Got my new Athena Head Gasket today - question

[Courtney]

Got a refund

They sent me my money immediately via Paypal, and apologized for the waste of time. They said they are going to contact their supplier right away because that obviously looks wrong to them as well. We'll see. Now I'm on the hunt for another head gasket, or should I just use my old one again? It came off fine with no de-lamination or anything. I read one comment where someone said coat it with copper never-seize???? I have a big can of that. Thoughts???

[BA80]

If it's not damaged it should be fine. Not anti seize though, it's a spray on coating called "Copper Coat" made by Permatex.

You just spray it on like spray paint

[Courtney]

If it's not damaged it should be fine. Not anti seize though, it's a spray on coating called "Copper Coat" made by Permatex.

You just spray it on like spray paint

Thanks BA, this has been QUITE an adventure. OK, cooper coat, looking for it now.

[BA80]

Just looked it up and either I had the name wrong or they have changed it.

Here's the stuff I'm talking about....http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80697.../dp/B000HBNUDQ

[crazy steve]

I dunno about the Permatex... that's adhesive, so you'll never reuse that gasket again...

I've had good luck with plain ol' aluminum-color spray paint. Make sure it uses metal for color (some use polyester flakes), give it a good, wet coat and immediately install it.

[Courtney]

This is the condition this head gasket is in. These are extreme closeups so it looks rough, but these areas seem to be along the edges of the head area, so probably corrosion over the years. The main cylinder seals are fine which will hold the compression. I"m thinking it's good enough to use if I use the Copper Coat by Permatex??? Or some good layers of alum. spray paint?

[crazy steve]

Wipe it off with some lacquer thinner, spray the snot out of it with aluminum paint, and I'd use some high-heat silicon sealer around the cam chain opening to prevent leaks

[BA80]

I would think the paint would bubble and cause problems because it's not designed to withstand the heat.

Did another search and this is what I remember using. I don't know where I got the Permatex Idea but I have used that before and it really doesn't stick.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...-1_-1&pt=N0488

[WSL91]

Aluminum paint is also used by the tractor guys on head gaskets. I picked up some brand of head gasket sealer that appears to be fine ground copper in the solution. Any of them will work, clean the head and jugs well. The missing rings are indeed "fire rings"

[Courtney]

Just looked it up and either I had the name wrong or they have changed it.

Here's the stuff I'm talking about....http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80697.../dp/B000HBNUDQ

That stuff looks fine to use BA, went to their site and found this info.


http://www.permatex.com/product-sele...ategory&id=165

[crazy steve]

I would think the paint would bubble and cause problems because it's not designed to withstand the heat..

I learned that trick years ago when using steel shim head gaskets (the thin steel gaskets were worth a few tenths of compression ratio) and never had a failure if I used the paint.... They tended to leak oil/water otherwise...

[Courtney]

So Steve, do any paint brands come to mind when you say cheap with aluminum particles??? I don't want to buy the wrong crap. Maybe I should just go with the permatex copper stuff, cause it says it fills imperfections, is for head gaskets to cylinders etc. Seems like the right product???

[crazy steve]

So Steve, do any paint brands come to mind when you say cheap with aluminum particles???

Just make sure the listed pigment is aluminum powder; I've used everything from $10 per can VHT High-heat to .99 per can no-brand paint... never had a problem with any of them, and the gaskets release easily when you pull the head...

And when I say a wet coat, I mean dripping...

[BA80]

I learned that trick years ago when using steel shim head gaskets (the thin steel gaskets were worth a few tenths of compression ratio) and never had a failure if I used the paint.... They tended to leak oil/water otherwise...

Yeah, that's when I learned about Copper Coat too.

Ha ha, you gotta look long and hard to find a steel head gasket these days.

[crazy steve]

Ha ha, you gotta look long and hard to find a steel head gasket these days.

Haven't seen one in years, but they were a 'hot trick' 'back in the day'...

They were really thin too; IIRC, the ones I was using (on a big-inch FE Ford motor) were only .015" thick (compared to about .060" for the regular head gaskets) and came out pretty much dead flat when you removed the head...