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Payen head gasket question

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Michael Oritt

Michael Oritt

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About a year ago I rebuilt an MGA engine for the Courier and installed the cylinder head using a Payen black composite head gasket with standard torquing (50 foot pounds). I did not run the engine but simply stored it in a box.

I now have an opportunity to sell only the short block and simply wonder whether I can reuse the Payen head gasket. I have been told that they should generally not be reused but wonder whether that advice applies to cases where they have only been torqued once and not run.

I'd appreciate any opinions.
 
Good question and I can't state an exact answer.

I'm pretty sure that Payen would say that you can't. I bet most other manufacturers would too. But I know you are looking for a "real world" answer.

I would at least keep it around as a spare. My honest guess is that it would work......but then a new gasket is only about $25. Might not be worth ruining a weekend just to save that much.

For what it's worth, the 948 in my car at Watkins Glen had the orginal (1958) head gasket, which I re-used after pulling the motor apart for inspection a few weeks ago. It worked fine. But then, that motor is only 7.5:1 compression ratio.
 
Michael, I would think that you could use it again. It seems to me that running the engine with the alternating heating and cooling cycles would do the most to compromise the gasket. But first, I would mic the gasket and compare it with a brand new one to see if it has noticeably compressed.
If it does blow, how much work would it be to replace it with a new one? In my case, I would be more reluctant to use it on a big Healey 6 cylinder engine because if it blows, the amount of work required to pull the head is just not worth it.
If you do reuse it, let us know how it works out.
 
Bin it! The copper only compresses once. You may not have issues with the bores, but may find water up through the head studs.
 
"If you do reuse it, let us know how it works out."
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Richard--

I think I'll just give it to the buyer, telling him that it has been torqued down once. He and I will both be racing at the VRG Turkey Bowl the weekend after Thanksgiving so if he decides to reuse it we'll have an answer to the question soon!
 
It WON'T seal. I tried this on the herald when I pulled the head off for some reason I no longer remember and then mucked something up. No problem I had an additional spare. To bad it was for a 1200, not a 1300 engine. I tried the new, only torqued down once head gasket but it never worked properly. Don't bother, it is not worth the $25.
 
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