your concern, but I'll pass on just gluing them in there. That was the previous owner's method and this was the result:

In fact, RTV was his answer to repairing bad transmission mounts as well:

Reminds me of the advice my Grandpa gave me when I was just a kid. He said, "Boy, with these three things you can fix anything... duct tape, JB weld and flowers."

dodgetkboy78 · Post by **dodgetkboy78** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 3:13 am

LOL
No GLUE!!!!!

I get away with no gasket, or silicone at all on mine. Just install them dry. That is me though. The gaskets seem to leak after a couple years...........
Just me though. They come from the factory with no gasket.

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:17 pm

dodgetkboy78 wrote:They come from the factory with no gasket.

yeah, whatever

dodgetkboy78 · Post by **dodgetkboy78** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 2:54 am

OK, just trying to help.

(and they did)

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:46 pm

What makes you think these gaskets aren't original?

dodgetkboy78 · Post by **dodgetkboy78** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:51 pm

I had a couple low mile crashed trucks, with no gasket. One it a 67 318, and one is a 71 318. I also have a 74 D300, the manifolds have never been off of it, and it has no gasket.
Also, my buddy, a complete dodge freak, told me I was nuts about ten years ago, when I was looking fo rthe OEM exaust gasket.
From what I can tell, and read, Chrysler, (excluding the slant) came factory with machined surface to machined surface. I quit using gaskets after the second 318 manifold I broke, (I was 16, and it was on my 71 D200) put them together dry, and have been hooked ever since. Sometimes you have to get the manifold milled a little bit, but is well worth it.
If they did come with gaskets, please give me some proof, so I can go back and tell him HE was the one who was nuts!
LOL

SnowCatSkinner · Post by **SnowCatSkinner** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:52 pm

That's interesting. I'd think both the '67 (as long as it isn't a poly) and the '71 would have them. The '74 isn't a Sweptline, so I don't know.

I have a friend that's been a parts man at a Dodge dealership for 15- 20 years now. He was the first guy I asked about these. He said: the purpose of this gasket with the lips between the ports, was to shield the spark plug boots from the hot manifold. This was necessary because these engines were designed before silicon spark plug wires were invented. If you didn't run these gaskets you'd scorch the old style plug boots over time. Now that there's silicon wires, they're really not needed and the newer style gaskets without the heat shields will work just fine. He also said to his knowledge Mopar never sold these gaskets separately, you had to buy the complete engine set to get them. So there's no part number for them in the parts book. He then said I'd have to try and find them on the aftermarket, or wait until "Hot August Nights" rolls around and try and find out where the show car builders get theirs.

As far as proof of their existence from the factory, you'll need access to a '63- '68 parts book engine section (group 9). Unfortunately, that section isn't in the online catalog. If you don't have access to one, maybe someone else here with a parts book can verify that I'm not lying to you .

On Illus. page 9-10 is an exploded drawing entitled: "ENGINE EXTERNAL PARTS - 273 AND 318 CU. IN. ENGINE". If you look behind the exhaust manifold (reference number 98) you'll see reference number 100. Looking at the key (Illus. page 9-11) you'll find 100 listed as "GASKET 9-50-5". In the parts section you'll find the part type code 9-50-5 listed as "GASKET, Exhaust Manifold".

dodgetkboy78 · Post by **dodgetkboy78** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:25 pm

Thank you! I stand corrected!

Could someone find me a pic of a new sweptline? I am still curious if they came with them, or, if they just made them.
(probably came with them)