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  • Engine: Head gasket question

    I have the heads off of my truck currently doing some valve work. I will be using the thin head gasket. The shop manual saysto use perfect seal. What is the current product? I can’t remember what I used last time. On farm tractors I have used copper cote and I have also just painted them with silver paint. What do you guys do?
    1962 Champ

    51 Commander 4 door

  • #2
    I use several coats of 'Copper coat' Has always worked - provided head is true

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    • #3
      Still the same, either Copper Coat or silver/gold/copper paint..!
      I've used all with good results.

      Note - "several" coats of anything is NOT a good idea, unless they are VERY thin coats. When the head is torqued, it will squeeze ALL excess material out. of the gap.
      Now where do you think that excess goes...into the cylinders, into the water jackets, down the sides of the block..! NOT a good idea..!

      All that said, I prefer a coupla "light" coats of Copper Coat, enough to evenly spread the copper over the entire gasket surface, both sides.
      The gasket, head and block decks should be "clean and dry". I use brake cleaner now-a days. I used to use lacquer thinner, but the cleaning qualities of that has gone to hell.
      The block and head decks must also be flat to get good results with the thin gasket.
      Torque per the book, from the inside out, in at least two steps.

      Mike

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      • #4
        I've always used Copper Coat with good results.

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        • #5
          Not sure why you want to use thin gaskets, but as has been stated, if your heads and block are not perfectly flat, you may want to reconsider.
          78 Avanti RQB 2792
          64 Avanti R1 R5408
          63 Avanti R1 R4551
          63 Avanti R1 R2281
          62 GT Hawk V15949
          56 GH 6032504
          56 GH 6032588
          55 Speedster 7160047
          55 Speedster 7165279

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          • #6
            1. Have the heads surfaced. It's worth the cost and effort. We square deck the blocks on all our builds.

            2. Since your short block is still in the truck, fill the cylinders with rags, scrape off any old gasket residue and run a large coarse flat file over the block deck. Wipe clean.

            3. Run a bottoming tap down each of the head bolt holes and with a blow gun tip which will reach the bottom, blow out each bolt hole.

            4. Clean all the head bolt threads with a thread cleaning die. Buff off any residue with a wire wheel, with special attention to the area under the bolt head.

            5. Torque the head bolts in the pattern in the Shop Manual and set the valve lash.

            6. Run it through a couple of full heat cycles and re-torque.

            7. Reset the valve lash.

            If you do all the above, it won't matter what paint you put on the thin head gaskets.

            jack vines
            PackardV8

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            • #7
              I am not a proponent of any sealer, I have assembled many engines with no issues. If I was assembling an engine for somebody else I may use a sealant just for the extra insurance but not for my engines.
              If the surfaces are true there should be no issues, if they are not true, no amount of sealer will help.

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              • #8
                Thanks everyone. The engine had thin gaskets before with no issues. So I will make sure to follow the advice given.
                1962 Champ

                51 Commander 4 door

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