Can I presume that SA used cork end seals during the original manifold installation?
How did that work out for them?
Yes but the original cork ends seem to be thinner, as Bob says, by about half.
I recently tried to go back to them and wound up doing the manifold installation three times.
First it leaked water, then oil and had a vacuum leak.
I was convinced the water and oil, was a bad head gasket which was a $90 Cometic one. Nope. Freakin' cork is what it was. It was all in the back against the firewall too so instead of it taking normal time, it took six times the effort since I had to do everything twice AND change the head gasket.
I even shimmed up the head bolts thinking they were too long and bottomed out?
Dumb, dumb and dummer.
A wise man will learn from the folly of others so as not to repeat it. Some of us become wise,,,sometime later.
I know the difference between self deprecating and self defecating. I'm embarrassed to admit, sometimes... not always, exactly which apples best to my case?
I just offer my experiences in order to save you from the same mistakes. But we can change the names in order to protect the innocent?