Jallen1795 cj2a-47 [Archive] - Willys Jeep Forum

Jallen1795

01-03-2020, 02:09 PM

I recently blew a head gasket puttering through town. I found the breach in the gasket and it's ready to be replaced. My engine had bolts instead of studs and have ordered the proper fasteners. Ordered the copper head gasket (Kaiser) and through my own research have tried to answer my own questions. Hopefully I can get the forums input and or your opinions on my findings. I believe an automotive teflon paste is best to insert studs into block? Writing is on the top of the head gasket as its placed is recommended? and is it recommended to place a flat washer, then lock washer then stud nut when re-installing the head? I have looked at countless go devil engines in pics and some have washers, some don't. Lastly, its recommended to lube nuts prior to torquing. Any opinions are appreciated. Thanks Jim Allen

bmorgil

01-04-2020, 08:11 AM

Hello Jim! I highly recommend The Universal Jeep Service Manual as you go along. A lot of info in there and, it's all good. The copper gasket is an excellent choice. I would call Kaiser and ask them for the Manufacturers recommended installation procedures. There is no safer way. Having said that, I have used a lot of Solid copper and Steel gaskets in motors. In all cases the block surface and the head surface must be flat. Perfectly flat. In addition no deep scratches. I apply a very thin coat of sprayed on Permatex High Tack to both sides of the gasket. On the composite gaskets I only apply it to the steel side.

The Fel-Pro composite gasket is about as good as you can get right now. There are rumors of a rash of China knock off head gaskets. I did get one to look at. They have no markings on them. The good ones say Made IN USA. The decision to use a solid gasket or a composite is a tough one. I believe in a shim gasket in extreme performance situations on iron block and head motors. They must be installed on perfect machined surfaces and re-torqued periodically to function well. Installed correctly, they work well. They can be re-used. Nice when you have no choice between qualifying rounds if your racing! The composite gasket is much more forgiving of untrue surfaces and imperfections, to a point. It still needs good true surfaces.

I have used Permatex Stud Sealant exclusively for a long time on motor studs. I did have 2 incidences where I had trouble. Once on a high end Chevrolet, and once on my L134 intake stud. In both cases black silicone fixed it. After the leak on my L134 I called a couple of Pro Machinist/Builders I had worked with. Both said the same thing "black silicone on anything that enters the water jacket". I do know several winning teams trust theses guy's. I now only use black silicone. It fixed the L134 first try. I could not get the Teflon to seal. That said it has to be used sparingly. It cannot get loose in the motor.

The stud is installed with sealant finger tight. Then the flat washer no lock washer. That is the way they were assembled originally. Interestingly, the parts manual does not show the flat washer. It does appear in all the original assembly photographs however. It does need to be there or the nut will dig in to the head casting and it will be difficult to achieve consistent torque values. The nuts are installed clean and dry unless the manual says otherwise.