what's everyone using? the stock oem gaskets? those are $$ is there anywhere to get cheaper high quality pieces?

 

I bit the bullet and paid the dealer for my gasket, and when I took the old one off, it looked brand new. What can you do...

 

Those gaskets are pretty hardy. 90% of the time you just need to clean them up with a wire brush. They don't usually require to be replaced.

 

I did an experiment with a McMaster-Carr product. It was a graphite gasket material reinforced with stainless steel mess. 12" x 12" x .125" - about $32. Cut and punched my own gaskets. You can probably make 1/2 dozen gaskets from a sheet. You have to be careful installing it, but once installled it is fine. Had mine in place 6 months on my 7's downpipe and one year on my 93 pathfinders header flange with no issues.

heres info off the MC and Carr site:
Graphite Gaskets
The absence of a binder gives these gaskets a temperature range of -400° to +850° F. Use in high temperature, high pressure applications. Gaskets resist acids (except nitric and sulfuric), alkalies, salts, water, steam, grease, oil, and detergents. Color is dark gray. Sheet gaskets can be die cut or cut to size with scissors or a razor.
Sheets with No Insert— Max. pressure is 2000 psi. Meet MIL-P-24503.
Sheets with Type 316 Stainless Steel Wire Insert— Insert provides rigidity, additional strength, and resistance to damage during handling and installation. Maximum pressure is 10,000 psi.
Sheets and Flange Gaskets with Type 316 Stainless Steel Insert— A Type 316 stainless steel insert (0.004" thick for sheets and 0.002" thick for flange gaskets) provides added strength. Flange gaskets are ANSI rated and sized to fit 150-lb. flanges. Maximum pressure is not rated for sheets and is 5000 psi for flange gaskets. Ring gaskets cover the section of the flange just inside the bolt holes.
Sheet Gaskets
With Type 316 Stainless Steel Wire Insert
12" x 12" x1/8"
95675K67 32.17

http://www.mcmaster.com/
page 3264

-Chuck

 

Yep, clean it up and bolt it back on