O'Ring Head Gasket Question

[BAGN]

I just came accross a set of Stock Iron Heads w o'rings in them. What is a good head gasket to run with them? What has worked with your set up? Thanks in advance

 

[Jay Wicks]

Are these stock 8445 castings? If they are, the O ring was likely installed to back up the stock 87 GM Grand National graphite gasket. Some have had very good results with this setup.

 

[BAGN]

Originally posted by Jay Wicks
Are these stock 8445 castings? . . . . Some have had very good results with this setup.

Yes. These are the stock castings. Not to crazy about going with the stock graphite gasket. Anybody used anything else with luck?

 

[Lee Thompson]

felpro 1000

will work if they are done correctly for the factory gasket.

 

[TurboT231]

Gaskets!

Bagn, i have the same set up on my steel heads, o-ring was installed by Weber for stock G.M. graphite's and under high boost the heads still lift and push the graphite out and have gone right to a water jacket and milk shaked everytime. I just installed a set of SCE copper Titans but haven't really pushed them hard yet, even if they lift a little there's no graphite to push out.

 

[Dusty Bradford]

If they were installed by Weber for stock gaskets then I have no problem with them. I ran this setup with the stock graphite gaskets for 4 years without ever blowing them. I never took it easy on my car either, low boost for me was 30psi.

I also used them for a while with the Fel-Pro 9441PT and never had issues, unless you count blowing a hole in the #1 piston. Never had any sealing issues though.

Like Lee said, if done properly they work well.

 

[Epitome]

I have had stock gaskets under my Champion ported irons for more than 3 years with no problems at all and multiple 10 second runs. No O ring either. Tuning is the key.

 

[BAGN]

Thanks for all the info.

What head bolts were ya'll running?

 

[Dusty Bradford]

ARP 190,000# bolts. Make sure you get the correct ones that have 3 different length bolts. I got one pack that only had 2 different lengths and the bolts on the top row at each end of the head were not long enough to torque to spec. If you aren't careful you could pull the threads out of the block with too short of a bolt.

 

[BAGN]

I finaly got a hold of Webber, He recamended I use ARP head studs. Thanks for all the info.