Head Gasket Install

[tima01864]

I installed the cylinder head on the block the other day. I used the head gasket supplied in the gasket kit. The one with the red sealing strip. A bit of the red sealing strip is not making contact with the head, A small portion on the front exhaust side. Maybe it will be okay? Is this something common, Did I not install correctly?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I'm not following you here. You put the gasket on the block and then lowered the head down onto this? How would you know if the red strip wasn't making contact if you can't see it? Did you torque the head down?

A couple thoughts:
- Make sure you don't have a open valve that is hitting the top of a piston and preventing the head from going all the way down onto the block. I usually turn the crank so that all 4 pistons are halfway up to avoid a valve clearance issue until I get it all back together. Also make sure that the front of the block is lowered onto that front dowel locating pin as it should be.

- I hate to ask, but are your block and head surfaces totally flat?

Bryan

[tima01864]

Yes, Bot the cylinderhead and engine are rebuilt. They are flat. Head and gasket were positioned on the dowels. Appears like the gasket is
not quite right.
The red sealing strip is visible on a corner of the engine, Where a dowel pin is located. Yes the I tourqued the head.
With the head on a piece of that red strip is visible.
Brgds,
Tim

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Ahh, I understand now, thanks for that Tim. OK, I went and looked at both my '69 and '71 blocks and heads, and there is a small corner of the block that isn't covered by the cylinder head, on the exhaust side at the front corner. Roughly 1" by 1/4". And coincidentally, I just bought a new gasket set for my '71 and it does have the red stripe all the way around the perimeter of the head gasket. Around the oil holes, the red stripe forms a square around those copper rings that are part of the overall gasket.

While I like you and think you're a mighty fine person, I'm not willing to take off my cylinder head and have a look for you...!

So, my guess is either: 1) you have the gasket reversed side-to-side or upside down, or 2) it doesn't matter. I'm thinking that red stripe is there mainly to verify that the gasket hasn't been used before, and it is not part of the sealing process. Around the oil hole near where I think you're describing, the sealing is done by that copper ring.

-Bryan

[tima01864]

You may be correct Bryan. I have a hi performance cylinder head, Ported polished large valves Isky springs 35/75 cam. Engine rebuilt with HC pistons and the last thing i need is gasket failure. I asked Pete to post a picture as I dont know how.

I have replaced Head Gaskets on my earlier models never remember this, But back then the gaskets were different.

I am leaning to purchasing another gasket aside from what came in the gasket set. Pricey, But may be worth the piece of mind, That I dont know

[RRoller123]

I just posted pictures of this on another post. But here they are here too:

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Maybe it's just the angle of the picture, but what's up with the wavy action in the cylinder head in this spot? The cylinder head doesn't look like it's pressing down on the block in that front right (passenger) corner.

-Bryan

[tima01864]

That is a bizarre photo, I am hoping it is not like that in real life! If it is I really messed up

[tima01864]

I pulled the head off today. I have invested so much time and money in this, Want to get it right. There was no issue with the head gasket. The gasket can really only be installed in one attitude, The dowels could be in either corners, But no way that gasket could be installed incorrectly. The thing that got me was the head not sealing on the gasket in the left corner, That was because the gasket doe not follow the contour of the head, A little strip of red does not make contact. So in the end nothing is amiss, But worth checking for my sanity, I did order a new gasket, paid 4 times what the one in the kit would cost. Maybe I shoulda maybe shouldana, But hell I don't want to do this for a long while yet.

[tima01864]

I received the MLS gasket, Went to install it. Turns out the Intake is different on an 83. Looking at Rollers intake the 83 is beefier. The intake on the 83 hangs down a good 1/32 interfering with the gasket placement and the intake gasket hangs down a bit so that needed to be cut back. I scribed a line on the intake and filed the two parts of the casting. So After that all went well. I am glad that I questioned it as this would of been a big problem. Hope to follow up with photos.

[RRoller123]

posted pictures on a separate post, will post them here too.

[RRoller123]

This is the '80 Intake, and the difference to the '83 is quite significant. The '83 has cast material all along the top edge of the tube line in this picture. I.e. filling the entire area above the (2) hold down nuts. In both cases, the gasket needs to be slightly trimmed where it meets the head in that area.

[tima01864]

My 1983 Intake overlaps the head surface, Requiring the modification. Can not explain why, Maybe the head gaskets are made different not made fore this Pininfarina intake design? There was no issue with the previous gasket with 50,000 miles on the engine. Planing of the head surface and block may of added to it. But just be aware.