Copper Head Gaskets

What is everyone doing to install these copper gaskets with and o ring and rec grove. I hear some people heat the gasket first with a torch to anneal the metal and make it very soft. Some says just install torque as normal, heat cycle then re torque so the engine heat anneals the gasket.

I just want to make sure we have a good seal. Also on water jackets just some silicone on both sides?

Thanks!

 

spray coating on them let dry put a little aviation gasket glue around the water holes both side of the gasket and bolt them on run the engine up to temp then retorque heads thats all we do
Ron

 

wanted to mention my gaskets are .080 thick so a little nervous about getting them up in the reciever groves.

 

Are we talking wet or dry?

Dry, on the Top Fuel car we put a tad bit of silicone around the pushrod/intake area and a thin skin of blue grease elsewhere.

EDB

 

Whats the grease for?

 

Don't get nervous over the thickness, it still works just fine.

 

The copper is soft already.It will seal just fine.Just make sure you retourqe when it is hot.

 

So re torque hot? I was thinking this but was not sure.

 

we run dry...i use copper-kote spray on each side of the gasket, and a little silicone around the oil hole for the rockers. let the copper-kote tack up a little and always re-torque after the motor is hot. you won't have any problems.
hope this helps
Darren

 

Thanks for the response. I will re torque hot then and let her eat.

 

So you guys run the engine until hot, shut the engine & retorque the heads while the engine is hot. Should this apply with all engines with aluminum heads & copper gaskets. I thought they should be retorqued only when the engine cooled down but iron heads when hot.

 

That was my thought also, I figured the aluminum would expand a bunch and cause issues when re torque was performed.

 

The copper is dead soft already any attemp to anneal them with a torch will usually create distortion etc.

Hylomar everywhere thin spray and let dry.

When retorqing always loosen one nut a quarter turn then retorque then go to the next nut and repeat till done, this should be obvious but its amazing how many people I have seen just put a wrench on the nut and apply torque and think they are retorqing the bolt not realizing it will take at least 10% more torque to break the nut loose initially once it has taken a set.

Just my 2 cents,

Richard Gavle

 

Thanks Richard!

 

We do the same. Works for us.

 

I'm curious what the rationale is for retorqueing when hot. I always retorque after heat cycle and then cool because everything has shrunk back to shape.

 

Yes, im wondering the same thing, I've always retorqued when the motor is back to cold or close to cold. This is an all aluminium motor.

 

On my Miner Bros. motor the head torque is 190. I have to go find a big strong kid to do it for me (LOL)
-Dale