The Ford Barn - View Single Post - New build (not fired), water in cylinder-head gasket backwards?

Bored&Stroked · 11-30-2023, 08:41 PM

Those types of head gaskets can be installed on either bank of cylinders. It doesn't look like you have any head-gasket sealer on them? I usually use Copper-Coat or Hylomar.

BUT - if it is leaking water before you even start it, it will surely leak water after you start it, so I'm not thinking that head gasket sealer is your issue. More needs to be figured out!

Hopefully you were not cranking it over with the water in that cylinder. Otherwise, it may have "hydrauliced" (sp?) the cylinder - which can do bad things to rods, bearings, etc.. Were you cranking it over? How did you know or suspect you had water in your cylinders?

Also, whose brand of head gaskets are you using? The fire-rings look a bit funny to me - just wondering who made them?

Whose cylinder heads are you running and what did your torque the studs to?

If it was mine, I'd buy a set of Best Gasket GraphTite composite gaskets - install them, torque them down and then see if you have any issues. Hopefully it is just a head gasket sealing issue and not a block (crack) issue.

Once you assemble it and put water in it, check the plugs for water in the cylinders BEFORE you crank it over. You don't want another head gasket (or whatever) issue to cause a big problem with the rods/bearings, etc..

11-30-2023, 08:41 PM	#4
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,202	Re: New build (not fired), water in cylinder-head gasket backwards? Those types of head gaskets can be installed on either bank of cylinders. It doesn't look like you have any head-gasket sealer on them? I usually use Copper-Coat or Hylomar. BUT - if it is leaking water before you even start it, it will surely leak water after you start it, so I'm not thinking that head gasket sealer is your issue. More needs to be figured out! Hopefully you were not cranking it over with the water in that cylinder. Otherwise, it may have "hydrauliced" (sp?) the cylinder - which can do bad things to rods, bearings, etc.. Were you cranking it over? How did you know or suspect you had water in your cylinders? Also, whose brand of head gaskets are you using? The fire-rings look a bit funny to me - just wondering who made them? Whose cylinder heads are you running and what did your torque the studs to? If it was mine, I'd buy a set of Best Gasket GraphTite composite gaskets - install them, torque them down and then see if you have any issues. Hopefully it is just a head gasket sealing issue and not a block (crack) issue. Once you assemble it and put water in it, check the plugs for water in the cylinders BEFORE you crank it over. You don't want another head gasket (or whatever) issue to cause a big problem with the rods/bearings, etc..