Posted by David Sherman [172.68.22.23] on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 13:59:15 :
I know a lot of guys say don't use copper coat (head gasket spray) but my 251 head has a definite groove under the fire rings on a couple of the cylinders. Hard to say just how deep it is, but I can easily feel it. The gasket didn't leak before I pulled the head but I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to spray the top of the new (Mahle) gasket with copper coat. The block looks fine. Yes, ideally, I would get the head milled, and also pull and lap the valves, but to do that I'd need to pull the manifolds. The manifold the nuts are very rusty and that's a can of worms I don't want to open now. Just trying to get the Sno Cat back together before winter. Had to pull the head to un-stick #6 exhaust valve, which actually took a lot of pounding to get free. #2 isn't the greatest either (lots of carbon), and #3 has quite a ridge on the top of the cylinder but I just cleaned things out as best I could without removing the valves and will run it as is. Not going to properly overhaul the engine at this point. Water distribution tube appears gone as well, but that's another can of worms I don't want to open up. Just wondering if a little copper-coat on the top of that head gasket might help.
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