Hello fellow stovebolters! This is my first time using the site and it looks like a pretty good one. I am going to start off my first of probably many forum questions with a doozy: how in the heck do you properly install a copper head gasket???
I have a '51 235. The block has been decked and the head magnafluxed and tested for leaks. Everything is as perfect as it gets. BUT, when I filled her with antifreeze I noticed a seep leak along the spark plug side. I did a hot retorque and still the leak. I used permatex copper gasket spray on both sides of the gasket before installation, but not much at all (one thin coat a side) and did nothing special around the water ports.
I've heard stories of people using regular old silver spray paint as a sealant, but I'm not ready to test that experiment. I have another copper head gasket on the way and want to get it right this time. The gasket is a Best Gasket with composite sandwiched between two thin layers of copper. Should I spray more coats of copper sealant, use a different type of sealant, use rtv around the water ports, let it sit over night between torqueing increments??? And, is a hot retorque necessary? If anyone has step by step instructions, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, guys...
Last edited by Gertie; 05/10/2011 8:33 PM.
