What are you guys sealing your steel shim head gaskets with?Going to use Mr Gasket PN# 1131 For BBC same gasket they used on all orginal GM HP engines.Anyone know what bore size are they cut.
Thanks.

I use Copper Cote but high metalic silver paint will work, too.

Ditto Pat!!

pdq67

Last time I used the 1131's, I "painted" them with some excess teflon pipe thread paste that'd been loitering around my garage for the last five years.

I have come to believe that it really doesn't matter WHAT you use. Silver paint, Aluminum paint, CopperCoat, High Tack, I think you could probably use some old lipsticks your wife is about to throw away.

The big thing is that the steel shim gaskets are sensitive to surface finish and flatness. You want smooth and straight castings, and as always, torque the heads in stages.

The 1131 is a 4.370 bore gasket. If you have the three extra holes in the block deck for parallel cooling, you should use the GM steel shim gasket.

I was planning to use high tack spray,I called Mr Gasket this mornimg they say no sealer needed,Thanks for all replies.Schurkey I have a 454 block 74 4.310 bore using the 781 heads. The GM steel shim ones are 4.250 bore thats what the tech says my bore is to large.I perfer to use the GM ones PN# 14015351 at 8.50 each is not bad.
I will use sealer tho.Thanks again

I have always used good old engine paint..never had one leak graemlins/thumbsup.gif
TROY

One guy said he had even used gun-grease...

And I put "Indianhead Shellac Gasket Cement" on the ones I used on my 409 "W" motor years ago..

pdq67

David, I think the Mr. Gasket tech guy may have misunderstood which gasket you are using. Sealer is never recommended on composition gaskets, but shim gaskets always need some sore of sealer, in my opinion. I have always used high temp silver brush-on paint that hardware stores have for painting grilles (cookers).
HOW you prepare the gasket is just as important as WHAT you use for a sealer:
- make sure all the gasket surfaces are clean and straight.
- clean the bolt threads and bolt holes with thread cleaner dies (use thread cleaning, chaser dies, not thread cutting dies). Make sure there is no "stuff" in the bottom of blind holes.
- use sparing amount of good quality thread (anti-sieze) compound on all threads. I use a very small brush and put a thin coating of compound on the threads, beginning with the second of third thread and covering about 75% of the threads. I also use the compound an all bolts, even those going into blind holes, to insure that the torque readings will all be the same.
- brush the silver hi-temp paint on the clean gaskets, a fairly thick coat uniformily covering the gasket surfaces on both sides. Yes, you will get paint all over your hands.
- let the paint dry for just a few minutes and install the gaskets and heads while the paint is still tacky.
- torque the heads evenly in the sequence recommended by the engine manufacturer. Be sure to torque in steps and the final torquing should be done in several five ft. lb. increments.
- the heads SHOULD be retorqued after starting the engine and this will be a real pain as the exhaust manifolds/headers will need to be moved.

Originally posted by engineguy:
David, I think the Mr. Gasket tech guy may have misunderstood which gasket you are using. Sealer is never recommended on composition gaskets, but shim gaskets always need some sore of sealer, in my opinion. I thought the shim gaskets had a very thin rubber-like coating on them, especially the Felpros. If they do, should they still be painted? Thanks

The shim gaskets must be coated with Copper Coat or silver paint. I use the Mr. Gasket 1131's on my engine and spray them with Versa Chem Copper Coat from Advance.

You might be thinking of the Fel-pro, SB, #1094's that are .015" thick AND rubber coated..

Be nice if they were made for BB's, imho..

pdq67

Do the Mr. Gasket steel shim gaskets have the extra 3 coolant holes? The GM 14015351 ones don't and my 76 454 block does. The old GM steel gaskets that came off do have the holes. Can the 14015351 be used?

The Mr. Gasket steel shim units DO NOT have the three small holes between cylinders, for coolant passage.

The GM units pictured in the GMPP Catalog, DO have the restricted ends, and three coolant holes between the cylinders. I have not seen them "in the steel", though.

I am picking up the GM ones Saturday in Local chevy dealer he ordered 2 for me. I will tell you if they have the 3 small holes.I got them for $8.50 apiece.If you go to MrGasket.com you can see there gasket 1131 look like they have the 3 holes also and 2 extra head bolt.If not I'll use my old head gasket as a template and drill the holes.Again Thanks all the replies are very informative.

My bad graemlins/clonk.gif What I ment was that the 5351 gaskets are missing one of the large somewhat rectangular water passage holes that are situated at both ends of the block. They do have the small holes in question.

OK, can the Mr. G. 1131 steel shim's take the place the Fel-Pro 1017-1's??

pdq67

Originally posted by pdq67:
You might be thinking of the Fel-pro, SB, #1094's that are .015" thick AND rubber coated..

Be nice if they were made for BB's, imho..

pdq67 That is the one. I am going to use them in the near future so should I still spray them with the copper coat anyway?? I am doing a head change and am not sure what the block surface will look like.

Originally posted by loosend:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by pdq67:
You might be thinking of the Fel-pro, SB, #1094's that are .015" thick AND rubber coated..

Be nice if they were made for BB's, imho..

pdq67 That is the one. I am going to use them in the near future so should I still spray them with the copper coat anyway?? I am doing a head change and am not sure what the block surface will look like. </font>[/QUOTE]=
Robert,
No, the 1094's have the coating on them from the factory & they work very well as is.
Only thing is the block needs to be pretty smooth. Your heads will not be a problem, they will have a very smooth finish.
If the block doesn't have a reasonably smooth finish I wouldn't use shim gaskets.
The stock finish is fine as are most finishes done on good equipment,, depending of course on who is operating the equipment :D

Originally posted by Wolfplace:
If the block doesn't have a reasonably smooth finish I wouldn't use shim gaskets.
The stock finish is fine as are most finishes done on good equipment,, depending of course on who is operating the equipment :D Mike,

Could you explain what a "reasonably smooth finish" is and how to determine this? Sorry to sound thick but do I run my hand across the deck and feel for gouges and waves, etc? Is there a rule of thumb? I will check my deck height when I pull the old heads to be sure but lets ASSume it is .025, if I cannot use a shim gasket, is there a composite gasket thats .015 or am I stuck with a poor quench?? This is only going to be a top end rebuild for now.

Take a new, GOOD like in Nickelson!!, sharp, FINE cut Bastard file and very lightly go from each bolt-hole around to VERY gently dress the decks up.

Use the bolt holes as gauges as you work the decks over.

You will be able to tell the highs and lows by the shiney-ness as you work very carefully, trueing the decks..

AND the operative words here are VERY CAREFULLY!!!

DON'T go hog-wild b/c you can screw it up to where you WILL need to deck her...

pdq67

Hi Everyone. The Gasket GM Part Number 14015351
come with the 3 hoes in place, this is a excellent gasket from GM. I paid $8.50 Check site www.gmpartsdepot.com (http://www.gmpartsdepot.com) If in IL can walk in a get all good GM parts.Dont know how to post photo or would so all can see them. Thanks Engine Guy for the advise.And all who post good answers.Now all I got to decide on is rings,for take no prsioners build up.
Dave