steel head gasket

richie 2 · 07-22-2014, 04:18 AM

just a street 327ci chevy, which steel head gasket will hold up? there use to be some coated ones? any tricks to help seal? thankyou.

Eman · 07-22-2014, 08:07 AM

Mr. gasket made coated ones, spray the gaskets with copper coating when installing. Ck compressed thickness, they're not all the same, and be sure you have enough clearance piston to head.

bigfoot584 · 07-22-2014, 05:04 PM

60's and 70's we'd just used aluminum spray paint coat each side and go for it, it's easy to clean if you you need to remove them also.I always felt that spray gasket stuff was a mess to clean, I wouldn't tell so one they couldn't use it if that's what they wanted to use.

Ed Wright · 07-22-2014, 08:17 PM

We did use high heat aluminum paint on steel gaskets for years with no issues.

I have found many head & block mills around here don't cut a smooth enough finish. That is in the set up of the little cutter bits in the wheel. A slick finish seals steel head gaskets better. Ask me how I know. LOL

I generally use K&W Copper Coat when I reuse a Cometic gasket. Not the first time. Not trying to tell anybody how to do things, just sharing what has worked for me.

FED 387 · 07-22-2014, 08:29 PM

Hylomar by Permatex--- AEROSOL--- is the only stuff to use ----Patterson uses it all the time

richie 2 · 07-22-2014, 09:11 PM

thanks all. we're saving a numbers matching engine. new pistons give me a .017'' deck height. deck surfaces are stock. I've found today that GM sells a .028'' composition gasket that would give me a perfect .045'' quench. im just a little nervious about the deck surface finish that I can't touch...the composition gasket should seal it & would be a better choice that a steel unit...

richie 2 · 07-23-2014, 09:55 AM

GM # 10105117 describes that gasket w/4'' bore. it could very well measure .4.065'', which is the smallest I can go. my bore is that size.

richie 2 · 07-24-2014, 02:39 PM

anyone know the bore size of that GM composition gasket?

Mike Pearson · 07-24-2014, 03:31 PM

If its just a stock street engine with cast pistons the steel shim gasket will be fine with a deck of .017. I don't run a whole lot more than that in my race engine and the bore clearance is way more than you would run on a cast piston street engine. The coated Mr. Gasket steel shims do not require any sealer and seal well on smooth finished deck surface.

richie 2 · 07-25-2014, 04:35 AM

mike we hade JE do a piston set for our 4.064'' bore, that's what it cleaned up at to save the block. sonic check of the finished bores are @ .160''. I found the mr. gasket steel units w/grafite coating w/4.100'' bore, .028'' thick. they're gonin' on out of the box...even though the deck surface is factory (as not to harm the I.D. numbers & not warped/twisted) and heads finish has a regular machined surface....should work. thanks for everyones input !

07-22-2014, 04:18 AM	#1
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 430 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	steel head gasket just a street 327ci chevy, which steel head gasket will hold up? there use to be some coated ones? any tricks to help seal? thankyou.

07-22-2014, 08:07 AM	#2
Eman Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: E TN Posts: 473 Likes: 16 Liked 133 Times in 76 Posts	Re: steel head gasket Mr. gasket made coated ones, spray the gaskets with copper coating when installing. Ck compressed thickness, they're not all the same, and be sure you have enough clearance piston to head.

07-22-2014, 05:04 PM	#3
bigfoot584 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 43 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: steel head gasket 60's and 70's we'd just used aluminum spray paint coat each side and go for it, it's easy to clean if you you need to remove them also.I always felt that spray gasket stuff was a mess to clean, I wouldn't tell so one they couldn't use it if that's what they wanted to use.

07-22-2014, 08:17 PM	#4
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: steel head gasket We did use high heat aluminum paint on steel gaskets for years with no issues. I have found many head & block mills around here don't cut a smooth enough finish. That is in the set up of the little cutter bits in the wheel. A slick finish seals steel head gaskets better. Ask me how I know. LOL I generally use K&W Copper Coat when I reuse a Cometic gasket. Not the first time. Not trying to tell anybody how to do things, just sharing what has worked for me. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

07-22-2014, 08:29 PM	#5
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,423 Likes: 538 Liked 333 Times in 180 Posts	Re: steel head gasket Hylomar by Permatex--- AEROSOL--- is the only stuff to use ----Patterson uses it all the time Last edited by FED 387; 07-22-2014 at 08:31 PM. Reason: addl info

07-22-2014, 09:11 PM	#6
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 430 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	Re: steel head gasket thanks all. we're saving a numbers matching engine. new pistons give me a .017'' deck height. deck surfaces are stock. I've found today that GM sells a .028'' composition gasket that would give me a perfect .045'' quench. im just a little nervious about the deck surface finish that I can't touch...the composition gasket should seal it & would be a better choice that a steel unit... Last edited by richie 2; 07-22-2014 at 09:15 PM.

07-23-2014, 09:55 AM	#7
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 430 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	Re: steel head gasket GM # 10105117 describes that gasket w/4'' bore. it could very well measure .4.065'', which is the smallest I can go. my bore is that size.

07-24-2014, 02:39 PM	#8
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 430 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	Re: steel head gasket anyone know the bore size of that GM composition gasket?

07-24-2014, 03:31 PM	#9
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,456 Likes: 618 Liked 1,945 Times in 586 Posts	Re: steel head gasket If its just a stock street engine with cast pistons the steel shim gasket will be fine with a deck of .017. I don't run a whole lot more than that in my race engine and the bore clearance is way more than you would run on a cast piston street engine. The coated Mr. Gasket steel shims do not require any sealer and seal well on smooth finished deck surface. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

07-25-2014, 04:35 AM	#10
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 430 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	Re: steel head gasket mike we hade JE do a piston set for our 4.064'' bore, that's what it cleaned up at to save the block. sonic check of the finished bores are @ .160''. I found the mr. gasket steel units w/grafite coating w/4.100'' bore, .028'' thick. they're gonin' on out of the box...even though the deck surface is factory (as not to harm the I.D. numbers & not warped/twisted) and heads finish has a regular machined surface....should work. thanks for everyones input ! Last edited by richie 2; 07-25-2014 at 04:43 AM.