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Any problem using steel shim head gaskets...

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Old Mar 31, 2010 | 05:47 PM
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From: The problem is all inside your head she said to me.
Default Any problem using steel shim head gaskets...

on a iron block with AL heads??? Pretty sure the 350 I'm working on had pistons .025 in the hole first time I mocked it up. Is there any problem using the Fel-pro .015 steel shim head gaskets? I believe they are 1094.

Thanks
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 10:35 AM
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Depends upon what the head manufacturer recommends. If using a stock Corvette 113 head, a better choice would be the Fel-Pro 1010 gaskets - 4.166" bore; .039" compressed thickness; 8.9cc gasket volume; and a pre-flattened cooper ring around each bore. These gaskets were designed to be used with the Corvette heads and won't brindle (indent) the aluminum sealing surfaces.

The Fel-Pro 1094 steel shims are more of a race design. I've only used them on cast iron heads as a replacement for the Chevy .022 steel shim gaskets. They need to properly torqued down to maintain their seal especially if you're using aluminum heads because of the aluminum's greater expansion rate than cast iron. Even though the gaskets are rubber coated, they still might brindle the head's mating surface.
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by mr.beachcomber
Depends upon what the head manufacturer recommends. If using a stock Corvette 113 head, a better choice would be the Fel-Pro 1010 gaskets - 4.166" bore; .039" compressed thickness; 8.9cc gasket volume; and a pre-flattened cooper ring around each bore. These gaskets were designed to be used with the Corvette heads and won't brindle (indent) the aluminum sealing surfaces.

The Fel-Pro 1094 steel shims are more of a race design. I've only used them on cast iron heads as a replacement for the Chevy .022 steel shim gaskets. They need to properly torqued down to maintain their seal especially if you're using aluminum heads because of the aluminum's greater expansion rate than cast iron. Even though the gaskets are rubber coated, they still might brindle the head's mating surface.

Thanks again. I did some reading and it seems there are two versions and the rubber coated version has been used by many people on stock deck blocks and AL heads. I've used shims before on an iron to iron 11:1 but this is lower compression and AL heads. I'll let you know how it works.

I went ahead and trimmed the .030 from the back of the timing gear to use the thrust washer and the cam button. The washer is behind the gear and in front of the block. Cast iron cuts easy. I don't think the back face of the timing gear was very parallel to the front anyway. It is now.
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