What ever you do. Do NOT use one of the scotchbrite pads on a drill or diegrinder to clean gasket surfaces! They will remove metal! 100% of the time. I very carefully used one years ago on a head. Then decided I did not fully trust my work and took it to have it resurfaced. I stood and watched the process. I could not believe how crooked the face of that head was! I have never used one of those scotchbrite pads again! Save them for body work! -- Mark Price Morgantown, WV 1969 AMC Rambler, 4.0L, EFI, T-5 2004 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.7L, Quadratrac II " I realize that death is inevitable. I just don't want to be around when it happens! " -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx> > Bruce Griffis wrote: > > > I'll try replacing the head gasket one more time and not put so much > > Permatex Copper tube goo on it. I'm thinking I did a poor job on the > > headgasket and that is part of my problems (exhaust is blue from oil, > > but also has a HECK of a lot of condensation in it. Not sure if I got > > a problem with rings and headgasket, or just one, or just the other. > > Oh you;ll get it to go. > > Get a box of 100 single-edged razor blades (you don't need that many; > but having a box of 100 you wont be stingy with them) and get the entire > block deck surface clean to metal. If it's dark grey or black, that's > old gasket or goo (or corrosion). Scrape it off! > > YOu'll probably get a slight ring of shiny metal around each bolt hole. > THat's block metal pulling up due to torque. It's normal if it's slight > (not good, just normal :-) > > DO the same to the head, but that shoudl be easy if you just had the > head redone. If it's not perfect, make it so. YOu don't want metal > filings in the engine, but lightly and carefully running a fine file > over the deck, then head surface, will reveal high spots (like if the > head klunked into the block during assembly, etc). I have a short piece > of broken file that I use for stuff like this, you can keep rags around > it. Better to risk a bit of steel shaving than carborundum from sand > paper. Paper's not flat either. > > Solvent on CLEAN, LAUNDERED rags, wipe the sealing surfaces until the > rags are almost clean. Then I don't even touch the surface. Smokey > Yunick said: 'no engine ever died from being too clean' and though he > meant internals, it applies everywhere there's an intentional seal or > mating surface. > > > If you are REALLY paranoid, you could set the head on the block before > you put any good or gaskets on, gently. It should slide smoothly, not > rock in any direction (like zero, none, not paper width) and not have > klunky corners to catch on anything. > > You need gasket goo (Permatex Copper or something old fashioned) but > hardly any at all. Very thin coat on all four surfaces. You should be > able to see through it. It's hard to get really even but you shoudl get > close. It should be dry/tacky (15 minutes is fine). > > When you set the head on that final time, don't slide it. That'll mess > up your nicely applied goo. This is tough, that head is heavy and it's > in a deep engine compartment! But you have helpful kids! > > > If one of our engine experts says otherwise, believe them over me for sure! > _______________________________________________ > Amc-list mailing list > Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx > http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list