They said it would happen
 

Well, I've joined the club of those who break water outlet necks. I used a gasket on it and did not use the paper match trick. I figured the gasket was thin enough I would not have to worry. Well, it was fine on initial assembly, and appeared OK after the first retorque. I started it up today and ran it long enough to warm it up. All was OK when I shut it down. I went in the house and came out 30 minutes later to find the garage floor flooded, and the water neck broken. I thought if it wasent broken after torquing it would be OK. MISTAKE So to others who think it won't happen to them, it may not right away, but it will later. I destroyed a perfect original. Next one goes on with NO gasket and a touch of RTV.

Re: They said it would happen
 

I sand mine flat before installing

Re: They said it would happen
 

T*** y** s*

Re: They said it would happen
 

I've seen the exact thing happen with the paper gasket. I heard a crack at a friends house and it seemed to come from his car. Checked it out and sure enough the water neck had just broken an ear off.

I've had good luck using the copper gasket. I think the paper gasket gets wet and soggy and thins out under the ear, then you have a snap.

Re: They said it would happen
 

I file the surfaces flat if they need it and use Ultra Gray RTV without any gasket. Been doing that for 5 years now and have not broken one water neck, and no leaks either.

Re: They said it would happen
 

How was it done back when? I cannot believe Ford would have gone through a bunch of water necks?

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It was done with a thick gasket; two thin pieces of copper with some gasket material sandwiched between.

Re: They said it would happen
 

I have installed these time and time again with no problem. I use "ONLY" copper gasket ..BUT i keep some necks extra's on hand. :>)

Re: They said it would happen
 

The original gasket was made just like a head gasket, with copper sandwiching a filler, probably asbestos. the paper gasket is junk, and should never be used, and the so called match trick is a lame attempt to overcome a bad gasket idea. If the correct original type gasket cannot be found, a thin layer of red high temp RTV on clean, flat head and outlet surfaces will never leak. Using RTV will also make the torque value more relevant on those two head studs, as there will only be one gasket to compress.

Re: They said it would happen
 

For the ignorant among us, what is the issue with the water neck that causes breakage and what is the "match trick"?

Steve

Re: They said it would happen
 

I have used copper gaskets on 2 motors and not a problem.

Re: They said it would happen
 

As you discovered the paper gasket is the culprit. Works fine when dry but becomes mushy when wet. The retorque then squeezes out the soft paper at the edge, breaking the water outlet. The match trick helps but the paper match will also become soft. The copper gasket works because the copper keeps the water away from the filler. I prefer the no gasket method.

Re: They said it would happen
 

I file the two surfaces flat until I, using prussian blue as a mating surface check, have a 95% contack between two surfaces. Then using thin layer of RTV torque the neck down and havent broken one YET using this method.

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I have used the RTV for years with out leaks or broken water neck.

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I'll be the fourth person to emphasize both surfaces must be FLAT!

Re: They said it would happen
 

The explanation given, that the paper gasket gets wet, and squishes out on the retorque sure sounds logical to me. Do I dare to use the copper gasket, or just go with no gasket? Anyone ever have one brake with the original type copper gasket?

Re: They said it would happen
 

Do the repro cast-iron necks also break ?

I just got a new one from Snyder's with the tapping for a temp sender; don't want to destroy it...

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i was wondering about the repos also i cracked an original but the repo has been on and off many times and never cracked

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Glad I read this. What about aluminum necks ? I have an offset generator mount, and needed to get a neck that shoots out at a different angle, and the one I found is aluminum.

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A while back someone remarked that Henry did not make a dime on Model A's, he made his money selling replacement necks.

I thought that this was so funny that I put it on a sign on my garage wall........right next to a broken neck.

I now use grey gasket maker and just smile at the words of Anon.

Re: They said it would happen
 

Use a fine flat file on both surfaces and a little bit of RTV. Worked great for me for years.

Re: They said it would happen
 

Place two paper matches on either side of the neck where the bolt holes are, as far out as possible.

The reasoning is that the nut pushs down on the edges of the neck more then the center, cracking the neck. Placing the matches under the edges make the edges higher then the center and prevents cracking.

Re: They said it would happen
 

Just unwrapped my new "tapped" neck from Snyders this morning, and inside was a little slip of paper with printed instructions for "the paper-match trick"; "guaranteed to work!"...

Call me stupid, but I'm putting mine together with the OEM copper sandwich gasket and no matches.... if it worked at River Rouge, it should work today...

I did run a file over the mounting boss on the head and the flange of the neck - took some high spots off both.

SC Frank

Re: They said it would happen
 

Great response to the water neck gasket. What do you guys use on the other gaskets?

Re: They said it would happen
 

I spray Copper-Coat on both sides of the copper head gasket, and water inlet and outlet copper gaskets. The copper carb and exhaust gaskets I leave plain.

BTW, the original water inlet and outlet gaskets I've removed from Model A engines have been brass, rather than copper

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Yes, I joined this club at least 4 times, you would think once would be enough, but I'm a slow learner on some things.

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Yes, been a member of the broken neck club for a while, thankfully theres no annual dues! or wait, maybe there is....

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Copper vs Brass:

I pulled the water inlet off the side of my block during the head job, and inside was a metal-clad sandwich gasket; the metal appears to be yellow-brass, as opposed to copper.

It looks good, so I will probably give a smear of silicone and re-use.

I like Permatex "Spray-Copper" too...

Re: They said it would happen