Hey fellas, just would like an opinion on reusing my Fel pro #1044 head gaskets. They have less than 200 miles on them and they run 50.00 apiece. They are in great shape. I pulled my engine and took the heads off to find a suspicious lack of oil to the rockers which I finally found. Can I reuse these????? These are fairly new.
I would...
I would also coat them with either Hi-tack or Ultra-copper from the spray can....just don't get carried away with the spray...
Once they're crushed, how can you uncrush them so you can recrush them? If you use them you are flirting with a water leak, you might be very lucky maybe if you torque them an additional 5 lb. past what you torqued them the last time but then maybe you wil break a head bolt and maybe it will leak anyway. Better safe than sorry, get a new set of gaskets, just my humble opinion.
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
Is 100 bucks worth the price of a new motor?
I wouldn't do it myself. Like Don said they are crushed as soon as you torque the head bolts. (BTW: Technically the head bolts stretch once you torque them too). :whacked: You may get by .......... you may not.
Hypothetical situation:
You re torque the heads. You have a small water leak into the oil. Before you notice the leak, you wipe out a rod or main bearing because of the antifreeze in the oil.
I'd sleep better knowing I did it right.
I have done it.....
You have to remember even with the heads torqued to the block when the engine is cold and you fire it up the to surfaces move and sometimes and different rates....
Ad rpm to the mix and things move even more....
I would say only do it if you did not bend or nick the gasket...If you do...absolutly replace them....if you kink or nic even a new one won't seal....
I probably will get new ones considering what I have been through w/ this engine. But I would think you would be able to use them w/ the same aluminum heads that they came with. I would also use them on the same side that I took them off of. What do you think?
dont use any sealant on head gaskets!:whacked: are you insane?:LOL: they crush thats how they seal especially if they are the copper kind, which those are reusable........scooter
I don't put a head gasket on without putting on ultra copper, especially a copper head gasket. On the copper head gaskets I have the instructions state to use a sealant.
I'd go back with new Fel-Pro 1014's. They're the same bore diameter and have steam holes, but they're 0.039" instead of 0.051" and so will tighten up the squish in the motor. They're cheaper too, $31.88 each at summit.
Quote:
Originally posted by 73RS
I don't put a head gasket on without putting on ultra copper, especially a copper head gasket. On the copper head gaskets I have the instructions state to use a sealant.
no no no the instructions are upside down!:LOL: just givin ya crap no offense intended here jsut good fun
:3dSMILE:
Go to your room, Scooter :LOL:
:rolleyes: :LOL:
Ya mean I can't reuse these cardboard gaskets I have on my 327???...and I just got a new Chiquita box from Safeway store ...........dang:whacked: :D :D
I have always bought new gaskets, I have seen too many warped heads and spun bearings not to. Like Dr. Bowtie said, even a kink or nick in a NEW gasket will sometimes keep it from sealing correctly. I would err on the side of caution, replace the gaskets as Tech said, Summit has a great deal on a better gasket. Just my 2 cents...
You would be risking an awful lot to re-use them....especially head gaskets. Dont do it, just bite the bullet and get another set...you can buy other brands than Fel-Pro that wont cost you quite as much either, still great gaskets.
Thanks for the replies...I think I might go w/ that felpro 1014. But the felpro 1044 state that they lower compresion and aid in valve to piston clearance. Should the Felpro 1014 be allright? price seems nice.
Thicker head gaskets are not the way to lower compression ratio. That only increases the squish figure (piston to head clearance which on a SBC is ideal at about 0.040")) and makes the motor less octane tolerant. Compression ratio should be altered with combustion chamber volume and piston crown volume. If you are concerned about v/p clearance, then either check it or use the same gaskets you've been using.
top fuel uses thick head gaskets to low compression ive got some that are .72:LOL: junk parts one corner is melted out:LOL:
Yeah, but with a hemispherical combustion chambers.... and two plugs per cylinder, they're not worried about flame propogation or octane.....
Scooter, I thought I told you to go to your room!! :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:
I've got to agree that replacing them is the way to go. Had a similar problem on a 306HP 289 (Shelby GT350), and it was the nicked gasket scenario. I was a lot younger, and trying to save a buck, and it cost me time. Fortunately, no damage. Same motor had high pressure oil pump, and split a cheap - er - inexpensive oil filter.
I actually brought my heads and the head gaskets into a new machine shop in the area (new to me) called Competition engines. I 'm having the aluminum heads drilled for steam holes (30 bucks). At the same time I had him look at the head gaskets and he said he wouldn't hesitate in a hearbeat to use them. He also said he would never use any spray (copper) on them-just reuse them. He said they looked fine. I'll probably go the other way though and buy the 1044's though. I just don't want any more problems. I've been through to much w/ this 400. I've already pulled it 5 or 6 times since I had it (1year) and it's suppose to be a new high performance motor. It just goes to show you that if you want it done right-do it yourself. Don't pay someone else to do work that you can actually do yourself. Make the time to do it. Hopefully it will rock now.
Ask yourself this question , do you really want to take your engine apart again if your wrong? Is it worth the savings? Carlg
Overtorqueing bolts results in less clamping pressure due to the Modulus of Elasticity has been exceeded.
Correct torque will give the maximum clamping pressure the bolt is capable of delivering.
I just read an article in the new 'Chevy High-Performance' mag.
They were testing vortec heads and reportedly used the same
fel-pro MLS gaskets for all heads! I believe they tested 4 different
heads.
I dunno - truth or endorsment income.
Bert
I would guess part endorsement and part the fact they only have to hold up for a dyno pull or 2. I still would replace a street engine head gasket. (Long term insurance).Quote:
Originally posted by SBC
I just read an article in the new 'Chevy High-Performance' mag.
They were testing vortec heads and reportedly used the same
fel-pro MLS gaskets for all heads! I believe they tested 4 different
heads.
I dunno - truth or endorsment income.
Bert