Head gaskets for aluminum heads

Chris396 · #1 12-22-2007, 12:46 AM

I'm swapping my iron L78 heads for a set of 842 aluminum heads along with a '69 tripower for something a little different and Day 2. What head gaskets do you recommend to use with the aluminum heads, and what head bolts and washers should I use?

**Xplantdad** · #2 12-22-2007, 02:51 AM

Ken should know...Kwhizz...you out there?

Chris396 · #3 12-24-2007, 06:41 AM

Anybody?

Nova Jed · #4 12-24-2007, 07:01 AM

An engine builder told me something about Fel-Pro making good aluminum head gaskets.

Schonyenko2 · #5 12-24-2007, 06:15 PM

Make sure they have the stainless steel rings in the gasket.And yes the fel pros should work fine. Make sure you torque them correctly, and recheck after running a few miles.

VintageMusclecar · #6 12-24-2007, 06:24 PM

What year is your block? It makes a difference whether it's series-cooling or parallell-cooling as to which style of head gaskets you use.

Eric

**markjohnson** · #7 12-24-2007, 07:41 PM

Well, if you use Fel-Pro's with the stainless steel ring, they will sure-as-hell leave a nice indentation in your nice, soft, expensive aluminum heads that will need to be re-surfaced next time you have the heads off. You really don't want to do that. A much better choice would be to use Cometic multi-layer gaskets. You can even get them in whatever thickness you like to maintain your compression ratio instead of that super-thick Fel-Pro. Sure, they're expensive at around $90 apiece, but I only buy the best for my cars. My two cents.

budnate · #8 12-24-2007, 07:53 PM

Mark is right, and like he said you can order what ever thickness you need to set your quench right.

and if you ever pop them off the surfaces will clean up fine.
last time I checked I thought they were about 150 a pair..cant recall the shop but they make them for the nascar boys.

[ QUOTE ]
Well, if you use Fel-Pro's with the stainless steel ring, they will sure-as-hell leave a nice indentation in your nice, soft, expensive aluminum heads that will need to be re-surfaced next time you have the heads off. You really don't want to do that. A much better choice would be to use Cometic multi-layer gaskets. You can even get them in whatever thickness you like to maintain your compression ratio instead of that super-thick Fel-Pro. Sure, they're expensive at around $90 apiece, but I only buy the best for my cars. My two cents.

[/ QUOTE ]

Schonyenko2 · #9 12-24-2007, 09:57 PM

You may be right, but we had no impressions on the heads when we took them off. We did almost torch a motor before we used them. This has been 15 years ago or so, so I expect there are better gaskets now.

Chris396 · #10 12-25-2007, 08:31 AM

Thanks Mark I'll check them out. The block is a '69 and the heads are probably from the 70's. They don't have any dates on them.