Cylinder head gasket fitting

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ErikBenson

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Hello, I am replacing the head back on to my 1940s diesel inboard -( Coventry KF4 type ) and will reuse the old 3 sheet copper head gasket. I have carefully cleaned it, but now need to know whether to use Hylomar Blue. . or a bit of grease. . or nothing. Any suggestions please ?
 
Best bet if it is purely copper is to anneal it. Cover it with soap, heat it until the soap goes black, then plunge it into a bath of water.
Don't use Hylomar. Grease can help.
Make3 sure the mating surfaces are clean and true.

Good luck.
 
ErikBenson said:
Sorry. . .cannot anneal. . the gasket is in 3 layers of copper . May have to go Hylomar unless you know better ?
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Why can you not aneal, old gaskets generally MLC, multi layer copper with asbestos filler material.

Do not use Hylomar, useless in combustion gas envionment. The amout of work you are putting into this project should justify a new gasket.

Use old gasket as pattern and have solid gasket cut from solid sheet of copper with water jetting process.
 
Thanks Late starter. . .of course you are right !. It's just that this is my first boat. . .my first diesel engine too. Getting one cut in the UK or the States is easy. . .in SW France they MIGHT get it right and then charge you an enormous amount into the bargain.
I have made several solid copper head gaskets for my race cars in the old days.. . . i couldn't work out why there are three sheets of copper in this one. . .ie: one thin- -one thick- - and then another thin one. Maybe to be able to use when the head has to be shaved and then remove a thin one. . .hell, I don't know.
Also I don't understand why there are quite large areas of cut-outs between the sealed waterways and cylinder sealing bits. . .to save copper ? or some demon anti- expansion thing. . .I'm getting confused now ! Any ideas ?
 
Are you saying there are 3 separate gaskets that are all the same shape and not a composite material? Sounds a bit bodgey to me. I think making a card or paper pattern(or sending the original if you feel brave and trust the post not to lose it) and posting it to a UK firm who can make a solid copper one is the best way ahead.
 
penfold said:
Are you saying there are 3 separate gaskets that are all the same shape and not a composite material? Sounds a bit bodgey to me. I think making a card or paper pattern(or sending the original if you feel brave and trust the post not to lose it) and posting it to a UK firm who can make a solid copper one is the best way ahead.
Click to expand...

I'm with Penfold on this, does sound odd, and if you can find someone it would be better to have a new one fabricated, try these people

http://www.classicenginesandspares.co.uk/index.html

Don't know what they are like, I found somewhere more local for my gaskets, but they were quite helpful on the phone.

Mal
 
gordmac said:
Varying the gasket number/thickness to get the compression ratio right?
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It could be, but doing it with multiple gaskets rather than gaskets of different thickness is just asking for a failure and leakage. Motorbikes used to do it with the gasket/spacers at the barrel/crackcase joint.
 
ErikBenson said:
Thanks Late starter. . .of course you are right !. It's just that this is my first boat. . .my first diesel engine too. Getting one cut in the UK or the States is easy. . .in SW France they MIGHT get it right and then charge you an enormous amount into the bargain.
I have made several solid copper head gaskets for my race cars in the old days.. . . i couldn't work out why there are three sheets of copper in this one. . .ie: one thin- -one thick- - and then another thin one. Maybe to be able to use when the head has to be shaved and then remove a thin one. . .hell, I don't know.
Also I don't understand why there are quite large areas of cut-outs between the sealed waterways and cylinder sealing bits. . .to save copper ? or some demon anti- expansion thing. . .I'm getting confused now ! Any ideas ?
Click to expand...

Cor digging into memory bank now!

I first came across KF4 in the 1960's when they were being disposed of by the MOD and have to admit I have never seen one in pieces. Engines appear to have been very reliable in service. For those posters suggesting old engine component suppliers forget it! KF4 was never sold to Joe public as far as I know, likewise parts never came on to the open market. T Norris Industries had a bunch of them which were broken up for parts, but that was MANY years ago.

Multi layer gaskets tend to compress evenly under given clamp load.

Heck I would re-use old gasket taking a close look at combustion ring, grease and give it a go, people that designed the engine knew little about the technology so everything was way over engineered. 90% chance it will work

If gasket does fail I can give you contact details of water jetting outfit.
 
Thanks Late starter. . . . My FMD was decommissioned in 1961 by the Admiralty sans engine , instruments fuel tank etc. . .ie. . stripped. I have been very lucky to find nice guys with original workshop manuals etc and even original parts - -like an original dashboard with rev-counter still in it.. . amazing ! I found the engine on this website in Kent and am really looking forward to installed the real thing. The boat is now looking very shipshape. I heard that the Admiralty had flogged off all the stuff. I will actually try Norris , on the off hand.
Thanks once again. . .Erik.
 
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