stainless bolts or not on an FE exhaust?

Title says it.
Im worried about stainless bolts galling over time. I will use anti-seize on whichever I use.

Im not sure if one anti-seize is better than another for the exhaust heat.

Also planning to use just red rtv without gaskets since i had both surfaces milled. There is one small place that didnt quite mill out on the manifold that does have me a little concerned.

also, does anyone know where to get the star bolt locks that are like the factory used?

Thanks, Greg

 

It's an FE it will leak ha-ha

 

I have used the stainless bolts on my Ford exhaust manifolds for years and have never had an issue with removing them.

 

We've been using antiseize on all the stainless fasteners we use, including on exhaust parts. It has something like a 1600 degree rating so it is pretty much still there when you remove the bolts later on.

Don

 

I tried a lot of different gaskets that all leaked before I surfaced the heads and manifolds of my FE and sealed them with RTV, no leaks now


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Thanks,
is the regular old silver anti seize good enough?

 

I have used stainless bolts on my 1966 FE with regular old silver anti-seize for the past twenty years or so. No problems to report ...

 

Yep, just the regular old Permatex (I think) or similar brand antiseize will do te trick. Brush on a nice heavy coat and you should have no problem getting them back out ever. I do find I have to retorque my header flange bolts occasionally, but those always loosened up anyway, no matter what bolts I used.

Don

 

The pass side rear bolts always seized on me so once I put stainless bolts in with the silver anti-seize, there was never another problem for 25 years now. I did have to check the bolts for a few years as they did back out once in awhile, but that's it.

 

Try mcmaster carr for the washers

 

Thanks all, I found a place called " greg donahue" from florida that list the locking washers. and Mcmaster carr will have the stainless bolts.

 

I used new stainless bolts and split washers and copper anti seize with remflex gaskets on my wife's 352. Works great, no more leaks and the nature of the gasket, they don't loosen. We just tore apart my brother 302 that had the same setup and the gasket were still nice and soft after thousands of miles and never came loose.

 

If you've got the holes prepped,use studs & nuts.

 

It depends on what series and alloy of Stainless you have in the bolts in question. In reality, if you compare stainless bolts to regular carbon steel bolts that are of equal hardness, the stainless will have much less tendency to gall due to the nickel in the stainless with offers a slight bit of lubricity. You likely have 300 series bolts (302, 304, etc.).

- EM

 

I salvaged two tubes of anti seize from "uncle sugar" many years ago. Used in the steam plants aboard carriers (1200 psi, 1350 degrees steam) that has done the trick for years. It is gray in color and is most dificult to get out of your finger prints. All the FEs that I have run have never had gaskets (use cast iron manifolds), surfaced the manifold, verified the head and used anti seize on the surface as well as on the ss bolts with standard ol lock washes (ss too). No re-tightening required.