Re torquing head gasket--hot or cold?

[Duffy1]

If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is stone cold per mfg. instruction for reasons previously stated.

[Randall]

Originally Posted by Duffy1

If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is stone cold per mfg. instruction for reasons previously stated.

]If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is you will be replacing it very soon!!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I torque mine COLD & I DON'T loosen each nut.
Bill W.

[James Rogers]

Yep.

Originally Posted by Randall

]If you use a head gasket with silicone the answer is you will be replacing it very soon!!

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by spike

I would go with what James says....I my self run it dry for 5 to 7 min let it sit and get stone cold and re rorque,....second time straight water for coolant run it and get it hot and let it get stone cold and retourque. Have had no problems with head gasket leaks with the new gasket and stock heads.

I don't run it 5-7 minutes, only long enough to get it hot. I measure the temp with a gun and try to stay below 160 at the corner of the head. I always let the engine cool to ambient temps and re-torque. I believe the cast needs to expand and compress the gasket a couple of times then add coolant. I don't like to add coolant on the first run-up because as Herm says, it can leach into places it shouldn't be and cause rivulets or channels in the sealer that won't seal.

[Duffy1]

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If the head gaskets with silicone are installed per mfg instructions plus three additional retorques they will last a long time as many folks in our model A club run them with no problem .

[Mitch//pa]

i changed my silicone head gasket out the first week never again.
i rate them with the modern lower dist plate
garbage

[James Rogers]

The modern silicone gaskets are like oil type or torquing the head nuts, everyone has their own opinion and uses what works for them. I don't like them and have had some bad experiences using them so, I use copper. Use what you like and what works for you. Just understand, you may have to spend some money to figure it out.

[chopo]

i think most like the copper style head gasket rather than the new style silicone one because thats what they were used too. old timers old timer thoughts. the new silicone style gaskets were also not available in 1930 ish. so for a period car resto a copper gasket should be used.. i myself will run a silicone gasket since they do help with small imperfections in the head or block surface. i like old time things with a dash of modern progress

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by chopo

i think most like the copper style head gasket rather than the new style silicone one because thats what they were used too. old timers old timer thoughts. the new silicone style gaskets were also not available in 1930 ish. so for a period car resto a copper gasket should be used.. i myself will run a silicone gasket since they do help with small imperfections in the head or block surface. i like old time things with a dash of modern progress

i like the copper because i hate doing things twice

[Pat Martone]

Your indications about the silicone impregnated head gasket being problematic are worrying me.
When I bought my Snyder 5.5 head last year, they suggested I use the pricey silicone impregnated gasket, and I did as advised.
I've got a couple of thousand miles on the engine so far without any problems or evidence of "weeping", and I have re-torqued the head 3 times. Am I beyond the known problems and infant mortality issues, or should I assume the head gasket will soon fail?
Thanks in advance.

[Duffy1]

As I said a lot of folks with "runners" ( slang for modifed model A) , use the silicone impregnated gasket and have no problems