<VV> Indented Head Sealing Step

[N. Joseph Potts]

I have not seen this condition and have no good ideas on how it comes about,
but I can report that using two head gaskets is common practice (I always do
it) and it does not cause any problems I've ever observed at the seal. I
would expect it to be effective in your situation, assuming that the grooves
you report are fairly regular and free of nicks, etc.
    It does have another effect, which is the reason I do it. It enlarges
the combustion chamber slightly, and accordingly, slightly reduces your
engine's compression ratio. It should reduce your engine's susceptibility to
knock, and may reduce the compression you observe when you measure that.
     I've found a peculiar situation on a head I'm refurbishing: the bosses
that the six (upper) head nuts bear on are INDENTED by the head nuts. I
SUPPOSE that's from overtorquing, but I would have thought that head studs
would either stretch or pull out of the block before this condition
developed. Never seen it on another head.

Joe Potts
Miami, Florida USA
1966 Corsa coupe 140hp 4-speed with A/C

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org]On Behalf Of Ron
Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 12:11 PM
To: BobHelt at aol.com; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Loud noise when hot


An anomaly that I noticed last night is that the head "lands" where the head
gasket seats are grooves and are at least half as deep as the thickness of
the seal rings.  I assume that it's something that happened over the last
forty years but it doesn't look good.  What causes that?  I'm inclined to
double gasket and reinstall it.  Any comments on that?

Thanks,
RonH