250 Exhaust Manifold Gasket ... not there from factory?

My #6 cylinder had developed a very annoying and squeaky exhaust leak around the exhaust manifold. When I went to put a new exhaust manifold gasket on today I discovered there wasn't one on there ... the exhaust manfifold was bolted right to the log. Was this normal from the factory? It has a gasket on there now and is much quieter ... Getting to the two bolts behind the A/C compressor was a bear ...

 

It's possible. There wasn't a gasket on my 250 either, and I doubt anyone else had previously removed the manifold for any reason.

 

Thanks ... ... During my road test my car doesn't shift properly anymore ... guess I got some vacuum lines screwed up somewhere ... they all look fine ... gotta figure out what is wrong ...

 

I have seen several Fords without gaskets betwen the manifold and head. I guess if the fit is good enough it's not needed.
I had to pull the engine in my dad's 93 F150 5.o to replace all the freeze plugs. It was easier than trying to get to the ones in back of the heads.
Anyway, there were no gaskets on his either. I went back with gaskets.When I worked on the main electric generators at the local power company there were several metal to metal fittings where it was holding in hydrogen and with just a light coat of sealant held pressure fine. The surfaces had to be right though.
clint

 

My 250 did have a gasket. I think the head may have been pulled off sometime in the past though judgeing by the type of head gasket it had.

 

That was indeed a practice of the era, I have run into that several times.
Dan

 

Yep alot of Fords came that way even some 302s.........Once the manifolds warp though it's gasket time........unless you have a machinist plane mill them

 

My brother's 428 Cobra Jet has no gaskets....just metal to metal!!

 

That how they came from the factory. No gaskets for the manfoild. Since its all planed and smooth it makes a perfect fit. Thats also a good way of telling if anybody worked on the engine before.

 

When I was in college I often assisted the engine builder in the mntce.
shop of a utility contractor.

The 300 I-6's that we rebuilt did not have gaskets. We would send the
manifolds to the machine shop to be ground perfectly flat for a good seal.
Kind of like honing.

Seth

 

My '81 Ford truck did not come with exhaust manifold gaskets from the factory. I don't know what 6-cyl Mavericks came with...