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Replacing head gasket

D

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Doing a reassembly on a 300U. It looks good enough but I am not the greatest judge. When you take off the head do you replace the gasket (always, sometimes, rarely)? I will probably replace this one but just wondering what the criteria would be for going with a new one?
 
ALWAYS! Never reuse a head gasket. Only time is on a motorcycle with thick copper. And then you boil it to soften it. I also spray any head gasket with permatex copper.
 
So boiling a copper gasket will soften it? I would like to see the science that supports that. Surely the gasket you are talking about is comprised of some other material in addition to the copper.
 
My Farmall BA has a used head gasket on it but it was a metal gasket and it went in the oven for an hour or so plus had aluminum pint pt on both sides of the gasket when installed
 
My Farmall BA has a used head gasket on it and it was done 10 plus years ago. It is a metal gasket and went in the oven for an hour or so plus had aluminum paint put on both side of the gasket
 
(quoted from post at 08:26:19 08/25/22) So boiling a copper gasket will soften it? I would like to see the science that supports that. Surely the gasket you are talking about is comprised of some other material in addition to the copper.
Click to expand...

To anneal pure copper, we heat it to red hot and let it cool. Softens it right up. We have had to do it on compressor valve seat and cover gaskets when we didn't have enough to change all of the valves. I've done it several times. I don't think boiling it at 212 F is hot enough.
 
I used the old gasket on an F12 one time. Low compression & it looked good to begin with. Copperkote on both sides & retorqued after running. No problem for years & then the tractor was sold. I wouldn't try it on a diesel.
 
New.
One time I got away with a used gasket on a lawnmower.

One time I helped a friend in college change head gasket on a pinto
While under warranty Ford replaced the gasket 2x.

The third time friend applied a thin coat of silicon gasket material to both sides.
Let the silicon set for 30 minutes.

Head gasket never leaked.

I regret not using silicon on my Farmall.
It had tiny rust on the block.
 
Always! Unless it's a rare antique and a gasket can't be found.

And clean, clean, clean, and clean again down to bare clean metal!

Chase the bolt holes with a tap, wire brush the bolt threads, use sealer on any through bolts that go into the water jacket.

Why was the head off? Was the gasket leaking? If it was, best have the head checked for level.

When going back on, torque to spec by the book, then run up to temperature and retorque hot, also readjust the lifters.

I never liked using sealer, a thin coat of aluminum spray paint is an old trick the seals but does not float the head or squeeze out covering coolant or oil ports. Too much sealer will cause the bolts to lose torque over time as it squeezes out, not good!
 
A machinest showed me how the area around the block stud surfaces mound up. He took a b a s ta rd file and shaved it over the surface where each head bolt or stud was. Its definitely clear that the block surface pulls up in that area. Makes the head seal with out resurfacing the block. I'll bet it is raised .003 of an inch.
 
(quoted from post at 07:37:46 08/25/22) Doing a reassembly on a 300U. It looks good enough but I am not the greatest judge. When you take off the head do you replace the gasket (always, sometimes, rarely)? I will probably replace this one but just wondering what the criteria would be for going with a new one?
Click to expand...

When you hear people moaning and groaning about having to fix a blown head gasket, it kind of makes your question seem a little dumb. I mean think about how much trouble it is to replace a head gasket and you want to take a chance with an old used one? It's not like it's an expensive part.

Sorry, I'm just not that much of an optimist. :roll:
 
Always replace ALL gaskets, unless you are really cheap or broke. Not doing so engenders problems/leaks in the future.
 
Do exactly what Steve @ Advance says. Besides the new gasket, cleaning the bolt threads and the holes is critical. Mark.
 
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