Thread: steel shim head gaskets

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Has anyone ran these for use as a head gasket? I just fired up my small block chevy with 11:1 compression for the first time and the drivers side leaked water into the oil.It seems to be trickling out from the back of the head and deck surface running down the casting numbers of the block.I tightened them down correctly to 70ftlbs.I didnt coat them because the instructions said not to.But I wouldnt have even thought I would have a problem with the gaskets.Could I have some other problem or do you think it is the gaskets.I could see the water running out from around the gasket area from the back of the head.It dropped about 1/2 qt or more of water in the oil in 10 minutes.They were a Mr.Gasket brand not real expensive.If anyone has any input I would appreciate it.
Also my oil pressure seems a little high it was around 65 to 70 psi at 2500rpm with a nodular iron m55hv melling oil pump from summit is that something to worry about too?

are the heads and deck flat and clean ? i see alot of guys using them hi speed 3m wheels they can make any thing not flat in a big hurry

Yes everything should have been done right.The heads are brand new dart iron eagle platinums.I have replaced them with fel pro stock gaskets but have yet to crank it due to autoparts store being out of the intake gasket i need.I hope this doesnt turn out to be something major,but thats how it usually goes.

I asked my machinist about the steel shim head gaskets and he said he wouldn't use them unless the heads and block mating surfaces had been decked to be sure they are perfect. If only one of the two had been done then he said he would not recommend them. He also told me that if I do use them to spray them with a copper spray(?). A couple coats for sure. The factory uses them on NEW castings sure, but on an engine that has seen a few thousand heat cycles then they are not a simple substitute head gasket. In one of David Vizards books he also does not recommend the steel shim gasket in a rebuild. I think it is the leaking of coolant that turns people off.

Thanks for your help,I have just found out that the mr.gasket design is not very good and have a reputation for leaking on the drivers side.Who knows??
Thats why I allways prepare my self for a few problems,rarely does everything go right from start to finish.I'm sure most of you know what I mean....

i try to cut every head and block if not check it. i build engine,s for a living. i have a machine shop and i all ways cut the decks on the newer chevy small blocks they have a very choppy deck that make that type of gasket not work on them blocks . if you do not want to mill it get a big file get all oil off the deck and run the file over the deck then you can cut the wave of the deck this can work good if you cross file the deck of the block .you will have to take out the head locating pin,s tap them on the side with a drift punch and hammer then use visegrip to work them out. to put them back in flip the pins with teeth marks in to the block or just by new pins they can be had it many nut bolt stores. the file should be clean and flat . a mill file longer the better there also has been times were it had to cut new heads to get the finsh better this is alway s has been a big deal to me .the better the finsh on the deck and head the less gasket you need like a comp gasket has some forgiveness were a steel shim will not. it can compress so far. there multi layer can form over more hi and lows in the deck and block

You should use a sealant with the shim gaskets. I use them a lot on dirt bikes, and it's not uncommon for the water passages to leak. The solution is to lightly spray the gasket in copper gasket sealant in a spray can or with any paint that contains aluminum powder as a pigment (aluminum colored paint has a lot, go figure).

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

are the heads and deck flat and clean ? i see alot of guys using them hi speed 3m wheels they can make any thing not flat in a big hurry

some retard that my friend knows, used a dremmel with a cutting wheel to remove the old gasket , it was a honda 1.6 head, and had to be machined, my friend did the head rebuild.