Steel shim head gaskets

Lookng for opinion from the seasoned racers....talking about iron head and block. Back in the day, were the factory steel shim head gaskets installed dry, or any spray sealant like hi-tack used?

I thought factory spec'd to install dry.

 

I used to spray them.

 

Dry, but everything was new and flat. I also spray them now.

 

Thanks guys.
So it seems a light spray won't hurt anything. I thought the same. Freshly machined surfaces are optimal.

 

Don't use Hi tack, get a spray can of VHT Copper coat , or permatex 80697 and apply 3 coats to each side .

 

Yep, I figured the spray copper coats are probably the new and improved version of High Tack.

 

Last question,
Re-torque after a few miles? In the past, I've never had to. But I'll be just slightly over 11-1 comp using iron heads with this build.
Good idea or not necessary using steel shims.

 

I never do.

 

I’m a fuz over 11 to 1 I used fel pro didn’t retorque

 

Steel shim gaskets need "something" as a sealer. Damn near anything will do. Show me a gasket sealer, I'll show you something that will work just fine. Aluminum spray paint works, too--and it's really easy to apply.

The last steel shim gaskets I installed got cheap brush-cap Teflon pipe thread sealer on them.

Supposedly, steel shim gaskets don't need re-torquing. GM certainly did not re-torque, and they used steel shim gaskets on the LS-6 454 with 11:1 compression. I would (and do) re-torque after camshaft break-in, because "why not".

 

By the way,anybody needing good condition,used steel gaskets,I have a few pairs of them.I think I might have a set that's NOS.Bruno.

 

The old McCord gaskets that I used, I never re-torqued, and would actually put the new gaskets in the parts washer and use a scrubby to remove the silver paint on them. Then I would spray them. This was a trick from the late Tracy Dennis at Sunset Racecraft. The spray I used (this is going back a ways) was actually from Mopar. They developed and sold an MLS replacement gasket and sealing spray when their 2.2L/2.5L engines had all of the head gasket problems in he 80’s and 90’s. If anyone had leaking head gasket problems, it was Chrysler! Their MLS gasket and spray worked perfectly.

 

I'll PM you Bruno.

 

Wow, pretty cool. Yes the steel gaskets are coated with a paint or coating of some sort from manufacturer.
I guess anything that fills small voids will work.

I had this old GM brush in cap sealer, but I got the copper spray for a more even coating.

 

So Bruno,
Seems like you and others have sprayed sealant on used steel gaskets, and they sealed up? Good emergency plan if it works.

 

you know,I forget all about this topic.yes,as long as they did not bend,we always reused them,never any problems.I have maybe 5 sets,all for sale,just leave one set for myself.Bruno.

 

Too bad they are 455's.
The 350 guys would probably beat your door down for a cheap 1/2 point compression increase.....

Just wondering, with 5 sets you must have used some new sets too.

 

Miss the steel shim head gasket

 

I talked to a Mr. Gasket representative ages ago. They were willing to sell me the dies, but they were not willing to make any more steel shim gaskets aside from what was in the catalog (Chevy small block, Chevy big block) I was asking them about Olds for sure, probably Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, etc in addition.

 

I have new steel shim 350 head gaskets here, pm if you need em.