groove in block?

[gnjim]

I'm prepping a Gn shortblock for rebuild and noticed that there was a very thin groove cut around each cylinder on the deck and filled in with a square wire. Could anyone tell me what this is and does it now require a special head gasket? Any help appreciated.

 

[Ray R]

The grove is probably for a fel-pro wire-loc gasket part #1007. Hopfully the groves were cut properly, the machining on them has to be dead on as far as the depth and so forth. If it was done improperly you may have problems with it. Good luck

 

[KendallF]

If the groove's in the deck, it wasn't for the Felpro 1007s. They require a groove in the head. It's just an O-ring..usually used with copper gaskets. Depending on where it's located, it may be usable with composition gaskets. Other options may be to deck it out of the block, or JB weld it (don't laugh! I've seen it done! )

 

[gnjim]

Thanks for the help

Thanks for the help guys. Anyone know of somebody good in the Chicago area that could look at this and give an educated opinion of exactly what to do. I know JB weld can work miracles but that would be a last resort. The block came out a car with an oil burning problem, and as far as I know didn't have a head gasket problem, but I don't what type of head gasket they were using and it's to late to find out. I have composition head gaskets but I'm trying to do this once and do it right. Trying to get ready for the Nationals.

 

[KendallF]

I was sort of joking with the JB weld comment. You might try ANS (in Melrose, I think?) One more option is to use copper wire in the o-ring grooves with a composition gasket.

 

[gnjim]

Groove in the block

Thanks I'll give ANS a call. Maybe they can help or steer me in the right direction. I kind of figured you were joking about the JB weld, but, you know, sometimes the craziest things work.
Thanks again