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Head Gasket Sources
- Thread starter healeygal
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Keoke
Great Pumpkin
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Hi Sharon, The Payen gasket seems to be as good as any.and I think Moss is a local source for them. Regarding do they hold up ,some four clyn engines have a penchant for leaking on the right hand side of the engine. Knock has some special sealant that stops this leaking if its stopable.You might give David a call and check that out.--Fwiw---Keoke
You can obtain a AH Spares gasket from Bob Yule, Autofarm,
just outside of London, Ontario. You can e-mail Bob at
bob@autofarm.net. Service is fast. Oh, this is what I have
on my BJ8.
Kind regards
Ed
'65 BJ8
just outside of London, Ontario. You can e-mail Bob at
bob@autofarm.net. Service is fast. Oh, this is what I have
on my BJ8.
Kind regards
Ed
'65 BJ8
tahoe healey
Yoda
Offline
This brings up the old question about using sealant. Do you or don't you? I've never used any on my MG or Jag but they don't leak like the Healey. This is a winter thing for me this year so I'm interested in this thread.
tahoe healey
Yoda
Offline
Thanks, Keoke
healey3000
Freshman Member
Offline
Here in Europe there is also an "improved" composite modern material gasket on the market (www.scparts.co.uk) which is supposed to have better sealant properties than the original copper gasket. So far I haven't heard of any practical experience with this part.
Best regards
Best regards
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Hi Sharon,
Everyone seems to have there own pet gasket - sealer combinations. The Four design does not have optimum head stud spacing or enough studs. This makes it a bit harder to get a good seal.
Denis Welch UK, has a very expensive three layer steel gasket for difficult to seal high compression engines. Likely not needed most of the time.
When I got the DW aluminum head, they recommended a cheaper sandwich gasket with copper on both sides. I coated the gasket on both sides with "Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket", let it set up, & torqued it down. Have had no leaks or need for retorquing after installation. Perfect sealing. I did use DW high strength head studs & nuts, along with hardened steel washers under the nuts. This combination is torqued to higher tension than original specs.
Some of this may be overkill, but the last thing I wanted was a headgasket failure or oil leaks.
Most important is to have the head & block surfaces level with NO areas more than .002" below the surrounding areas. If the head or block is out-of-spec things should be resurfaced. The block holes around the studs should be slightly countersunk to eliminate the possibility of a raised block thread preventing full, even, seating of the head or gasket. The studs should be very lightly set into the block to allow for slight length changes of the threaded part during heat expansion & to prevent raising the top block thread.
If you could find a "Fel-Pro PermaTorque Blue" composite gasket, it would require no sealer & they work very well. Don't know if it is available for your engine though.
You "may" be able to skip some of this elaborate procedure & maybe not. Doing it all will assure that you do not have to do it over in a relatively short time.
D
Everyone seems to have there own pet gasket - sealer combinations. The Four design does not have optimum head stud spacing or enough studs. This makes it a bit harder to get a good seal.
Denis Welch UK, has a very expensive three layer steel gasket for difficult to seal high compression engines. Likely not needed most of the time.
When I got the DW aluminum head, they recommended a cheaper sandwich gasket with copper on both sides. I coated the gasket on both sides with "Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket", let it set up, & torqued it down. Have had no leaks or need for retorquing after installation. Perfect sealing. I did use DW high strength head studs & nuts, along with hardened steel washers under the nuts. This combination is torqued to higher tension than original specs.
Some of this may be overkill, but the last thing I wanted was a headgasket failure or oil leaks.
Most important is to have the head & block surfaces level with NO areas more than .002" below the surrounding areas. If the head or block is out-of-spec things should be resurfaced. The block holes around the studs should be slightly countersunk to eliminate the possibility of a raised block thread preventing full, even, seating of the head or gasket. The studs should be very lightly set into the block to allow for slight length changes of the threaded part during heat expansion & to prevent raising the top block thread.
If you could find a "Fel-Pro PermaTorque Blue" composite gasket, it would require no sealer & they work very well. Don't know if it is available for your engine though.
You "may" be able to skip some of this elaborate procedure & maybe not. Doing it all will assure that you do not have to do it over in a relatively short time.
D
[ QUOTE ]
Some of this may be overkill, but the last thing I wanted was a headgasket failure or oil leaks.
D
[/ QUOTE ]
Hello all,
As usual, thanks for all the valuable information re products, techniques, and insights into this !!@##$% engine - I will print the replies out and keep them for future reference. Funny thing, the old engine, during its 28 years in use before the rebuild, did not have the right-sided leak. I used to hear people talk about it and wonder what they meant - now I know! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Sharon
BN1
Some of this may be overkill, but the last thing I wanted was a headgasket failure or oil leaks.
D
[/ QUOTE ]
Hello all,
As usual, thanks for all the valuable information re products, techniques, and insights into this !!@##$% engine - I will print the replies out and keep them for future reference. Funny thing, the old engine, during its 28 years in use before the rebuild, did not have the right-sided leak. I used to hear people talk about it and wonder what they meant - now I know! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Sharon
BN1
tahoe healey
Yoda
Offline
Two perhaps stupid questions:
If it works on 4's, why wouldn't it be better than not on all others?
Why doesn't an alum. head cause corosion when butted against a standard iron block? You've got water an all. Is it something to do with the head gasket? Same with the cast oil pans and valve covers?
I'm a little weak in the science dept.
If it works on 4's, why wouldn't it be better than not on all others?
Why doesn't an alum. head cause corosion when butted against a standard iron block? You've got water an all. Is it something to do with the head gasket? Same with the cast oil pans and valve covers?
I'm a little weak in the science dept.
Offline
Hi Rich,
It may very well work on all others also. As Derek pointed out, the sixes don't have as much problem, probably due to the better head bolt pattern. I personally use the same techniques on ALL engines.
Dissimilar metals in contact with each other can corrode through an electro chemical process. Just like the aluminum shroud flanges can corrode when in contact with the steel fenders.
Cylinder heads have the benefit of effective corrosion inhibitors in the coolant, (antifreeze) if it is fresh. And I stress fresh. Many aluminum head problems come from trying to use antifreeze too long when the inhibitors have been depleted. Many sandwich type head gaskets have a non conductive section which may help.
Oil pans & rocker covers are largely insulated from the other metals by non conductive gaskets. Good oils also have corrosion inhibitors.
D
It may very well work on all others also. As Derek pointed out, the sixes don't have as much problem, probably due to the better head bolt pattern. I personally use the same techniques on ALL engines.
Dissimilar metals in contact with each other can corrode through an electro chemical process. Just like the aluminum shroud flanges can corrode when in contact with the steel fenders.
Cylinder heads have the benefit of effective corrosion inhibitors in the coolant, (antifreeze) if it is fresh. And I stress fresh. Many aluminum head problems come from trying to use antifreeze too long when the inhibitors have been depleted. Many sandwich type head gaskets have a non conductive section which may help.
Oil pans & rocker covers are largely insulated from the other metals by non conductive gaskets. Good oils also have corrosion inhibitors.
D
Keoke
Great Pumpkin
Offline
Yep TH,and besides the aluminum is self protecting in that it generates an oxide that is more resistant to corrosion than the base metal. Controlling the PH of the coolant water in the engine will allow Aluminum heads to give good service over long periods of time.---Keoke
tahoe healey
Yoda
Offline
Thanks. I love learning things outside my field.