Okay guys, another addition to the Hemi Tech stuff. I will add this to the Index as well. I'm compiling visuals of all sorts of gaskets to help you with your selections as well as help decifer what needs attention when you're doing part swapping (I.E. Heads, oil pans, etc.). Give me some time to get it all together. Takes awhile to pull in all the pictures and upload them. None the less, here's a good place to focus on gaskets and gasket types for your early Hemis and/or Early Polys. ------------------------------------------- Head gaskets 1951 to 1954, Chrysler 331 1955 Chrysler 331 1956 to 1958 Chrysler 354, 392 1955 to 1958 Chrysler Poly 301, 331, 354 1953 to 1954 Dodge 241 1955 Dodge/poly 241, 260, 270 1956 to 1958 Dodge, plymouth, DeSoto 270, 315, 325 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1956 to 1966 Dodge, Plymouth, Poly
Intake gaskets 1951 to 1958 Chrsler 331, 354, 392 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1953 to 1958 Dodge, PLymouth, DeSoto 241, 260, 270, 315, 325 1955 Dodge Truck 331, 1956 to 1959 353, 354 1956 to 1966 Dodge, Plymouth Poly 277, 301, 303, 313, 318, 326
Exhaust Gaskets 1951 to 1953 Chrysler 331 1954 to 1958 Chrysler 331, 354, 392 1957-1958 Chrysler 392 (large port) 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1953 to 1958 Dodge 241, 270, 315, 325 1955 to 1958 Dodge, Plymouth 241, 260, 270, 315, 325 1955 to 1958 Chrysler-Poly 301, 331, 354 1956 to 1958 Dodge, Plymouth - POLY 277, 301, 318
Oil Pan Gaskets 1951-1953 Chrysler 331 1955 to 1958 Chrysler (Poly and Hemi) 331, 354, 392 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1953 tio 1958 Dodge, PLymouth, DeSoto 241, 260, 270, 315, 325 1956- to 1958 Dodge, Plymouth - POLY 277, 301, 303, 313
Valley Cover 1951-1958 Chrysler 331, 354, 392 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 241, 345 1953 to 1958 Dodge, plymouth, DeSoto 241, 260, 270, 315, 325
Timing Cover and Related 1951 to 1954 Chrysler 331 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1953 to 1958 Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth (Except 1953 to 1954 Chrysler 331) NOTE! Not quite sure on this application. 1956 to 1973 Dodge, Plymouth 277, 301, 303-, 313, 318, 326, 340
Valve Covers 1951 to 1958 Chysler 331, 354, 362 1952 to 1957 DeSoto 276, 291, 330, 341, 345 1953 to 1958 Dodge 241, 270, 315, 325 1955 to 1958 Chrysler Poly 301, 331, 354 1957 to 1966 Dodge, Plymouth 277, 301, 303, 313, 318, 326
All these pictures were found on Best Gasket's website. Here is the link: http://www.bestgasket.com/ I thought it would be easier to view these side by side. Hopefully it will help someone. Please let me know if there is conflicting information or something I missed.
I'm having difficulty getting the heads to seal on my 341. The sheet steel gaskets didn't work at all. The I used composite gaskets with copper spray. A couple days ago a rocker arm broke while the engine was warming up. My first thought was a valve hitting the piston although the pushrod was still straight. I put 100 PSI air through the cylinder and heard leaks inside the motor. Now I'm sure there's major damage. I put pressure on other cylinders and could hear water bubbling through the thermostat housing. Pulled the heads and everything looked fine - no metal to metal contact. The only thing I could see on the surface of the deck were the original machine marks from the factory when it was originally decked. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I've never had this problem before.
Tex Smith's C-D-P Hot Rods book(not the hemi book) by Smith & Rich Johnson has comparion overlay photos of the 51-4 vs the 56 head gaskets & the 51-3 vs 54-58 intake gaskets on pg 120.
It would be nice to know what other vendors sell the stuff other than Egge, Hot Heads, etc. and the part #'s..
& how'd the 340 get in there? Question!!! How tight a seal is the rear main? I winched my project car onto a trailer, fairly steep angle, & oil poured out the back. crap! But, is it supposed to be tight enough that you could set it on its tail(almost) & not leak, or did it die waiting for the body work to get done? I figure I'm going to have to change it, but thought I'd ask.
The "A" motor (277, 303, 313, 318) was built until 1966 in the U.S. and 1967 in Canada. I would say if oil pisses out the back of the motor when you tilt the car, the main seal or the oil pan seal is Forked.
About what I figure also, but I've never sat an engine on its tail with oil in it to know if it would hold the oil in.
That's a good question! I pretty much got the info right from their website, but obviously the 340 doesn't have "saw tooth" valve covers. I'll edit that out. If there are any other type-o's I missed on fitment, please let me know! Thanks!
The actual date for the A poly is '57 - '66, not '56 - '66. The Canadian '67 motors were all leftovers - American made in '66. FYI, that "1973" date on Best's site is totally, 100% wrong. ~Jason
Cool! I'll take your word for it. Just going off of what Best Gaskets labeled each of THEIR gaskets on their website. Wouldn't be the first time a vendor didn't know their ass from a hole in the ground though... EDIT! They got the '73 from the 340 that was incorrectly listed on those gaskets, it seems.
George, is this a rope or neoprene? If neoprene, I would not be surprised by the leak. My complaint with the neoprene is that the crank and block were designed around the rope and the neoprene is not always a great fit although a good many folks use them. With the car on a tilt and a couple of quarts sitting above the seal the head pressure may be just enough to push past the ends. .
Don't know, got it from a buddy who had a mechanic build it a few years ago, so he doesn't know the fine details. Engine off while winching, so simply weight of the oil on the seal.
What he said. Rope rules. It's what God wants you to use. It's what Chrysler wants you to use. And in some people's book, they're one-in-the-same... ~Jason
In response to #18 thru #20; I know for certain what you all call the Poly, and what we call the Knobby Head was carried up into the 70's in the industrial versions. They could be found on irrigation equipment as well oil field machinery. I was uncertain about a 326, but had no idea there was a 340 version but I am not surprised. Just for the record, I would like to see those head gaskets from the little Dodge 240/271 hemi overlaid with the later 60's/70's Poly/Knobby head. I can see the top row of bolts are not the same, but I bet the bore centers are probably the same and the heads fabbed to work on the later block. Tiny ports and valves would be a limitation making the effort uncertain. Tom S. in Tn.
Most likely the DeSoto has the same bore spacing. You can drop in LA roller lifters in a DeSoto, where the bars have to be shortened for dodge & lenthened for Chr Hemi/Poly blocks
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