From: F Murtz on
Noddy wrote:
> "F Murtz"<haggisz(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4c5e955d$1(a)dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>
>> What are current day thoughts on head gasket coating? (none, plain grease,
>> copper coat grease or spray,nickel anti seize,etc?
>> The old man 60 years ago swore by grease as he was trained by the air
>> force.
>
> Grease would be one of the best things to use on any head gasket that you
> *didn't* want to seal, as would any other non adhesive, non compressible
> solid that's main purpose in life is to act as a lubricant.
>
> I used to know an old guy, who was pretty old school, and he also swore by
> grease for use on head gaskets. When I shook my head and asked him why, he
> said "because it made the gaskets easy to remove". He used to be into
> Valiants, and not surprisingly he used to go through head gaskets on a
> pretty regular basis and could never put two and two together despite me and
> a few other people telling him that the use of grease is what was actually
> causing his problems.
>
> Still, he was one of those guys who had his "ways", and couldn't be told.
> His idea of a good valve job was to remove the head, take off the springs,
> coat the underside of the valve head in heavy lapping paste and stick it
> back in the head and then place the part of the stem protruding from the top
> of the guide in an electric drill chuck and give it a decent spin while
> pulling on the drill as hard as he could :)
>
> The best thing to use on any gasket, including head gaskets, is what the
> engine and/or gasket manufacturer recommends.
>
> Most head gaskets these days are of a composite material that come
> pre-coated with an adhesive which requires nothing other than the mating
> surfaces to be in a suitable condition for a new gasket to be used (clean
> and free from damage or blemishes in other words) and the parts assembled
> and tightened in the correct manner (which the gasket manufacturer usually
> advises). For gaskets that don't come with an adhesive bonding agent, which
> these days would be limited to old stock items or plain copper sheet, there
> are specific head gasket sealants such as Hylomar or VHT's Copper Coat which
> are aerosol based that work particularly well with a *light* even coat that
> will promote an effective seal.
>
> The most important part of any head gasket seal, apart from the gasket
> itself, is the finish of the mating surfaces on the block and head. If
> they're not clean and smooth, then the best gaskets and glue that money can
> buy isn't going to do diddly squat.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Noddy.
>
>


It appears my first alternative is correct, none.
It is amazing the differing opinions that abound if you research the
subject including my long dead father who was trained by the air force
as a fitter driver motor transport (fitter D.M.T.)I think they must have
put grease on all gaskets 70 years ago although I seem to remember
something called gasket goo for some water gaskets.
From: Milton on

"F Murtz" <haggisz(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4c5e955d$1(a)dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> What are current day thoughts on head gasket coating? (none, plain grease,
> copper coat grease or spray,nickel anti seize,etc?
> The old man 60 years ago swore by grease as he was trained by the air
> force.

Probably 60 years ago, they didn't know better. No way would I be putting
grease anywhere near a head gasket. Head Gaskets today are already coated
with a sealant that works once the two surfaces are heated by the engine.
Correct procedure is to ensure both surfaces are perfectly flat, ultra clean
and then tighten the head bolts as per recommended method. I personally
believe it's a good idea to retighten them to the recommended torque
settings after you've driven a couple of hundred klms althought this old
fashioned method doesn't appear to be popular anymore. Just don't put grease
anywhere near it ok?

Regards

Milton

From: Jason James on

"Noddy" <me(a)home.com> wrote in message
news:4c5eacdf$0$34570$c30e37c6(a)exi-reader.telstra.net...
>
> "F Murtz" <haggisz(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4c5e955d$1(a)dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>
>> What are current day thoughts on head gasket coating? (none, plain
>> grease, copper coat grease or spray,nickel anti seize,etc?
>> The old man 60 years ago swore by grease as he was trained by the air
>> force.
>
> Grease would be one of the best things to use on any head gasket that you
> *didn't* want to seal, as would any other non adhesive, non compressible
> solid that's main purpose in life is to act as a lubricant.
>
> I used to know an old guy, who was pretty old school, and he also swore by
> grease for use on head gaskets. When I shook my head and asked him why, he
> said "because it made the gaskets easy to remove". He used to be into
> Valiants, and not surprisingly he used to go through head gaskets on a
> pretty regular basis and could never put two and two together despite me
> and a few other people telling him that the use of grease is what was
> actually causing his problems.
>
> Still, he was one of those guys who had his "ways", and couldn't be told.
> His idea of a good valve job was to remove the head, take off the springs,
> coat the underside of the valve head in heavy lapping paste and stick it
> back in the head and then place the part of the stem protruding from the
> top of the guide in an electric drill chuck and give it a decent spin
> while pulling on the drill as hard as he could :)
>
> The best thing to use on any gasket, including head gaskets, is what the
> engine and/or gasket manufacturer recommends.
>
> Most head gaskets these days are of a composite material that come
> pre-coated with an adhesive which requires nothing other than the mating
> surfaces to be in a suitable condition for a new gasket to be used (clean
> and free from damage or blemishes in other words) and the parts assembled
> and tightened in the correct manner (which the gasket manufacturer usually
> advises). For gaskets that don't come with an adhesive bonding agent,
> which these days would be limited to old stock items or plain copper
> sheet, there are specific head gasket sealants such as Hylomar or VHT's
> Copper Coat which are aerosol based that work particularly well with a
> *light* even coat that will promote an effective seal.
>
> The most important part of any head gasket seal, apart from the gasket
> itself, is the finish of the mating surfaces on the block and head. If
> they're not clean and smooth, then the best gaskets and glue that money
> can buy isn't going to do diddly squat.

At work, the mechanic used to use "Rolls Royce" which came in hardening and
non-hardening bottles. I cant remember which one he used for head-gaskets.
In the POS Passat engine, I used non-hardening "Gasket Goo" which worked OK.
There was also a gasket cement made by Ford.

Jason


From: Jason James on

"Milton" <millame23(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4c5f0fc7$0$28656$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com...
>
> "F Murtz" <haggisz(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4c5e955d$1(a)dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> What are current day thoughts on head gasket coating? (none, plain
>> grease, copper coat grease or spray,nickel anti seize,etc?
>> The old man 60 years ago swore by grease as he was trained by the air
>> force.
>
> Probably 60 years ago, they didn't know better. No way would I be putting
> grease anywhere near a head gasket.

Indeed,..more than one person has recommended grease to me over the years..
You'd think it would eventually turn to carbon. The idea of any coating, is
to provide a medium to fill any unevenness between the block and head, and
to provide an extra gas-seal. I have used grease in the "old days" without
any repercussions, but then again those old engines didnt do much work
without them needing stripping down due some other problem.

Head Gaskets today are already coated
> with a sealant that works once the two surfaces are heated by the engine.

That makes sense, altho the rings of blue seem to be silicone in nature?

> Correct procedure is to ensure both surfaces are perfectly flat, ultra
> clean and then tighten the head bolts as per recommended method.

The rule of thumb was> one thou per inch of head/deck measured with a steel
rule laid across the surface.

I personally
> believe it's a good idea to retighten them to the recommended torque
> settings after you've driven a couple of hundred klms althought this old
> fashioned method doesn't appear to be popular anymore.

In every case I've found the head-bolts will retorque after as little as 300
ks.

Just don't put grease anywhere near it ok?

Aye!

Jason


From: Clocky on
F Murtz wrote:
> What are current day thoughts on head gasket coating? (none, plain
> grease, copper coat grease or spray,nickel anti seize,etc?
> The old man 60 years ago swore by grease as he was trained by the air
> force.

None, they come ready to fit generally. Head gasket on what?