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I'm using a James gaskets carb rebuild kit to rebuild my CV carb. The two gaskets that seal at the manifold to cylinder heads seem different than what was on there. The old ones had a metal ring at the base of the gasket that sat flush with the head. The new James gaskets, while they seem like they will fit just fine, do not have the metal ring. They are more pliable. Is this just a different style like a cometic or something? The kit I have is right. All the other gaskets are fine replacements. Should I try these out or am I needing different gaskets for manifold to heads?
Can you post up a picture? The head to manifold seals are rubber, no metal. Gaskets are usually flat paper or metal, seals are usually rubber of some type.
The "metal ring?" Do you mean the intake manifold flanges?
What year Sportster are you working on? Is this an newer (1986-2022) Evo Sportster or an older(1957-1985) Ironhead Sportster?
Sorry, yeah, I mean the seals. No I do not mean the flanges. The original seals, the rubber rings, had a metal ring inside of the flat, not tapered side. Bike is a 2002 xlh. The new seals that came with the James gaskets kit do not seem to have this and are pliable. I'll take a picture when I get home from work today.
The pliable ones work fine, I have not seen any with metal, a picture would be informative. I think the FSM suggests using dish soap on the seals, although I used red grease on mine and they sealed up fine. The manifold will slide a bit within the seals as the cylinders and heads heat up and expand away from each other.
Is it possible to fit the exhaust seals in place of the intake seals? Those are the only seals that might have a metallic component I can think of. I hope the OP posts a picture.
John
Last edited by John Harper; Jan 28, 2025 at 08:20 AM.
Sorry for the delay. Here is a picture of the seals that were in there (flange to head). The one on the left is taper end up, one on the right is the flat side and you can see the metal ring where the seal is chewed up. Rain has kept me from moving forward on this project so I haven't even put the flange on the bike yet. Old manifold seals
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Intake manifold seals
