We're having a problem sealing some copper head gaskets on a flathead. The heads are old Thickstun heads that have been decked and other work done to them. The motor itself has been rebuilt and we think it was decked too. Now both the head and block have some very minor pitting still. At first the gaskets were put on dry and leaked bad. We had water everywhere and you could see where the exhaust was escaping into the water passages though the gasket. We cleaned eveything up really good. Then sprayed the gaskets with 4 coats of spray copper. The heads were put on while the last coat was tacky. We notices just a little of the spray copper sqeezing out. Thought we had the problem solved. It sat for 2 days before firing it up. Well we found water in one cylinder again. Now the main problem is a plugged coolant hole that was leaking into the cylider. I guess the heads were corroded and to fix them a knurrelled plug was put in with the center drilled out. That's leaking bad. But we did find that we still had a little exhaust escaping to the water passages. It was no where near as bad as without the spray copper. The spray copper looked like it liquified when it got hot. Where it had just barely squeezed out before , it had a small run. The copper gaskets are needed for clearance. They are ninety thousanths. Any suggestions here would help!! I know we should go get new heads but these are just too cool not to use. Clark PS ...We're also having problems getting the behive oilfilter to seal. The motor is running 55 pounds of oil preasure.
Instead of spray copper, try that "indian head" sealant. I don't remember where I was reading it, but it was something about flatheads and that's what they used. Are you sure the water is coming from the head surface and not a crack in the bore? Jay
Positive the water is coming from the head. I could actually blow air into the gap around the bung. Hopefully the pressed in bungs can be welded in and surfaced. Clark
how did you get so much oil presure ?? i have a 53 merc in one of my cars and i run 8 to 10 lbs . i had this problem and i ended up useing the stuff chrysler uses on there neon head gaskets it is a spray on and it is realy tackey stuff spray both sides of the gasket and no more problem . also i have some copies of plans for a k8 dirt car like the one we raced up at latimer four weeks ago . send me your address and i will send them to you tim
For a 59A, I like the FelPro perma-blue gaskets - I get mine at NAPA (p/n 1026K) packaged as Victor-Reinz. I put them on w/o anything and they seal just fine. I've heard of old timers annealing the copper - getting it dull red and letting it cool - before running it (or re-using them).
I'm running copper head gaskets on my 276 flatty;when putting on the heads I used Eastwoods aluminum paint,2coats ,put the gaskets on when the paint is tacky,installed heads.Torqued the headbolts three times after each cool down....no leaks so far
I bought a set of graphtite gaskets from Flathead Jack. They are made of Kevlar and I sprayed several coats of Alumblast paint on the gaskets before installing.It's been working great on my blown flattie. Jack carries both products plus I think he carries some other sealer for the heads as well. Good luck
On the beehive, do you run full flow pressure to it, or only partial like Ford intended? If it's partial, do you have a restricting fitting on the inlet side? Bruce Lancaster told me the restricting hole needs to be about .055 to .060. I have no leaks on my canister filter. I soldered up a regular fitting and bored to .060. I usually have about 60 pounds of pressure from the new Melling pump when cruising down the highway. Sorry, no advice on the gaskets. Guess I've been lucky (knock on wood). Used two coats of Coppercote (comes in the copper colored can) on Victor copper gaskets, and two coats of Coppercote on new Best Gasket fiber gaskets, and they have both sealed fine. I also saw the wet "squish" ooze out the sides when tightening. And I let them dry thoroughly. You aren't re-using the gaskets, are you?
Surplus, what kind of fuel pump are you using? If it ain't stock with the push rod and you did not plug that hole, you wind up with low oil pressure. I'm using an electric pump, hole plugged, with a tiny (.040"?) hole drilled in the front oil galley plug to spray on the back sides of the timing gears and I have 55 pounds cold and 45 idle when warm. This is a fresh engine that I have not gotten on the road yet, but things look promising.
I use the "brush on" coppercoat. 3 coats. Be sure you degrease the contact area. But it sounds like you have plenty on there. I am not really a fan of those copeer gaskets. Yea they work great and last forever (if) your able to seal them. I recently changed two of them on two separate flatheads this spring because they were leaking. I installed the fel pro. Sounds to me like those old heads seen their best days. Just to be sure..its being done... Always re-torque the heads 3 times after they've cooled.
Minor problems or need for sealer aren't going to cause the gusher you are describing... Check everything with a straightedge. Examine fasteners...could wrong hardware be bottoming out without clamping heads? Scrutinize all surfaces, run your fingernail all over to detect invisible blips. Do not smear everything with sealers until you are getting close to sealed...a problem slathered with goo is going to be twice as hard to find. If no joy on any of this, throw on the stock heads temporarily with same gaskets and see if problem is in the parts you kept or the parts lying on the ground.
Clark, what engine is this early or late? Now if the heads have been decked and the block has been decked then the surfacers should mate up. But if you are using bolts instead of studs there is a good change that the bolts are bottoming out in the block castings and not tightening up correctly. With all that goo slapped on the gaskets there is no way that there should be a water or air leak unless there is a crack. More specifics or a picture required.
The Jalopy Journal
