Exhaust Manifolt Gasket Install

[1BAGTO]

To all of you engine gurus out there, what is the best advice for installing a new exhaust manifold gasket. I have removed the old gasket and ordered new ones (graphite w/ steel core). I have cleaned the cylinder head from old gasket and looks nice and clean, but should I use gasket sealer? I had an exhaust leak on the rear driver side exhaust port, when I looked closer you could see the carbon outer coating was removed from the steel inner portion causing the leak. Stuck my hand back there at idle and could feel a good amount of exhaust leaking. I tried tightening down the bolts, but to no avail, exhaust leak remained. Also what order should the bolts be tightened? Any info would help, thanks guys!!

[Yoda4561]

get the surfaces FLAT and clean, or at least don't leave any old gasket or gunk anywhere on the manifold or heads where they mate together. Gasket sealer won't help and just provides something easy to burn and start leaks, great on those paper gaskets though. No sealer should be needed with the graphite gaskets, assuming that leak didn't burn a trench through something. Torque them down in 2 or 3 steps, first just snug the manifold down and then up it to the final torque value, even if you're not using a torque wrench the same idea applies. As long as nothing is warped to hell and the manifold bolts are tightened in the right sequence (start in the middle and move out, not the other way around) that aught to be good for years.

edit: I suggest unbolting the exhaust manifolds from the pipes when you do this, leave em hooked up to get the bolts started, but when you go to do the final tightening you don't want the pipes throwing off your torque values.