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General TR Cylinder Head Gasket: Stay Simple?

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KVH

KVH

Obi Wan
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Sorry I can't find the old posts: The preference around here is "no sealant" for the sandwich type copper cylinder head gaskets, correct? I'm not referring to the sold ones.

Also, what about that perforated steel core one sold by BPNW for about $70 that says: "Made by Lucas in the UK . . . best head gasket to use for your Big Bore 87mm to 90mm Piston and liner kit. These heavy duty gaskets are . . . . perforated steel core, stainless steel fire rings and elastomer surface coating that heats very evenly. . . .No blown head gasket. . . ."
 
I tried several different substances when I was having trouble with head gaskets leaking. None of them seemed to help. Once I addressed the root cause (insufficient liner protrusion), they seemed to seal just fine dry.

No idea about the BPNW gasket, haven't heard of that one before. But _perforated_ doesn't sound good when it comes to sealing a surface.
 
I have used the Permatex copper head gasket spray on a number of jobs, I have never had a problem, but, kind of the opposite of Randall's comment, but I was installing gaskets on blocks and heads that had visited a machine shop and been cut smooth as needed, so I shouldn't have had any problems. I did use it on my Healey 100, which are notorious for leaking, it used a sandwich type gasket, I didn't get any leaks with the copper gasket spray. I don't know if that proves anything. I always put it in the category of can't hurt, might help.
 
I have used a coating in the past - plain aluminum spray paint - but doubt it made much difference and looked a mess when time can to remove it. Lately I just used the gasket 'as it comes'. If the protrusion is there these things don't seem too fussy or problem-prone.
 
The first two head gaskets I used on my engine leaked coolant. One was a Payen copper gasket the other was one of the Lucas you described above. Then BPNW and Lucas came up with the same style gasket with the with the red sealing bead around all the coolant passages. It has worked fine so far but only 1000 miles of driving. I did not have the top of the block machined flat, but I did do the head. At the time I was afraid the liner protrusion would be to big if I machined the block flat. Then I found you could buy different thickness figure 8 gaskets.
 
Which side of the copper sandwich gasket goes up? The one showing the folds of the copper?
 
Supposedly doesn't matter; but that's the way I do mine.
 
Geo Hahn said:
I have used a coating in the past - plain aluminum spray paint - but doubt it made much difference and looked a mess when time can to remove it. Lately I just used the gasket 'as it comes'. If the protrusion is there these things don't seem too fussy or problem-prone.
Click to expand...

Same here, your basic plain aluminum spray paint, only difference is that I still use it, blame it on superstition.
 
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