plasticdash Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 What is the go with putting copper sealant on steel head gaskets (multi layer) ? does it have to be done , advantages etc (obviously both surfaces will be surgically clean and flat, and block threads cleaned.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Don't bother with it. Clean up the faces really well and torque down the head. It shouldn't be necessary to use a sealant if the mating surfaces are smooth and flat. In saying that I did use copper spray on my mini head gasket recently because it was a solid copper gasket. What is your application? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I once tried to use a copper head gasket and my engine pissed coolant all over the place. What would I have been doing wrong? Torque was correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock-Lee Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 copper h/g needs to be annealed before use so its soft and will deform once torqued up. EDIT: annealing process for copper is get it good and hot and quench in water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpr Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 if mutli layer steel. they usually have a coating on them already, like trd ones. wack them on as is. have reused this type, stripping whats left of the original black coating off. then using some copper coat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Mine is a single layer one. Can I anneal in a conventional oven or do I need to use something like a blowtorch? Particular temperature it need to get to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drftnmaz Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 i dunno about exact temperature, but i'd say its well hotter than a oven, normally you'd use a gas torch, and first set it so its burning with no oxygen, then run it over the copper just to blacken the surface, then turn the oxy on and heat until the black goes away, then it is hot enough to put in water i've done this at home with a bic lighter to black it, then a gas cooker to heat the copper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 i dunno about exact temperature, but i'd say its well hotter than a oven, normally you'd use a gas torch, and first set it so its burning with no oxygen, then run it over the copper just to blacken the surface, then turn the oxy on and heat until the black goes away, then it is hot enough to put in wateri've done this at home with a bic lighter to black it, then a gas cooker to heat the copper Awesome. Both sides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drftnmaz Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 nah just one side, and it takes quite a while to get it hot enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zep Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 LAst Q: You've heated it and got rid of the black, will it hold heat while you do the rest of it, or do you need to keep passing the entire thing over the heat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drftnmaz Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 you need to try and do it evenly, so yea go back over the bits already done and keep them hot, once you get the whole thing upto temp it usually stays there quite easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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