The Ford Barn

rjlester · 04-18-2026, 11:47 AM

My thoughts exactly Mart.

It's a composite gasket, I know you cannot reuse them, in this case I am. Should I apply anything to it to prevent any cross contamination of fluids etc?

rjlester · 04-18-2026, 05:59 PM

Well I put the head back on and its running. Don't laugh, but I used red RTV on the head gasket. Ok, I'm going to laugh!!! It just defies all logic that this engine would run and NOT leak anything at all. I only torqued the heads to 65 when I did the valves 5 years ago, so this time I torqued it to 70.

You guys will probably get mad at me, and think I'm crazy, but I actually took it on a drive for a couple miles, runs excellent. Left the rad cap loose. Runs quieter than it has in a long time. I have a feeling that ring broke even before Christmas, because it always had what I thought was a noisy lifter, that sound is TOTALLY gone.

I KNOW it's risky driving it, even starting it up. I'm just amazed at how quiet it is now. YOU CAN'T KILL A FLATHEAD haha.

Does this prove anything? I don't know. Maybe that I've gone stupid.

Actually I think this might prove that in an emergency, you can reuse a head gasket and it will get you home.

tubman · 04-18-2026, 09:15 PM

When we were in high school, it was customary to remove the heads on any new flathead we got to take a look around. We then put 'em back together with the original gaskets and preceded on our merry way. I think it worked because we didn't have any "super-stickem" sealer back then which would ruin the gaskets on disassembly. I still only use grease on gaskets, and am able to re-use them successfully if I have to tear down a recent rebuild for some reason.

rjlester · 04-29-2026, 08:56 PM

Happy to report that I've put 150 miles on it since, and no head gasket leaks. Not even a seep. The engine is still very quiet, knock on wood. Changed the oil today, no sheen to it or any sign of metal. Just normal dirty oil.

Taking it to the Red Deer swap meet on Saturday, if it survives that trip, I will be extremely happy.

Tubman, I like the grease on the gasket trick, I'll be sure to try that in the future.

chap52 · 04-30-2026, 07:07 AM

Had the same thing happen to me on my way to a car show, Rings on #5 cyl broke. Quickly shut it off and called for a a tow. No cyl. damage.
These engines are amazing.
Glad you got it back on the road. Chap

kurt v · 04-30-2026, 07:27 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

You have a motor that's getting hard to come by don't ruin it by trying to go a little longer , drop the pan , hone it and new piston and rings at the very least.

hueyhoolihan · 04-30-2026, 10:40 AM

amazing!!!

a piece of a broken piston ring that could work its way out from between a cylinder wall and a piston must have been either a very, very worn ring or a very worn cylinder or a very worn piston or a combination of all three! ha

...might want to think about pulling that cylinder's sparkplug wire before starting it if you find a need run it again before the rebuild.

BTW, had an old Jag XK 6cyl engine with a crack in one cylinder that ran clear through from the cylinder wall to the outside of the block. i didn't know it at the time but crossed the country from California to Ohio, in that car a few years ago. i traveled over Carson Pass (el. 8574') in the Sierras Nevadas and over Loveland Pass (el. 11,990') in Colorado with only some overheating on occasion. i was told it was a head gasket leak when i stopped in Denver but when the head was eventually removed i could see a previous brazing job had let loose and new-to-me block was in my future.

04-18-2026, 11:47 AM	#21
rjlester Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 291	Re: My flathead started knocking. My thoughts exactly Mart. It's a composite gasket, I know you cannot reuse them, in this case I am. Should I apply anything to it to prevent any cross contamination of fluids etc?

04-18-2026, 05:59 PM	#22
rjlester Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 291	Re: My flathead started knocking. Well I put the head back on and its running. Don't laugh, but I used red RTV on the head gasket. Ok, I'm going to laugh!!! It just defies all logic that this engine would run and NOT leak anything at all. I only torqued the heads to 65 when I did the valves 5 years ago, so this time I torqued it to 70. You guys will probably get mad at me, and think I'm crazy, but I actually took it on a drive for a couple miles, runs excellent. Left the rad cap loose. Runs quieter than it has in a long time. I have a feeling that ring broke even before Christmas, because it always had what I thought was a noisy lifter, that sound is TOTALLY gone. I KNOW it's risky driving it, even starting it up. I'm just amazed at how quiet it is now. YOU CAN'T KILL A FLATHEAD haha. Does this prove anything? I don't know. Maybe that I've gone stupid. Actually I think this might prove that in an emergency, you can reuse a head gasket and it will get you home.

04-18-2026, 09:15 PM	#23
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 12,139	Re: My flathead started knocking. When we were in high school, it was customary to remove the heads on any new flathead we got to take a look around. We then put 'em back together with the original gaskets and preceded on our merry way. I think it worked because we didn't have any "super-stickem" sealer back then which would ruin the gaskets on disassembly. I still only use grease on gaskets, and am able to re-use them successfully if I have to tear down a recent rebuild for some reason.

04-29-2026, 08:56 PM	#24
rjlester Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Posts: 291	Re: My flathead started knocking. Happy to report that I've put 150 miles on it since, and no head gasket leaks. Not even a seep. The engine is still very quiet, knock on wood. Changed the oil today, no sheen to it or any sign of metal. Just normal dirty oil. Taking it to the Red Deer swap meet on Saturday, if it survives that trip, I will be extremely happy. Tubman, I like the grease on the gasket trick, I'll be sure to try that in the future.

04-30-2026, 07:07 AM	#25
chap52 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Marana Arizona Posts: 1,869	Re: My flathead started knocking. Had the same thing happen to me on my way to a car show, Rings on #5 cyl broke. Quickly shut it off and called for a a tow. No cyl. damage. These engines are amazing. Glad you got it back on the road. Chap

04-30-2026, 07:27 AM	#26
kurt v Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: summerton, sc Posts: 544	Re: My flathead started knocking. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) You have a motor that's getting hard to come by don't ruin it by trying to go a little longer , drop the pan , hone it and new piston and rings at the very least.

04-30-2026, 10:40 AM	#27
hueyhoolihan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2024 Location: central coast california Posts: 594	Re: My flathead started knocking. amazing!!! a piece of a broken piston ring that could work its way out from between a cylinder wall and a piston must have been either a very, very worn ring or a very worn cylinder or a very worn piston or a combination of all three! ha ...might want to think about pulling that cylinder's sparkplug wire before starting it if you find a need run it again before the rebuild. BTW, had an old Jag XK 6cyl engine with a crack in one cylinder that ran clear through from the cylinder wall to the outside of the block. i didn't know it at the time but crossed the country from California to Ohio, in that car a few years ago. i traveled over Carson Pass (el. 8574') in the Sierras Nevadas and over Loveland Pass (el. 11,990') in Colorado with only some overheating on occasion. i was told it was a head gasket leak when i stopped in Denver but when the head was eventually removed i could see a previous brazing job had let loose and new-to-me block was in my future.