Gasket question

[Fixingfarmer]

Ok so for the exhaust gasket on top of his cylinder head which would be the other normally hot gasket I've usually used copper coat or nothing even and had good results after cleaning that surface as clean as I can get it. Never high tack or a silicone. What is everyone else's tricks?

 

[Fixingfarmer]

I personally know Ron and I am sure he has done a lot of successful repairs over the years using his methods. I would like to point out that anti-seize compounds actually contain finely ground metal particles most commonly aluminum and copper. Due to this I would not recommend using anti-seize as a treatment for gasket surfaces where the are sealing in the engine oil. In another post by jd2cyl he showed some rocker arm studs lathered with anti-seize compound and I replied there with this same warning. I understand the suggested use on the gaskets is probably applied rather sparingly. It would be interesting to see if after an engine was assembled in this manner and ran through its break-in period if an analysis of the engine oil would show if any of the metals from the ant-seize made it into the oil in any significant quantity. I would think that wheel bearing grease may give nearly the same result as the anti-seize as far as keeping gaskets from sticking.
I am not necessarily appalled as some are by the use of “form a gasket” or RTV but I do think it should be applied sparingly. I will say that RTV does tend to allow a gasket to squeeze or smash out easier than adhesive types of gasket compounds.

It doesn't take much to show up in copper on an oil sample before they would flag it and ask what its doing in there. Not that it matters all that much if it didn't come from the rods and mains. I haven't ever run into a situation where I cared enough about a gasket sticking to change a product based on that all I want is for it to seal and work as long as it can. Same with the "improved heat transfer" claims on some products I even use. Don't matter a hill of beans to me its 180 degrees the heat is gonna move through it no matter if that layer of copper is there or not. At the same time I know who will probably have to remove it so completely shellacking the whole thing together isn't the goal. If it didn't seal right and you don't see a problem with the head gasket you have to think about resurfacing something isn't right.

Only other thing to was going to mention before I forgot on the head start with that stud right in the middle. First torque is usually 45 to 50 for me. Then around again starting in the middle working out toward either side. I believe John Deere B should be 85 at the end with the fancy lead washer under all of them but you are right they don't list it in the old manual and I haven't gone looking for the spec in the new one.

 

[620 John]

Here's the torque chart I was talking about earlier. This is out of a 4020 book.

 

[Rich'sToys]

On regular gaskets like water pump and others, i just use grease gun grease. Lets them made a good set. I was told to do that back in the early 60's.

A retired John Deere mechanic once told me to use that on head gaskets also. Did it a couple times. Worked great.