Sealing a 1933 Terraplane Head Gasket

glynes
glynes Member
in "How To" - Skills, mechanical and other wise

I've got water coming up through a head bolt and out the side of the head near a water jacket. The gasket is new and I coated it several times with aluminum paint. Olson's mentioned that the gasket design doesn't have grommets around the water openings so they tend to leak into the asbestos. They suggested I shellac around those holes.

Thoughts?

Answers

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    The silver paint will do the same job as shellac. It could be that the water is coming up through the stud threads. Also you need to check the area round the base of the studs, to ensure it is not distorted. I have seen extreme displacement of the block metal around the base of the studs when the nuts are done up too tight. You must never exceed 40 lbs torque on the head nuts. If the water is coming up the threads (if you have had the studs out), then a little Loctite thread seal will do the trick. If the block metal is distorted then you need to make a small chamfer in each stud hole in the head, using a 1/2" drill so that the head can seat properly on the gasket.

  • glynes
    glynes Member

    Thanks Geoff. So you are suggesting I don't tighten the head to the 55 LB spec? I've got several studs the guy before replaced so likely you are right on needing Loctite. On the paint, I think I should try to get a good amount down in the gasket holes for the studs and the water jackets and not just on the top and bottom of the surface of the gasket. Once I pull the head back off, I will see where all the water ran (I hope).

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