Inlet Manifold Gasket

[F1Flyer]

I was having a bit of blast in my old Turbo recently when it started to idle roughly. Investigation revealed that it had blown out a section of inlet manifold gasket on number four cylinder! I had a day off yesterday and replaced all four gaskets and found that the number one cylinder gasket was going the same way. The face of the manifold was flat enough, so the only thing I suspect is the fact that the bolts into the support bracket by the oil filler tube and the one under the front of the manifold were missing? I wonder if the whole thing could have been vibrating and helped the gaskets to work their way out?
Has anyone had a similar problem?
It's going like train again now by the way!
Cheers,
Steve.

 

[Diver944]

Wow that's not one I had heard of before [&:]

To your knowledge, has the inlet manifold has been off before? I am just wondering if it wasn't put back on quite right as I would have thought that gaskets on the colder side of the head should last for ever.

 

[F1Flyer]

Yes, I took it off a couple of years ago when I was replacing the big end bearings (not a job I'm keen to do again!). When I first realised what had happened, it looked like the gasket had never been fitted properly (half of one of the holes for the bolts was visible) so I blamed myself, until It became apparent that the gasket had torn right through the middle of the bolt hole!
The allen bolts into the head were not as tight as I expected though, which is what made me wonder if it had all been vibrating through a lack of support?