head gaskets

[grumpyvette]

I rarely use anything BUT dead soft pure copper head gaskets sprayed damp, with copper coat spray, on both sides, installed on my engines, Ive YET to have any leak in over 15 years Ive used them

when installing almost any head gasket, but especially with a copper head gasket be sure to put on two wet even coats on both sides of the head gasket and install and torque while the copper coat sprays still damp
I got asked if USING anodes, in an engine is a good idea?
ITS NOT ONLY A GOOD IDEA ITS MANDATORY IN SOME APPLICATIONS!
if you were for example to use aluminum heads on a cast iron block with a copper head gasket (something IVE done frequently)
you need to realize you've effectively built a battery if you don,t use both several ANODES and at least a 50% or higher concentration of anti freeze as the dissimilar metals will cause the aluminum, to disintegrate over time without the anodes and high anti freeze concentration.
(mostly because they are re-useable after a good cleaning) and I pull the engine apart frequently for cam swaps and other mods

http://www.scegaskets.com/products/procopphd.html

http://www.jag-lovers.org/xk-lovers/lib ... skets.html

http://www.ekag1.de/pdf/1_motorschaden/ ... den_en.pdf

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... wordSearch

just make sure the block and heads are totally de-greased
and the proper tq sequence is used

now obviously theres lots of guys using standard head gaskets

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/eb80440.htm

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... wordSearch

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... wordSearch

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=4403

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... wordSearch

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... wordSearch


head gasket failure?
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/us/us80222.htm

 

[grumpyvette]

I got asked if anodes are a good idea?
well, when you run an aluminum performance cylinder head on an iron engine block with pure copper head gaskets,like Ive been for many years, those anodes are mandatory, and yes they do work and prevent or at least slow electrolysis a great deal

ON OEM BLOCKS the head bolts extend into the coolant passages, not using both an ANODE and a 50% antifreeze coolant mix can result in thread and bolt damage and cylinder wall internal rust weakening the bore wall and reducing thickness, potentially over time causing big problems

http://www.ve-labs.com/productpdfs/Product Sheet RadCap Revised.pdf

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/anode.html

http://www.bmcno.org/RadCap.htm

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...10101&sku=anode&searchbtn.x=16&searchbtn.y=12