boostedgtp Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 Has anyone used a set of flatout rubber coated copper head gaskets? What were your impressions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 Yes. I was recommended this gasket from Jeff Fowler when I built my 355 for boost. I used it in conjunction with o rings in the block deck. Your talking bullet proof headgasket for mostly race applications but the rcc coating still allows it to be "street driven". If you drive this car all around town and its more a daily then a race car I would look elsewhere. Its a solid copper gasket. Whats your application , it might be overkill. Usually with a copper gasket you need to ocassionally check the oil for antifreeze. They are reususable. You can see why they are favored by racers. http://614streets.com/flatoutgasket.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Its a GM 3.8 iron head and block. Oring in the block and reciever in the head. Im wondering what if any sealant I should put on the gasket to seal the coolant passages? I tourqued one head on tonight and used 2 coats of spray copper on the gasket. I have been reading and it seems like everyone who uses these has a different opinion on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 http://www.flatoutgroup.com/gaskets/techtips.asp If its a new gasket then why would you need additional sealer on the gasket? Why did you use copper spray? Flatout the manufacturer list rtv silicone as being used when the laminate coating is damaged but no mention of using it when the gasket is new???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 For insurance. Did your builder tell you to install them dry? The motor im working on didnt have sealant on the head studs and pushed water up them. The person who ported the heads, ported into the water jacket and created a second water leak. The heads are fixed and I have sealed the studs. Im am just looking for extra insurance with the copper spray. Is your motor running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Removed Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 For insurance. Did your builder tell you to install them dry? The motor im working on didnt have sealant on the head studs and pushed water up them. The person who ported the heads, ported into the water jacket and created a second water leak. The heads are fixed and I have sealed the studs. Im am just looking for extra insurance with the copper spray. Is your motor running? yes it does http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0UwAts803E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Good deal. Has he had any problems with water and I wonder how many miles he has on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Yeah Carl I first fired my motor up in 2006. The manufacturer and builder told me to install them dry. I don't have any miles on the motor just run time. No water issues at all. Did you use liquid tfe paste on your water jacket holes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Carl Just looking into it a bit , is this the spray you are using? http://permatex.com/documents/tds/Automotive/80697.pdf I would have to step out at this point and say I would lean on the manufacturers tech support for assistance and advise The tech sheet says that brand copper spray is an sealant and its chemical make up is that of "Phenolic". Isnt Phenolic a plastic? I would assume your fine but assuming might not cut it? Either way let me know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 no i just put 2 coats of this copper "spray a gasket" made by permatex stuff on the gasket and torqued the head down. I used "the right stuff" also made by permatex on my head studs. It was recomended to us by the engine builder who fixed the cylinder heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Yea thats the stuff. Ill call flatout tomorrow and see what they say and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Cool thats the best Idea. I wouldn't think the phenolic chemical makeup would have any adverse reaction the the rubber coating but I am no chemist. Pulled this from the website. "Flatout has developed an "out-of-the-box" copper head gasket that requires no addition preparation before installation. Head gaskets made with Rubber Coated Copper, RCC, assemble directly from the package, seal fluids and combustion better than any other copper gaskets, and remove effortlessly with no messy clean up. The rubber coating used for Rubber Coated Copper gaskets is inert to almost all fluids and solvents and can withstand the extreme temperatures produced by the hottest drag motors. This dry coating is very thin to ensure low torque loss and is durable enough to be reused in most cases. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedgtp Posted March 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 I called flatout and talked to Mark. I told him what I did and he said he doesn’t recommend spraying the rcc gaskets with the permatex copper. He said the copper will damage the rubber coating and he offered to recoat the gasket for 15.00 plus shipping. I told him that I already torqued one head down and he said it was up to me if I wanted to take it off or not. He said he hasn’t heard of anyone using the copper spray so he couldn’t comment on exactly if it would seal or not. He did say they have used rtv silicone around the water passages to help stop water leaking. So I think I’m going to leave the front head on and use just rtv around the water passages on the rear head. I sent an email to kurt urban on ls1tech and he said he installs the rcc gaskets dry and non rcc ones with rtv around the coolant passages. So Im just gonna do a little experiment and see what happens. I hope to have it running in a couple of weeks so Ill let you know what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 614Streets Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 Sorry to hear the bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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