O-Ringing block

If you are going to o-ring block must you do the heads also to use flat copper gaskets .if not what advantages are there when you do both

 

Yes, you can put the o-ring in the block and use copper head gaskets without receiver grooves in the head, but it will hold more with recieving grooves.
You might want to consider putting the wire in the head.
Whats your motor combination? blower, BBC, hemi, OD, size, etc

 

Sm. Block 407 chevy, 8-71 20% overdriven. 11.0 static compression with flattop pistons.Edelbrock victor jr. heads

 

i would put the o-ring in the block and reciver groove in the head.
I think its easier to recut the reciver grove in the heads when you have to resurface the heads than it is to re-O-ring the head.
Water jacketed heads move!

 

Even though it's 11to1 if you are running alcohol and stay at 20% over with an 8/71 I doubt you will need reciever grooves to hold it. But that's just my opinion, I look forward to hearing others.

 

I don't agree , its a water jacketed ,conventional head smallblock chevy that notoriously gets hot between the two center cylinders !

If he has a healthy 8-71 blower and it gets a little on the lean side , you can safely bet that the head-gasket will leak between those two center cylinders.

 

Don't half-ass it, O-ring the block and receiver groove the head. It is only about $100-125 to do the heads while the block is being done. Do this and you have the best seal possible for the life of the engine.

 

The other thing is that if its detonating, any of the above combinations will fail.

 

We have the heads o-ringed and the receiver grooves in the block on our Donovan 417, we use SCE copper head gaskets .060 thick

Tim Steed

 

I used to run with no head grooves, and on this last rebuild had them put in, you can bet on having leak issues between the centers on a SB if you lean it out too much, if the motor is apart get it done, .... cheap insurance.

 

how tight in size does the receiver groove have to be? I've had some gaskets that were cut apart at the groove when removed.

 

Sounds like they are too tight.
If memory serves correctly, .060" wide, but I'll look tonight.



The reason for putting the reciever in the steel is the aluminum edge sometimes breaks off, like mine have.

 

Ok I'll bite how big are the receiver groves. I have an o ringed small block that leaks at 12% over on alc.
Steve

 

i just recieved my block from world products and they did the o-ringing of the block it calls for a 40 thousand wire and is 29 thousands deep into the block. the reciever groove is going to be 60 thousand wide and 10 thousands deep. using a .043 copper gasket