Head gasket preference

[40plyguy]

I picked up about 1/2 doz. Old engine gasket kits at a swap meet some years back. Some are Victor. Some OEM Mopar branded. I noticed some of the head gaskets are copper. Some steel. Wondering if there’s an advantage of one over the other? Another thing. Years ago I remember a machinist friend of mine would always spray non-coated head gaskets with aluminum spray paint when installing them. Is that still an accepted practice or is there something else popular nowadays? Tks much

[Dan Hiebert]

I was taught to use aluminum spray paint on metal gaskets, too, before there was any kind of spray on gasket available.  I think it's because they (at least used to) use actual aluminum in the paint.  Now Permatex makes a high temperature copper spray gasket that I've used on a few engines with no issues at all.

[40plyguy]

Thanks much for the advice. I’ll have to get some of the Permatex then.

[FarmerJon]

+1 on copper spray.

I would measure the thickness of your gaskets, to estimate crushed thicknesses. I would also look at gasket shape vs chamber shape. Some later heads have an asymmetrical shape around the valves (and internal coolant bypass passage). 

I would likely run the thinnest gasket that matches your chamber and coolant bypass. 

[40plyguy]

Thanks for the info. I will have to compare the gaskets. I thought the heads were pretty much the same.

[andyd]

If you have a cast iron head then the use of one type of gasket over another is moot, but if you have an alloy head then its not recommended to use a copper head gasket with an alloy head, due to electrolysis creating problems with head bolts etc.......andyd

[40plyguy]

Thanks for all the input. It will help when rebuilding the engine for my Plymouth.