I'm going to be putting the heads back on my 427 soon and I would like to know what you think would be the best gaskets to use with aluninum heads. The last ones I had on it were the Fel Pro performance gaskets with the copper wire. They are made for aluminum heads, the copper wire is not supose to make an impression in the heads, but the guy who rebuilt the heads said he didn't like them much. He suggested using a standard Fel Pro or a graphite gasket. I'd also like to use one as thin as possible to keep the compression as high as possible. What do you think?

I am just finishing up my aluminum big block and asked the race shop that did the machining for the best head gaskets to use on the aluminum engines; their choice was Detroit gaskets. They're a performance gasket with an orange coating. He said they seal so well that the gasket will rip in half when removing, one side on the head and one side on the block. They have a compressed thickness of about .038".

Price-wise they're about the same as the high performance Fel Pro's with the wire ring. If you're interested I'll get you the part number.

Jody

I had a heck of a time finding a gasket for my engine build because of the odd compressed thickness I needed. My piston is .014 in the hole and wanted to get a .040" quench. Came across Cometic locted in Ohio (they have a web site) who were only producing head gaskets for motorcycles until recently. Now they are doing performance stuff for the V-8 crowd. I purchased a SBC gasket for aluminum heads with a 4.2 bore and .025" compressed thickness a few days ago and have yet to get them in the mail. They are a riveted, layered shim design which is supposedly cutting edge technology. The great thing is that they offer gaskets in .005" compressed thickness increments so no matter where your piston is located you can obtain a .040" quench.

Joseph

Joseph,
I hope you have better luck with Cometic than I did. I waited about 2 months for a set of intake gaskets, headder gaskets and valve cover gaskets. When I finaly got them they had sent the wrong ones. They said they would send another set, but I never got them. I think they have some very good products, but their service sucked. Did they tell you about how they solved the head sealing problems the Dodge Winston Cup teams were having?

The trick to sealing the BBC Aluminum heads is the way you tork the heads down and not so much the gasket itself, unless you are going to run the compression say 12:1 and higher.
What you do is after you finish all the bolts, let it sit for about 2 hours, then start with the #1 bolt and break it loose, then re-tork it down to the spec. Then go to #2 and so on. You will notice that the bolts will turn futher than where they started because the gaskets settle a little. I use the standard Fel-Pro Gaskets.

69 SS/RS L-89 396

Big Gear Head,

I purchased the gaskets through CV Products in NC. Cometic has them in stock and they were dropped shipped to me last week so I should get them by Wed. the latest. Now, that sealing issue you mentioned makes me a little nervous to say the least. I don't have much info. on Cometic's product. The day I heard that they make a gasket for my application was the day I bought it. Had to go with them because there the only game in WORLD with the gasket I need. Do you have any info. on possible remedies/solutions/causes Dodge used with the Cometic gaskets? How did you come to hear of Dodge's problem? Hope they work for me without any trouble! Do you think a shot of aluminum paint on both surfaces of the head gasket would help any sealing issues? I heard that the paint works with single shim type gaskets. Man, you got me worried now.

Joseph

GH,
If you are using GM Aluminum heads, the standard Fel-Pro gaskets will work fine. Thats what is listed in the catalog. If you are using an aftermarket head, use the gasket that the head manufacturer recommends.
I say dont mess with things that are working good....if the Fel-Pro gaskets you were using before worked ok, then use them again. No need to reinvent the wheel.

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Bill Koustenis
Owner
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
1971 Chevelle "Heavy Chevy" original owner
1973 Z-28 ..one family car...Brother bought it new in 73

Joseph,
Don't worry! Cometic didn't cause Dodge's problems, they solved them. Dodge couldn't find a gasket that would seal and Cometic made one for them that took care of all their problems. I talked to a company rep at the Hot Rod and Performance trade show in Louisville a few times and got the story from him. Ray Evernham was about to go nuts trying to seal the heads to the block.

I run felpro ( dont know the number off hand but designed for aluminum heads) with GMPP aluminum heads with arp bolts . I have 10.6 CR and have dumped a bunch of N20 threw it all summer long without a single problem.

I guess I'll be putting the copper wire gaskets back on it. I don't know why, but the guys who rebuilt my heads (Total Engine Airflow in Bowling Green, Ky.) took a cut off of them. I didn't see if they had a impression in them from the gaskets, I was too bussy looking at the bent valves. I might try talking to the guys at Cometic again. I doubt that I'll go that way, but I'm interested in what they have to say. Thanks for all the replys.

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'69 RS/SS396 pro street
427/4spd/9"
Byars Performance
High Performance Drive Train Parts And Service
www.lubedealer.com/biggearhead (http://www.lubedealer.com/biggearhead)

Thanks for the added info on Cometic Big Gear Head. Good to hear that Cometic was the solution and not the problem! Now I can assemble without the worry that goes with using new products. I misread your earlier post and gathered that Cometic was the source of the sealing problem.

Joseph

[This message has been edited by Joseph (edited 11-24-2001).]