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Head gasket installation?


woodscavenger

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I second P-Tex "Copper Spray-a-Gasket".

Is your Vintage Power Wagons gasket a copper or steel-faced gasket, or is it a new-type Fel-Pro "Perma-tork", that already has the blue sealer on it ?

Metal-faced gaskets should be treated with some type of sealer.

While I have heard several old-timers speak of it, I have never seen any recommendation in any shop manual to "soak a gasket in water". Don't think I'd "go there" with a head gasket.

My vote is the spray-copper.

De Soto Frank

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While I have heard several old-timers speak of it, I have never seen any recommendation in any shop manual to "soak a gasket in water". Don't think I'd "go there" with a head gasket.

Frank;

I had never heard of the water soak until Jon Robinson mentioned it on the Desoto forum. I dont think I would go there either.

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I used a new composit gasket with copper facing. I sprayed the engine side of the gasket with the copper spray shown above. The other side was dry.

When you install it is imperative you follow the factory tightening sequence and do the torque in increments. I started from snug to 50 lb ft, then icreases by 10 to 60 then two more rounds at 65 and at 70. It is also very important to retorque after a heat sequence. That is run the engine to operating temp, shut off let cool a bit and re tighten to 70, following the sequence.

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  • 1 year later...
I put mine on dry, and retorqued it after running it up to operating temp. I've also used "Copper Coat" gasket sealant in the past with good results.

CopperSpray.jpg

This might be a brainfart question but,which side of the head gasket do you spray the Copper Coat gasket sealer on? I've got the copper on one side and gasket material on the other.

Tom

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I just used the brush on stuff and I decided just to spread it on both sides. I really don't think it makes much of a difference as why would it? Just a matter of clean up if you do haft to take the head oft again. One thing you will notice when you light oft your rig it will smoke but don't worry that's just the gasket sealer burning oft where the gasket did not press against the block. Oh you might as well when you have the head of check your timming out with number one piston just going down and both vlvs closed. Also pour some oil down on each piston this will help lubricate the cyclinder walls befor it starts up. :cool:

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  • 2 months later...

I've heard that a copper head gasket can be resused if it's annealed first. Placing it in an oven and bring it up to 450 degrees then cooled. The annealing softens the copper to allow the gasket to reshape to it new setting. Can any one validate this process?

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I put mine on dry, and retorqued it after running it up to operating temp. I've also used "Copper Coat" gasket sealant in the past with good results.

CopperSpray.jpg

I have used Copper Coat as well with excellent results. I sprayed both sides and used an anti-seize product on all headbolts whether they go into the water jacket or not. No leaks so far on two engines.

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I put mine on dry and just used pipe joint compound on the head bolts that go into the water jacket. So far that has worked fine for me.

Same here except I used high temp RTV on the head bolts. Going on 2 years and no problems so far.

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