Head gasket sealant?

J

jeepguy1948

Well-known member
I’m using “Best” head gaskets, new Edlebrock aluminum heads. I’m reading that plain old wheel bearing grease is the only sealant I need. I must admit that seems crazy to me, never heard of it before. I’m running out of time on this project so I’m not looking to find problems that don’t exist. Grease yes, grease no?
 
I also used a copperhead gasket sealer… permatex as I recall. It was with Offenhauser heads. Never had issues
 
I'm a "grease guy" I've also successfully reused head gaskets that haven't been in place too long. I'm also cheap; have you priced a set of flathead head gaskets lately? I have.
 
I'm a fan of the Felpro composite head gaskets with the heat activated sealer. This is the gasket that Edelbrock recommends with the new aluminum flatheads, so it should be good to use on any aluminum flathead on a cast iron block. It uses the same materials that are designed to seal the different expansion rates of the aluminum heads and the cast iron block. It looks to be the same technology used on modern engines running aluminum heads. The reason I'm sold on them is I was a mechanic for 30-years. The modern engines I did teardown with aluminum heads that had these type of head gaskets and they never showed any corrosion damage at all.
 
I always spray a very light coat on the gaskets. Let it dry for a little while and then spray a heavier coat on before installing.
 
3 moderate coats of permatex copper coat on copper clad composite Best gaskets, stock iron heads, permatex #2 on head bolts. One tiny weep on a head bolt for ten minutes, nothin' since. Yes Denny, the big bore copper gaskets were over 200.00 with tax and shipping. Holy crap!
 
I used 3 coats of aluminum paint. Bought the copper spray, but spoke to a few guys and they said that the copper spray is also a type of glue and the head gasket will attach itself to the head or block or both. I decided to play it safe and use the old tried and true paint.

I also used Hercules thread sealer that I got from a HVAC jobber. Not a drop of water from any of the holes.
 
tubman said:
I'm a "grease guy" I've also successfully reused head gaskets that haven't been in place too long. I'm also cheap; have you priced a set of flathead head gaskets lately? I have.
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Yep. Big bore are over $100 in either composite or copper.
 
Grease all my life . My dad used it . He was a mechanic at Singac Ford in NJ in the early 50s and thats what was in use . Are there better now , probably. But why change now if grease works . I would use what ever the gasket manufacturer suggests.
 
Ggmac said:
Grease all my life . My dad used it . He was a mechanic at Singac Ford in NJ in the early 50s and thats what was in use . Are there better now , probably. But why change now if grease works . I would use what ever the gasket manufacturer suggests.
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Neat. Singac is about 15 minutes from me. I'd assume the dealership was on the main drag.
 
Silver paint three coats on each side works perfectly with copper head gaskets and aluminum heads. Gaskets can be reused many times. My personal experience many thousands of miles doing my head gaskets this way and a few hundred builds for others as well. Every Land Speed record we have set is with silver spray paint many over 200 MPH that's stock block Ford flatheads and ARDUN overhead conversions as well.
Ronnieroadster
 
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