Re-using head gaskets.

[NUTNDUN]

I just wanted to get some thoughts on what everyone would think about reusing head gaskets. The motor was never run and I disassembled it to have the pistons fly-cut to drop the compression down to 11:1, was at 14:1. The gaskets are in perfect condition minus already being torqued down. I am trying to get the truck back together on a budget and that budget is being eaten quickly considering I need to get a carb, torque converter, ignition, distributor, fuel pump and fuel cell along with other misc. items. My original goal was to stay around 2,000 but I don't think that is going to happen.

[willowbilly3]

Technically the gaskets crush when torqued and should never be reused, especially not on an engine with that much compression.
I only ever tried it once. When i was a wee lad I pulled a head off my J2 olds, forgot to pull the pushrods first (my first time pulling a head, I was 15) ended up bending a pushrod real bad when I dropped the head a little. I straightened the pushrod with a hammer and reused the head gasket and the intake gaskets. That engine went on to getting severely thrashed on and I never had a problem with the pushrods or any gasket failures.

[NUTNDUN]

I will get new head gaskets. I am just trying to save some money where I can and it is definitely more compression then the normal motor. I am just going to have to go a little over budget and answer to the wife and kiss her butt for a little while LOL.

[heep70]

I would say get new head gaskets. You gonna go to all that trouble building and engine might as will do it right.

[Dragon]

Only pure copper head gaskets can be reused. To reuse them you burn them with a flame until they turn black then brush off the black and put them in. The black tells you when the copper gets soft enough to be reusable. Nitro burners and Norton Motorcycle racers are the main ones that reuse copper.

[convincor]

FWIW, Ford Racing # M-6051-A427 @ $37.88 per pair are actually FelPro #1020 @ 36.95 each
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku
Not worth it to reuse. Buy a pair.

[warponyxlt]

i heard about using aluminum spray paint on them that it seals and fills imperfections I did that to a 300 inline it didnt leak any but i ran the engine w/o coolant to heat it to get a good seal

[Dragon]

Brush on copper coat is the original coating product for head gaskets. I use the spray on version and never have a leak.

[willowbilly3]

I have never put anything on head gaskets and never had a leak.
I have also never used copper gaskets. Burnishing (heating) copper does anneal it but I doubt the black has anything to do with the process, probably just the torch set to a carburizing flame which would leave soot.

[Dragon]

The black tells you when the process is done and you use a non oxidizing and a non carbonizing flame. Pure copper and copper o-rings is the choice when have 16 lbs of boost and more. You will blow composite gaskets apart.

[NUTNDUN]

I will definitely buy a new pair. The head gaskets that were in it were felpro 1101 or 1102, can't remember right at this minute. The compression on the motor was originally supposed to be 14:1 but that is when it was setup for outlaw for a mustang. It was just redone when I bought it and I tore it down because I wanted to drop the compression so I could run 93 octane instead of racing gas. We had the pistons fly-cut to flattops. The heads are tfs twisted wedge high ports that have been ported and polished and they are the old steel ones. Will the ford motorsport head gaskets be good for the application or should I put the same kind of fel-pros back in it?

I appreciate all of the help.

[convincor]

FelPro 1101 and 1102 are both for small block mopar according to summit.
What engine you building??

[NUTNDUN]

Now that I seen that number 1011-2 are the ones that were in it. It is a 351 windsor stroked to a 398.

[AlleyCat]

I've reused composite type head gaskets a few times when patching an already weak engine. It's not something I'd recommend but at the time my finances were in bad shape and I had to get to work. For a build with that much investment I'd never take the chance. I can't comment on reusing copper gaskets because my only experience with them has been on old flathead Continental engines in forklifts.

[NUTNDUN]

I was thinking of ways to try to save some money. The more I thought about it after I had posted it and then from the responses I think I would be crazy to try and re-use them. The thought crossed my mind because they look like I just took them out of the package LOL.