Hi Volks:

Mr Frank Condeli, a fellow listee, sent me this p-mail on head gasket
surfacing.

With his permission, I am posting it so everybody can benefit.

Thanks Frank!

Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy

>In a message dated 3/25/00 12:00:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>mruskin@pangea.ca writes:
>
><< 1.    Please describe what you mean when you "resurface" the heads.
> I imagine you mean that you cover the entire head mating surface with JB
> weld, and then ensure it's smooth, then scuff it up. Is that right?
>
>    Yes, sort of.  If there are lots of pits, I will cover the entire
>surface.  The point is to get the pits full and then get the surface
straight
>and level and back to it's original surface as much as possible.  I do not
>leave any JB Weld material on the head surface where there are no pits.
Sand
>the area with a block sander, or sandpaper on a piece of glass or an
orbital
>sander.  If when sanding you notice that there is JB Weld material staying
on
>parts of the heads then there is a possibilty the heads are not straight
and
>level.  So the sanding process may entail removing some aluminium from the
>high areas to get the surface level. The heads should be checked for
>straightness before beginning any of the pit filling.  This can be done
with
>a GOOD straight edge tool.  This way you know where your headed in the
>sanding procedure.  If the heads are badly warped then resurfacing at a
>machine shop facility will be necessary.  This should be done after you get
>the pits filled.  What your trying to achieve here is a straight, level
>surface for that big O-ring to mate to. The surface should be left a bit
>rough so the last course of sandpaper should be #220 or scuff the surface
>with a red scotch brite pad.  This is to give the sealant something to
cling
>to.
>
> 2.    On exactly what surfaces is the Permatex applied to? There's some
> discussion lately as to where the sealer/goop/stuff! should be applied. At
> the bottom end, too? >>
>
>    I apply the sealant to the 0-ring first, coating it very lightly,
before
>setting it in its groove.  This may or may not be necessary but does not
>hurt.  Leaking does not occur in that groove.  After the O-ring is in its
>groove then I coat the top surface of the cylinders where the O-ring is.
You
>want the sealant between the O-ring and the surface of the head.  This is
>where expansion/contraction and the leaking occurs.
>I also lightly coat the O-ring at the base of the cylinders with sealant
>before installing the O-ring then a light coating on the surface where the
>O-ring is.  I am not sure if this is of any benefit as by the time you get
>everything assembled and begin to tighten down the head bolts the sealant
has
>set up pretty well.  Also, this is not a known area for leaking to occur
just
>that it may once the original O-ring have been un-tensined due to removing
>the head.  Therefore the need to change the O-ring.
>
>Cheers
>
>Frank Condelli
>'87 Westy & Lionel Trains
>STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
>Almonte, On
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>HREF="http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html">Frank Condelli &
Associates<
>/A>  or
>http://http://onward.to/frankcondelli
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