Head Gasket Grease

[Ed Saniewski]

I am new to the V8 family, been doing model A's for 25 years and always used Felpro copper gaskets with Permatex copper sealer. Now I am reading about using grease, is this because of aluminum heads that expand more then cast iron heads? Just wondering as I am getting ready to reassemble the aluminum heads on my 1933 station wagon. Thanks for the help.

[Flathead Fever]

I was a professional mechanic. We used Permatex head gaskets they had a coating that heated up and made the seal on the head gaskets. You do not coat them with anything. They were designed with materials that could handle the expansion and contraction of the cast iron block and the aluminum heads. I would do exactly what the original gasket manufacturer recommends. Clean the surfaces really good and make sure the surfaces are straight. I have a machinist's straight edge I check the block and heads with.

[The Art Doctor]

Yes, some people choose to grease the original style copper gaskets. The early cars do not have pressurized radiators so the water is less likely to be pushed out past a gasket. The grease is so you can reuse the gaskets. The copper ones can be annealed with a torch to like new and used over and over if not bent. Some do not even bother with the torch but its good insurance. Copper gasket spray is an adhesive some use. Obviously as an adhesive it makes reuse of the gasket difficult. Aluminum spray paint is sometimes used to fill in small imperfections in the iron surfaces (spray the gasket not the block and heads) and help with sealing on a less than perfect surface.

[Ronnieroadster]

On steel or copper composition head gaskets I always use silver spray paint been doing this for decades. It helps heat transfer and also fill small surface irregularity's. An additional plus it allows the gasket to be removed and reused many times over.
Ronnieroadster

[19Fordy]

Ron, I was not aware that you could use a head gasket "many times over". I always thought the "sealing ring" at the gasket bore would flatten out and it couldn't be reused.

[Ronnieroadster]

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Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Ron, I was not aware that you could use a head gasket "many times over". I always thought the "sealing ring" at the gasket bore would flatten out and it couldn't be reused.

The fire ring of course has been flattened. But as long as the gasket is being reinstalled on the same engine the same side and between the same head plus torqued to a similar pressure reusing the gasket will work. Using silver paint on the gasket surface once again is how I do it when needed.
Ronnieroadster

[19Fordy]

Thank you Ronnie for responding to my question. I learned something new.

[Tim Ayers]

I've also used Ronnie's method after he told me about it. No issues.

[Ed Saniewski]

Fever, are you using plain old regular bearing grease?

[jimTN]

paint or copper spray, give things time to dry. let the surfaces get tacky first then after installation, wait a day before running for a good seal.

[tubman]

I'm a surface prep and grease guy myself. I use whatever's in the grease gun at the time.

[Jack E/NJ]

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by The Art Doctor

Yes, some people choose to grease the original style copper gaskets. The early cars do not have pressurized radiators so the water is less likely to be pushed out past a gasket. The grease is so you can reuse the gaskets. The copper ones can be annealed with a torch to like new and used over and over if not bent. Some do not even bother with the torch but its good insurance. Copper gasket spray is an adhesive some use. Obviously as an adhesive it makes reuse of the gasket difficult. Aluminum spray paint is sometimes used to fill in small imperfections in the iron surfaces (spray the gasket not the block and heads) and help with sealing on a less than perfect surface.

copper gaskets and copper spray for me. Sealed tight.

GB