custom steel tube header

[free4u2nv]

what are you guys using for a gasket to attach this type of exhaust manifold to the cylinder head? Have 2 photos attached.
I have a gasket for stock, but am told by OGTS that it will not work well with this steel tube type header. Anyone out there have a gasket for this type of header?

[CDN OpelNut]

I have that exact header and have had good success just cutting my own from gasket stock such as this:

Mr. Gasket

[GTJIM]

This was discussed a while ago - a gasket with the two centre ports seperated with a bit of gasket between them is needed.
OGTS is suposed to be having some made but not available yet - so you have to make your own.

[free4u2nv]

as always...thanks!

[tom_laan]

hi,
another question for the performance guys around here,
i found a header on the inet for E250. it says it would fit all CIH from 1.6 to 2.4 well i dont know about that though. but would it fit to a 1.9?
hope you can help me cause i really want something like this for my GT
greets
Tom

[Killer Texas GT]

I have been running the stock intake/exhaust gasket on my GT for over 10 years with an after market header with no problems with any leaks, ect. The header looks like the one you first showed and has the shoulders built up on the header flange to match the intake.
As for the one you found on the European e-bay; it will more than likely fit the CIH 1.5 to 2.4 engine, but the question is will it fit the GT? As the GT header has a different configuration to fit by the engine support crossmember and hugs tight against the bell housing to miss hitting the transmission tunnel and gets it below the rail support of the chassis (unibody rail). If you compare the stock exhaust pipe from the stock header down between the GT vs. any other stock exhaust pipe from other models of the Opel with the CIH engine there is a difference in the degrees of the bends and the lengths. While most will match the Manta, Ascona, Commodore and possibly the Kadett they will not match the GT.

[tom_laan]

aha this is helpfull info. i didnt think about that. i was just thinking will the exhaustports be the right size? is there difference between a 1.9 and higher. cause i thought there was difference in the heads? where the exhaust ports are, higher or lower.
thnx

[jeff denton]

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the exhaust ports are all the same amongst all the CIH family, but the intake ports have different locations in the 2.2/2.4 heads.
But YES do be careful to make sure an "Opel" header will fit a GT chassis.
The engine location and tilt are factors that make only a "GT specific" header fit that car.

[RallyBob]

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the exhaust ports are all the same amongst all the CIH family, but the intake ports have different locations in the 2.2/2.4 heads.
But YES do be careful to make sure an "Opel" header will fit a GT chassis.
The engine location and tilt are factors that make only a "GT specific" header fit that car.

Yup, exhaust ports are all in the same location. And all are close enough in size to not warrant a different flange dimension (except the 'Swedenhead' which has huge offset ports).

Be cautious using a 'tuning' header designed for competition cars (Manta/Ascona/Kadett) on your GT. Chances are the primary tubes are too big and you will lose a bunch of acceleration, if it even fits at all!

Even the Lenk designed header for GT's was too large for anything but well-modified 2.2 and 2.4 engines run on the autobahn! Good top end power but not much else. Many years ago a west coast Opel GT road racer traded his Pacesetter header for the Lenk header and went slower on the track. And this was on a 170+ hp racing 1.9 engine!

Bob