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| | | | Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 12 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 12 | Starting the rebuild on my '57 6 cylinder 235 cu. in. Which type of head gasket is better - copper or composite?
The very best nugget of wisdom anyone could ever offer you in dealing with your wife: You can be happy, OR, you can be right.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,602 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,602 | I do not know which is "better' but I used the composite.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,809 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,809 | The composite gasket is usually the "no-retorque" type, which saves a little time during engine assembly. The solid copper or steel gasket needs to be torqued again after the engine warms up. On the very high compression race engines I build, a solid gasket is an absolute necessity when the compression ratio gets above about 10:1, and the blower engines use a stainless steel O ring to seal compression, and a copper shim gasket to prevent water leaks. Unless you're going for extreme perfrmance, the composite gasket should work fine for street use.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 12 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 12 | Thanks guys. I'm taking the old girl back to bone stock condition with a full off frame restoration so think I'll go with the composite - compression is not high and I won't be running it hard - after its many tough years it will now lead a very spoiled life.
The very best nugget of wisdom anyone could ever offer you in dealing with your wife: You can be happy, OR, you can be right.
| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | I can't speak for other brands, but the Fel-Pro composite gasket for the 235 does require retorquing.
Bill Burmeister
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