Headgaskets Aluminum Heads

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I use an inch pound on the tin stuff with cork gaskets for obvious reasons as well. The cork can usually do with a re-torque down the track.
Cometics come with a coating already on them, so it's beyond me why you would coat them.
Back in the day some production engines required re-torquing at various service intervals, but the "monotorque" style gasket put an end to that.
It's pretty obvious by this thread that people don't understand why differnt styles of gaskets are made and what thier aplications are designed for, also how to use them correctly.
Lol......
 
Well it may be beyond you but in the real world where you have multiple high end engine builders doing engines of significant power and have had issues with the Cometics and so they all now copper coat and no more issues.....take it however you want.
Real world? A real would you don't live in because your not one of these "high end builders' you mention.. Gimme a break :rolleyes:
Have you ever had to coat them? Do you think spraying copper paint on a rubber surface is a game changer?
If you're a "high end" builder you are most likely to use an upgraded gasket instead of trying to spray seal one that's not up to the job.
 
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What was the torque value when you went to retorque them?

I don’t bother. I back them off and torque them again. That is the correct way to do it.

Of course, you’ll say it’s wrong so it must be because you know everything, even if it goes against what Cometic says.
 
I don’t bother. I back them off and torque them again. That is the correct way to do it.

Of course, you’ll say it’s wrong so it must be because you know everything, even if it goes against what Cometic says.
Settle down, I was just interested in what you found.
 
Thanks, felt like I was the only one for min. I also torque the cometics to stock spec. Dare to be different...lmao
A head gasket is like a fuse, if your blowing fuses, you need to check everything else first before you upgrade the fuse.
 
Settle down, I was just interested in what you found.
What did he find?
All the standard head gaskets these days we use don't require a re torque, but because he says we should it must be right?lol because he knows everything?
Wait.. didnt he tell you just say that line to you already?lol
Only re torqing I do.. is going back over everything to make sure that it's clamped where I want it during the building process. I don't heat cycle them and then re torque anything other than headers and intake manifolds, and valve covers...oh and I also like cork ..on pans... top or bottom. Hope no one gets upset and chastises me for it. Bwhhaa
 
What did he find?
All the standard head gaskets these days we use don't require a re torque, but because he says we should it must be right?lol because he knows everything?
Wait.. didnt he tell you just say that line to you already?lol
Only re torqing I do.. is going back over everything to make sure that it's clamped where I want it during the building process. I don't heat cycle them and then re torque anything other than headers and intake manifolds, and valve covers...oh and I also like cork ..on pans... top or bottom. Hope no one gets upset and chastises me for it. Bwhhaa

I didn’t say it. Can you read? That’s what Cometic says.
 
I'll do what works for me, you do you.
I do have that old wheel bearing grease if anyone want's some, it may save your next flat cam. lol
 
He's never tested to see how much they have moved.
I've been using stock replace pt8553s cranking 185lbs or so, nothing moved. I guess if someone can't tune for **** or even set a 'reasonable' limit/expectation..theyll crank that distributor counter clock wise till they blow all the fire rings and or pistons out if it...and blame the gasket.lol
Even goofballs at Mopar Muscle used to do that, on the dyno. They were just pushing products . They knew they were turning the timing up too much..or they got greedy and ignorance took over... lo and behold the legend of the 1008s.." it's a must have for 10.1 comp"..lol every reader parroted that years....its practically the same gasket as the pt8553 ..aust thinner with a little metal ring inside outside of the fire ring.
All said n done..It always helps to know what you're building and use it for what it's intended. Lol
 
Just received a new set of aluminum heads for my 340 build, Promaxx 171/65cc heads. Never ran aluminum heads. Anyone have any recommendations for head gasket materials to use or ones to avoid?

Appreciate any thoughts.


Thanksanks
You should also put washers under the head bolts on alum heads!!!
 
I was going to post up a few links but we are all a little cement headed and do things our own ways so why bother. If it’s works for us why wouldn’t we. I did have to laugh at one comment about retorking head gaskets. “It’s not the 1970’s anymore”. Lol.
 
You should also put washers under the head bolts on alum heads!!!
But if he uses cometic gaskets ..the torque will be so low they won't be able to dig into the head LOL

That's pure satire of course, because he doesn't need cometics...this post was answered on page one, my reply .lol
 
I have been using the mr gasket 1121G head gaskets on my 11 to 1 small block with aluminum heads for several years without issue.
 
As I posted before I use Fel-Pro head gaskets and have for forty years. I have even reused them many years ago when money was tight and never had a problem.

Until I built my current small block I had never re-torqued a head bolt or stud. At the time of the build there was some internet chatter about re-torquing head bolts/studs. I decided to see if the nuts on my head studs would return to the same location when re-torqued. The heads were installed, after torquing the nuts I painted a witness mark on each nut and the head. The next day, one at a time I broke each nut loose and re-torqued. To my surprise all of them turned at least a quarter turn more and some almost a half turn more.

I don’t think there is any significance to my experiment, but I did find it interesting.
 
As I posted before I use Fel-Pro head gaskets and have for forty years. I have even reused them many years ago when money was tight and never had a problem.

Until I built my current small block I had never re-torqued a head bolt or stud. At the time of the build there was some internet chatter about re-torquing head bolts/studs. I decided to see if the nuts on my head studs would return to the same location when re-torqued. The heads were installed, after torquing the nuts I painted a witness mark on each nut and the head. The next day, one at a time I broke each nut loose and re-torqued. To my surprise all of them turned at least a quarter turn more and some almost a half turn more.

I don’t think there is any significance to my experiment, but I did find it interesting.

The same thing happens with a torque plate or main bearing caps. I finish the bores to .0005 of what I want and let the block cool to ambient and then knock the plate loose and torque it again. The bores will move around. Usually the second torque will stay the same.

Its the same with main caps. Get the main line finished and retorque the caps and watch it change.
 
FelPro 1008 eddie heads been on there since 2009 no leaks. 414 stroker 10.2 compression no power adders.
 
The more I read the more I ask "why Cometic's"???

If everything is right, they are better gaskets. They way they seal is better. But, you can’t have a rough surface and they need to be retorqued. Plus, you can get them with about any bore size and any thickness you need. That’s a big deal IF you want to keep crevice volumes down and IF you think compression matters (spoiler alert: I think it matters…a lot).
 
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