273 Head Gaskets

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SeattleQQ1Fish

SeattleQQ1Fish

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Pulled the heads off my 273 for the first time in it's life and noticed that the head gaskets aren't round anymore like the cylinder bores, but rather misshapen. Any idea what might cause that?

Notice in the upper right hand corner Chrysler even stamped the penstar on their head gaskets.
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Guess you were lucky to pull the heads now... they were about to fail from the combustion forces
trying to find a way out.
Reasons could be manyfold... clamping forces not high enough (after all those years), or pinging.
Sure others will chime in.
 
Yes. I know what caused that. It was the factory that made them like that.
 
Yep that's the way they were. Don't throw them away. We need the bores measured if you could.
 
From what I've read, we can't buy that same gasket today. The 318 gasket works, sits away from the bore all the way around.
 
toolmanmike said:
Yep that's the way they were. Don't throw them away. We need the bores measured if you could.
Click to expand...
Yes, PLEASE save those! Please measure the diameter of the bores in an undistorted area as precisely as you can. And please measure the thickness of them at a edge (not in an area where they are embossed.) Let us know...

BTW, OP, have your heads checked for flatness.

stixx said:
Reasons could be manyfold... clamping forces not high enough (after all those years), or pinging.
Click to expand...
Yes, could be either the bolts working looser or some detonation on regular fuel and/ot too much ignition timing.

RustyRatRod said:
Yes. I know what caused that. It was the factory that made them like that.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have seen head gaskets made like those.. and that was my 1st thought too. But these seems to have moved some as they don't look consistent hole to hole.
 
OP, please just send those to one of the guys above that wants them.

This is the only way that they'll get the specs that they need accurately.
 
nm9stheham said:
Yes, PLEASE save those! Please measure the diameter of the bores in an undistorted area as precisely as you can. And please measure the thickness of them at a edge (not in an area where they are embossed.) Let us know...

BTW, OP, have your heads checked for flatness.

Yes, could be either the bolts working looser or some detonation on regular fuel and/ot too much ignition timing.

Yes, I have seen head gaskets made like those.. and that was my 1st thought too. But these seems to have moved some as they don't look consistent hole to hole.
Click to expand...

Trust me. They ain't moved. That's how they were made. The gasket bores were all over the map with those steel shim gaskets. I've never seen a prefect shape.......cept the round ones....and some of them weren't perfect.
 
Why not just send them to one of the folks who really needs them for evaluation?
 
I have a slant six thin steel head gasket I am planning on sending to Cometic to get them to make me a few. They will make any head gasket you want. That's what we need here. Is for someone to get these and send them to Cometic. Get some made and then they'll be in their system and be available to everyone.
 
whats you all's plans with these? Repops of an embossed head gasket?
 
Can anyone recommend a replacement head gasket for this engine?
 
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Hey, TMM, let us know what you find. I just measured an original '62 225 /6 had gasket with a micrometer in a few spots: 0.020" thick in the flat areas.

AND OP: Thanks for saving these!
 
nm9stheham said:
Hey, TMM, let us know what you find. I just measured an original '62 225 /6 had gasket with a micrometer in a few spots: 0.020" thick in the flat areas.
Click to expand...
Will do. SeattleQQ1 was nice enough to offer to send them my way. I can post the results here. I f I would have just saved mine when I took my 273 apart. :BangHead::BangHead:
 
nm9stheham said:
Hey, TMM, let us know what you find. I just measured an original '62 225 /6 had gasket with a micrometer in a few spots: 0.020" thick in the flat areas.

AND OP: Thanks for saving these!
Click to expand...
John sent them out and I received them today. I will get busy with the calipers this weekend (I hope) and take some measurements. Thanks John @SeattleQQ1Fish
 
I did a little measuring. Give me a bit and I will slide one on a 920 head and see what it looks like. The measurements are close estimates each bore was a bit different. I see the smallest bor of the ones available through Summit are 4.040.
Thickness was hard to measure because of all the embossing. .030 was the fire ring and the .022 was the very outside corners near the outboard head bolt hole.
A = 3.815
B = 3.975

273 head gasket.jpg2 A3.815 B3.975.jpg
 
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