head gaskets cut

my friend is building up a big block and he was installing the heads and he noticed the new head gaskets blocked a water hole so he cut the hole out of the new gasket! is he going to run into any problems? does he need to get new gaskets again

need to see what he cut and where i never in all my years of building big blocks ever had to cut any holes in the head gaskets. i haved drill out the deck for more water but thats is all

did you put the mark 4 head gaskets on a mark 5/6??????? them bocks have many holes in the deck????

he cut it on the front side where there is a water hole that is a funny shaped triangle

the old gaskets had a hole there and he just cut it with a pocket knife i was wandering if it would hurt them to cut it

a lot of time gasket do have smaller holes in them .this is to keep the water slowed down in spots and put big holes in them were whey want it to move faster thru the head. i will not tell you any thing with out seeing it the head gasket companies spend money on making them fit out of the box so i am thinking he should of kept is pocket knife in his pocket less he work in R@D for fel-pro?

he cut the hole at the water passage i was wandering if cutting the gasket material would have any adverse effects on the gasket seal, the hole he cut is smaller than the open hole in the head and block, there was a hole in this location on the old gaskets

i think i know where you are taking about i would like to see it still if you can not post a photo then i would say just buy a new gasket

a photo of where he cut the hole

Attachment 20121 on his gasket there was no hole here so he made his own

what year is the big block? mark 4 1965 up to 80s mark 5 1985?? and mark6 1990 ?

late 70's big block

i would not think it wound hurt?(but still did not see the real deal) he should not needed to do it who is the maker of the gaskets did he try some other maker are the gaskets for a mark 4? i am thinking there mark5/6

i was just wondering if it would hurt anything to run it like that, i wouldnt think it would

that is not really the point . the front of the mark 5/6 block have water hole on both ends they block one end to make the water run thru the back of the head if they are mark 5/6 they are not made to really fit that block

all the other holes line up

all the other holes line up

yes they would but you still have the wrong gasket? can you tell me who made them or a part number? so they can be look up with the number?they are i am thinking mark 5/6 head gaskets . i thinking this is much i can help you with out any more info or parts numbers or a photo of the real head gasket .like i said i never had to cut any head gaskets on any big bocks i have built over the years or had a hand in over 100 stock and race big blocks mark 4/5/6 allways did get the head gasket for the rigth year block i never tired to make a head gasket fit by cutting on them it was just some thing i did not want to make problem. i just pickout the rigth ones for the year block. i had to buy two set of gaskets if the first set were not going to work were i want more piston to head when the pistons rock out past the top of the deck but never cut on one

they are rol gaskets they came in an engine builders set for the mark4, it said it on the box, everything matched up on the gasket except for that hole

That hole is restricted to force the coolant to flow to the rear of the block before it passes up into the head, and to the radiator. With it opened up, the water won't flow through the back of the engine, resulting in cooling problems and cracked heads. Tell him to chuck them and put in some new ones. Take his little knife away!!!

the water pass are not in front of the block on the mark 4 block so that happens any way i thinking wrong gaskets in the box i have used the ROL gaskets they are not like that on the mark4 #rb3100 or the #hg31170hr the 5/6 blocks are open on both ends of the deck so like R Pope said the front would be plug i have seen race engine done with A@b putty to stop the water from going thru the front of the deck if the old mark 4 gasket was used open on both ends . this is a mark 4 block water in back mark 5/6 open in front and back no on photos of that

what size of gaskets does he need if its bored 30 over