What is the best head gasket for Alum heads

[jeepguy1948]

What is the best head gasket to use with aluminum heads (8BA)?

[tubman]

Interesting topic. We just went around with this several times on the H.A.M.B. The consensus is that the important thing is quality, not material. "Best" and "Fel-Pro" brands are good, both being made of composite. "Cometic" came into the discussion, but if you read their ads carefully (confirmed by a member there), they want well over $100 per gasket, which to my mind, is prohibitively expensive.

In my personal opinion, surface preparation is important, and allows the gaskets to be installed without sealer. To me, using sealer on gaskets just makes removing them difficult, usually ending up with destroying them. At the current prices, being able to re-use a gasket if you have a "boo-boo" during installation is a good thing. Just make sure the surface is flat and clean, and use a little regular grease for installation and you will be fine. Gasket manufacturers spend a lot of time designing their gaskets to seal two surfaces; let them do their job.

[jeepguy1948]

I recently went through this with my 4 banger Willys Jeep. The preferred gasket (with cast iron head) for that is a copper clad “Best” gasket. I doubt that one of those can be used with aluminum heads

[Flathead Fever]

Edelbrock recommends Felpro composite gaskets with their aluminum flathead heads. Because aluminum heads and a cast iron block will expand and contract at different rates you want a gasket that was designed to handle this. The Felpro gaskets already have the sealer applied to them that will heat up and make the seal providing there are no gouges and dings in the surfaces. The biggest problem is making sure to seal the studs or bolt holes, so they do not leak. I believe that happens from running the wrong tap into the block. I think originally the threads in the block had a slight interference fit which provided the seal. If run the standard tap into the block, and you will have coolant coming up around the studs. I've seen it happen several times. I think I would just use an "original" stud or bolt to gently clean the block's holes and then apply the sealer to them.

[jimTN]

I use steel gaskets on my 4cyl and 8s with very good success. Prep is important and a good coating of copper coat sealer on both sides of the gasket is IMO a must as well as at least two retorques. Apparently the copper coat sealer makes up for different rates of expansion. Sometimes very little change occurs with a retorque. I just fired off my 26T with a HC alum head after a total tear down. There was very little change. I also believe its good to let one set after the head are installed and not start for a few days.

[Flathead Fever]

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I have a retired NASA machinist neighbor that built a flathead. Every head stud was leaking because he had run a tap down into each hole. So, them he machined it so each stud had a O-ring under the washer and that finally stopped the leaks. Be careful with those block threads.

[torpedo]

Hi,
Just finished the change of head gaskets on my 21 stud engine that has alum heads.
As posted before preparing the surfaces is paramount.
I used a pair of copper gaskets from Best Gaskets (ref 507C) and Loctite Quick Gasket 5910.
Very happy with results, no leak, no trouble so far with 800 km (10 hours).

[Flathead]

I always used Fel-Pro never had a problem. I'm sure Best brand is also good.

[jeepguy1948]

Thanks Guys!

[Ol' Ron]

I haven't actually tried this, but it sounds reasonable and might work. Paimt the aluminum head gasket surface with latex paint. Might work, can't hurt, and in 20 years you'll know if it works.
Gramps

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

I haven't actually tried this, but it sounds reasonable and might work. Paimt the aluminum head gasket surface with latex paint. Might work, can't hurt, and in 20 years you'll know if it works.
Gramps

Smokey said he was the first to use aluminum paint and it was the high pigment type spray can of the day.
I have been using it ever since on street engines with copper gaskets..
It is not latex though.