Stacking head gaskets

Doug Domm · 03-29-2012, 09:57 PM

Ok,ok, I know what is he thinking but has anyone here stacked composite head gaskets on a BBC? Someone here has way too much piston out of the hole and needs about .110 in gasket to get about .045 piston to head and at that will still be close to 13 to 1 on compression. I couldn't advise him because I really have no idea about this.

Grant Eldridge · 03-29-2012, 10:12 PM

I believe Cometic can supply almost any thickness of MLS gasket for BBC, any bore size. Think they are about $90. each, probably cheaper than stacking composite gaskets and much safer with less chance of problems. Although they no longer advertise it, I've re-used these gaskets several times with no problems by cleaning them and re-coating them with spray gasket sealer. Not suggesting this for anyone else, just saying.....

Grant Eldridge
E/SA 6650

Duane Eiskant II · 03-29-2012, 10:55 PM

Grant is right, as ive seen them listed in the cometic book up to atleast .120 and im sure they could make them thicker if needed. As far as stacking, well i knew a guy one once had negative piston to valve clearence and glued a cooper gasket (god knows how many times they were used before hand) to a set of the fel pro hp gaskets and never had a issue. I know he did have to keep retorqing the cylinder head after it was run a few weeks till it crushed all the gaskets, and glue enough to keep the correct torque. Might not work for your combination but it did on his.

Alan Roehrich · 03-29-2012, 11:24 PM

No way would I use two composite type gaskets. Cometic, however, will make you a set. SCE might make you a set of copper gaskets with a wire fire ring in them. I'm sure Hussey will make a copper gasket, but it will not have a wire fire ring. I can't say for sure if 13:1 will seal without some sort of fire ring or o-ring on a copper gasket.

NewHemi · 03-30-2012, 12:10 AM

Not composites..

Not in a Chevy , but we (Drooze) stacked metal ones when we had an above deck problem inour first 5.7. But then we got cometics... and then better pistons, and now are all good.

David
The New Hemi Guy

Dwight Southerland · 03-30-2012, 08:42 AM

I stacked two Fel-Pro 1017 gaskets on a boat racer's cobbled together engine in a last minute effort to get him to a race. I used Copper Coat between the gaskets. Retorqued the heads three times after warming and cooling cylces. Probably 12.5 compression. Aluminum heads, iron block. He ran it four races with no issues. Just For Information.

03-29-2012, 09:57 PM	#1
Doug Domm Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: canada Posts: 250 Likes: 28 Liked 84 Times in 21 Posts	Stacking head gaskets Ok,ok, I know what is he thinking but has anyone here stacked composite head gaskets on a BBC? Someone here has way too much piston out of the hole and needs about .110 in gasket to get about .045 piston to head and at that will still be close to 13 to 1 on compression. I couldn't advise him because I really have no idea about this.

03-29-2012, 10:12 PM	#2
Grant Eldridge Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 124 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Stacking head gaskets I believe Cometic can supply almost any thickness of MLS gasket for BBC, any bore size. Think they are about $90. each, probably cheaper than stacking composite gaskets and much safer with less chance of problems. Although they no longer advertise it, I've re-used these gaskets several times with no problems by cleaning them and re-coating them with spray gasket sealer. Not suggesting this for anyone else, just saying..... Grant Eldridge E/SA 6650

03-29-2012, 10:55 PM	#3
Duane Eiskant II Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Alexandria, Va Posts: 500 Likes: 260 Liked 57 Times in 33 Posts	Re: Stacking head gaskets Grant is right, as ive seen them listed in the cometic book up to atleast .120 and im sure they could make them thicker if needed. As far as stacking, well i knew a guy one once had negative piston to valve clearence and glued a cooper gasket (god knows how many times they were used before hand) to a set of the fel pro hp gaskets and never had a issue. I know he did have to keep retorqing the cylinder head after it was run a few weeks till it crushed all the gaskets, and glue enough to keep the correct torque. Might not work for your combination but it did on his. __________________ Duane Eiskant 1354 Stock/Super Stock

03-29-2012, 11:24 PM	#4
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1,502 Liked 1,642 Times in 379 Posts	Re: Stacking head gaskets No way would I use two composite type gaskets. Cometic, however, will make you a set. SCE might make you a set of copper gaskets with a wire fire ring in them. I'm sure Hussey will make a copper gasket, but it will not have a wire fire ring. I can't say for sure if 13:1 will seal without some sort of fire ring or o-ring on a copper gasket. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

03-30-2012, 12:10 AM	#5
NewHemi Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 472 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Stacking head gaskets Not composites.. Not in a Chevy , but we (Drooze) stacked metal ones when we had an above deck problem inour first 5.7. But then we got cometics... and then better pistons, and now are all good. David The New Hemi Guy

03-30-2012, 08:42 AM	#6
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 1,996 Likes: 63 Liked 756 Times in 189 Posts	Re: Stacking head gaskets I stacked two Fel-Pro 1017 gaskets on a boat racer's cobbled together engine in a last minute effort to get him to a race. I used Copper Coat between the gaskets. Retorqued the heads three times after warming and cooling cylces. Probably 12.5 compression. Aluminum heads, iron block. He ran it four races with no issues. Just For Information.