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Author
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Topic: copper head gasket
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numbchuk
Journeyman Posts: 16
From: lou,ky,usa
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 10-31-2005 08:18 PM
   
about the only thing i cheap skated on when i put my motor together last year was the head gaskets. the seller was out of my tried and true felpro printoseal head gaskets and sold me so of the gray stock 5.0 replacment gaskets. well i blew one this summer and i called afr for a recomendation. i cant find where i wrote the part number but i remember he said they were the felpro with the copper rings. since then ive seem some very expensive copper head gaskets in summit and jegs catalog. these were all copper. i dont mind spending a little dough so the problem wont come back. should i get the copper gaskets for my afr headed 306 instead of the printoseals? if so what should i get? (the car is just a pump gas, non-adder, 10:1 motor), but i run it on the ragged edge. any recommendations are appreciated.------------------
"back then i could throw a football a quarter mile....i bet i could throw a football over those mountains."
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Buster
Gearhead Posts: 1551
From: Hurricane alley
Registered: May 2002
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posted 10-31-2005 08:35 PM
IMHO, I don't think you need to run solid copper head gaskets for you setup. I run a 14.5:1 351W with a 125hp shot of NOS and use copper head gaskets with the block O'ringed.I used to run the Felpro Wire Loc head gaskets with the cylinder head cut for a receiver grove. However, I found the solid copper head gaskets, with my combo anyway, works much better then the Wire Loc��s. I don��t think you have enough cylinder pressure to worry about going to that extent as long as you��re not spraying it. BTW, if you run the Wire Loc��s you should cut a receiver grove in either the head or block, the block being the better choice of the two.
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COBRAII7678
Journeyman Posts: 94
From: Festus Mo U.S.A
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 10-31-2005 09:16 PM
I agree with Buster, my 347 is 14.1 and has had zero problems with the o ringed block. Engine man says I can reuse the copper gaskets too.
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Buster
Gearhead Posts: 1551
From: Hurricane alley
Registered: May 2002
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posted 10-31-2005 09:26 PM
Yes, and they're cheaper then the Wire Loc's as well. I��ve bought several Wire Loc head gaskets and blew as many from running too lean. That's when I changed to the copper head gaskets from Clark and richened up the mixture a tad, my bad. However, I still don't think you really need them. Kind of an overkill for your setup if you ask me.
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numbchuk
Journeyman Posts: 16
From: lou,ky,usa
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 10-31-2005 10:24 PM
well, would it hurt anything to run a solid copper gasket? i know my block and heads are not warped, the block was zero decked and the heads are new...never been over heated at all since the build. its obviously making too much cylinder pressure for the stock 5.0 felpro gray replacement gaskets. also, i know the motor isnt lean, had way too much black carbon buildup when i removed the heads, on top of the pistons. im not sure about wot, but daily driving its way fat in general. there are some copper gaskets in the catalogs from milodon, sce, and "flatout", are they all about the same as far as quality, or are there better ones? i didnt see any felpros that were all copper. also could i gain some compression with the copper gaskets? i couldnt find the stats for compressed thickness on the felpro's. ------------------
"back then i could throw a football a quarter mile....i bet i could throw a football over those mountains."
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Buster
Gearhead Posts: 1551
From: Hurricane alley
Registered: May 2002
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posted 11-01-2005 12:37 AM
Well, I've never run copper head gaskets on a street engine before. Although, I believe they might need some maintenance from time to time resealing the water jackets. I��m sure there are others here that have more experience then I do with your type of application. You should have the block O��ring��d. In addition, take into consideration the money you will spend on the machine work doing that. I think I spent $20.00 a cylinder, IIRC. The nice part about solid copper head gaskets is you can use them over and over. Furthermore, you can change you compression ratio by changing thickness of the gaskets. I��ve got about four sets. One time I bought a set of copper head gaskets that the cylinder bores were cut off centered. Choosing a good manufacture is very important with copper head gaskets. I��ve had very good luck with Clark and would highly recommend them. I don��t remember the company name that cut the gaskets incorrectly. However, when I told him about the problem he said, well I knew about the problem and it��s not that far off, what an ass. I never did get my money back from the jerk. btw, I think I spent about $80.00 for the set of Clark's and I was spending over $115.00 for the Wire Loc's. [This message has been edited by Buster (edited 11-01-2005).]
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numbchuk
Journeyman Posts: 16
From: lou,ky,usa
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 11-01-2005 01:58 PM
resealing the water jackets? i knew it was to good to be true, does that mean removing the heads every year?------------------
"back then i could throw a football a quarter mile....i bet i could throw a football over those mountains."
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clevelandstyle
Gearhead Posts: 1188
From: Connersville, IN
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 11-01-2005 08:33 PM
Why not run performance Felpro gaskets instead of the grey "rebuilder" gaskets? I think that would be a better answer than copper on your near daily driver. ------------------
Ben
Grabber Green '70 Mach I 351C 4V
Robbin Egg Blue '79 Fairmont 408C 4V, 10.50 127 MPH
Prowler Purple '87 T'bird Turbo Coupe
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COBRAII7678
Journeyman Posts: 94
From: Festus Mo U.S.A
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 11-01-2005 08:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by numbchuk:
resealing the water jackets? i knew it was to good to be true, does that mean removing the heads every year?
Whenever we drain the radiator we just pour in more of the copper seal. The copper radiator sealer. [This message has been edited by COBRAII7678 (edited 11-01-2005).]
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