i have let all my car work go all winter and now I am getting
back on it... well i need to install a turbo.... and I was thinking

Is there an rtv that will work on an exhaust system?

it would save me from having to order the gaskets....

Hmm, I don't remember there being a gasket between the turbo and the manifold.... Memory is hazy though, RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

this is for an 89 saab 900.... it does have 2 gaskets.. on for oil
one for water and one for exhaust... do you think there is an rtv i could
use...


i own a 300e mb, a 96 dodge minivan, a 89 saab 900, a 90 ford truck
an 83 300sd, a jeep, and some more i cant remember..

I provide an RTV that handles 700°F. with the EGR kits. But, this is on an side runner from the manifold and the temp will stay below this value. You'd need RTV good for 1200°F. I don't think you'll find any that is commercially available at a reasonable price. And, even it the claim is made, consider it similar to the claims of exhaust header paint.

i guess i will just have to go out and find the gaskets...

what about this copper rtv?

permatex copper rtv says it goes up to 700 deg f

is that not enough...

Yes, the copper rtv is good for 700°F. But, that's proabably not sufficient for the long haul. I'm not sure how far the gaskets are from the exhaust ports.........the temp drops the further away that you go.

I wouldn't risk all that work........just to have to repeat it.

I'm curious, would there be any advantage of using rtv over the gaskets or are you just impatient and don't want to wait for them? Or are these gaskets expensive/hard to get for some reason?

And doesn't rtv cause rust during the curing process?

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

the gaskets are hard to get and expensive... the last time
i just went to napa and bought a gasket material and made some..

I think that you have the solution right there!

Go ahead and use the copper rtv it will work just fine. I have used it for many years on exhaust manifolds and have had no problems.

Seconded, I have used the Ultra Copper on several exhaust manifolds to head and manifolds to turbo (VW) and it holds up just fine.

Andrew

That's good to know. They limit the temp to 700°F. I would have figured that the direct heat from an exhaust manifold would break down the Ultra copper over time.

Hard to find? Did you check the top of the page?

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=1S60NXY6P1S60PL7Z3&year=1983&make=MB&model=300-CDT-001&category=All&part=Turbo+Mounting+Kit

You get everything you need.
If you shop, you might find it cheaper.

I don't know about hard-to-find, but the exhaust gaskets on the Saab B and H motors really are somewhat expensive. IIRC, over $25 each for the 8v motors.

I've used RTV on a header on a Saab B motor with no problems, as header gaskets are unavailable for a Saab, but header flanges run cooler than cast-iron turbo (!) manifolds.

It would probably work, but I would suggest using RTV on an old all-metal exhaust gasket (if your model still uses that type) rather than eliminating the gasket entirely. That's if the gasket on yours also incorporates a heat-shield for the plugs, as was the case for the B's and H's.